Business tips(you need to know)

 

What are the most successful small businesses?

Small businesses that involve website design, a subset of digital marketing, are among those that make the most sales and bring in the most profit. People learn about businesses on the internet more often than via other avenues, so finding clients and a steady income stream isn’t as difficult. Cleaning services and real estate businesses also have high success rates, which makes sense – all people need homes, and they prefer them to be clean.

Key takeaway: Some of the most profitable business ideas are website design, cleaning services and real estate.

What would be a good small business to start?

If you want to maximize your profit while minimizing your workload, try any of the small business ideas that most frequently prove successful. However, if you’re more interested in pursuing your passions while earning enough money to live, start a small business that fulfills you, requires you to use your skills, and offers you a good work-life balance. There are so many great business ideas that this question has no objectively correct answer – you know better than anyone what small business ideas will bring you happiness, success and stability.

How can I start my own business with no money?

You don’t need money to become a small business owner. The first step in starting a business with no money is to keep your current job and launch your small business as a side pursuit at first. Then, develop your business plan and analyze your consumer base, market, and potential challenges. Near the final stages of planning, you’ll better understand how much money you need to make your business a full-time job. You can find this money through crowdfunding platforms and investors. Consider taking out a business loan only as a last resort.

Tip: Choose a small business idea with low startup costs. If you still don’t have enough money, finance your business idea through crowdfunding or investors.

How do I start a small business from home?

Home-based businesses tend to be the most convenient and manageable ones. That said, not all great business ideas are suited for home offices, so make sure your business can be conducted from home – jobs with onsite needs and heavy in-person demands might not be suitable. In your business plan and budget, incorporate any office supplies and tools that make your online business ideas feasible, such as a separate business computer, a suitable desk, high-speed internet, filing cabinets and a business website.

What makes for a good work-from-home small business idea?

A good work-from-home small business idea boasts the following traits.

• Minimal inventory and supplies: Presumably, your home isn’t a mansion (yet), and you only have so much space in which to store inventory and supplies. That means lawn care service is probably a no-go if you’re looking to work from home. The same might be true for T-shirt printing if you don’t have space to store your prints. Copywriting and graphic design, on the other hand, require little more than a laptop and a working internet connection, and you probably already have those.

• Low startup costs: A viable work-from-home business shouldn’t cost much to launch. With minimal storage space, it’s not like you can pile up raw materials and inventory. You might need to buy some software or obtain licensure for certain small business 
•  store inventory and supplies. That means lawn care service is probably a no-go if you’re looking to work from home. The same might be true for T-shirt printing if you don’t have space to store your prints. Copywriting and graphic design, on the other hand, require little more than a laptop and a working internet connection, and you probably already have those.

• Low startup costs: A viable work-from-home business shouldn’t cost much to launch. With minimal storage space, it’s not like you can pile up raw materials and inventory. You might need to buy some software or obtain licensure for certain small business ideas, but your financial obstacles should be far and few between.
• Computer-based, online work: Many of the above small business ideas require the use of a computer with an internet connection. Dropshipping, digital marketing and translation are all great examples. An exception to the rule is pet sitting if you watch over pets at your house rather than the owner’s home. Then, all you need is a pair of watchful eyes and open ears. You can even do computer-based work while watching the pets.
• Flexible schedule: Traditional office jobs often demand a rigid 9-to-5 schedule from employees. This schedule can feel less important to adhere to if you’re working from home, especially when you’re your own boss. As such, the best work-from-home small business ideas allow for a flexible schedule. If you do your best app development work at 3 a.m., who’s to stop you?
• Modest collaboration needs: Although remote team collaboration is easy to achieve, working from home goes more smoothly when you’re almost fully independent. A small business in which you answer to just a handful of clients and one or two colleagues (if any) leads to greater independence. Then you can truly work on your own terms and see your small business idea through to full fruition.

What is the step-by-step process for starting a business?

Starting a business takes work, but with the right tools and guidelines, your company will be up and running in no time. Although your specific business journey will be unique to you, we identified a few steps that entrepreneurs can take to start their business.

1. Choose a business idea and find your niche.
2. Analyze the current market.
3. Create a business plan.
4. Assess your finances and raise money as needed.
5. Determine your legal business structure.
6. Register your business with the government and IRS.
7. Choose the appropriate business insurance policies.
8. Hire employees and build your team (as needed).
9. Choose your vendors (as needed).
10. Market and advertise your business.

20 Great Small Business Ideas to Start in 2022

 

Looking for a great business idea? Read on for ideas that will help you start and grow a successful business in 2022.

• Many of the best small business ideas for 2022 involve an online business model.
• Choose a business idea that you are knowledgeable and passionate about and develop a detailed business plan.
• Before starting a business, determine if there is a demand for the product or service you want to provide.
• This article is for anyone looking for inspiration to start a business.

You want to start a business, but you’re having a tough time articulating your idea. If you want to become an entrepreneur, you need inspiration. It all starts with an idea that has room to grow over time.

If you are thinking of starting a business in 2022, it is critical to take the new normal into account. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed so much about how people consume products and services. While starting a retail business or restaurant might have been good ideas previously, you might want to reconsider those thoughts until you see how the next year plays out. Instead of more traditional businesses, think about ones that can support how people live their lives now. You’ll need to create a sound business plan no matter what, but many of the ideas on this list only require a credit card processing partner to accept payments for you to get started.

This list of business ideas includes 21 great types of business to help you find success in 2022 and beyond. If you find an area you want to pursue, review the steps for how to start your own business.

20 great small business ideas

If you’re ready to run your own business, consider any of these business areas.

1. Consulting

 

Source: Kerkez / Getty Images

If you are knowledgeable and passionate about a specific topic (like business, social media, marketing, human resources, leadership or communication), consulting can be a lucrative option. You can start a consulting business on your own, then grow your business and hire other consultants over time.

2. Online reselling

 

Source: ijeab / Getty Images

Those passionate about clothing and/or sales may consider starting an online reseller business. Although it takes time and dedication – and an eye for fashion – you can start as a side hustle and turn into a full-time resale business. You could start by using online store websites like Poshmark and Mercari to sell your unwanted clothing, then expanding to your own resale website.

3. Online teaching

 

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The demand for online education has opened up possibilities for entrepreneurs. Since this is an online venture, you can choose any subject you are knowledgeable about and teach a course regardless of your location. If you don’t have advanced knowledge in any particular subject, consider teaching English as a foreign language online to students overseas.

4. Online bookkeeping

 

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As with education, technology allows many bookkeeping services to be performed online. If you are an accountant or bookkeeper who wants the freedom and autonomy of running your own business, take advantage of modern technology to start your own online bookkeeping service.

5. Medical courier service

 

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If you have a reliable vehicle and good time management skills, consider creating your own courier service – more specifically, a medical courier service. As a driver, you would be responsible for transporting medical items like lab specimens, prescription drugs and equipment. You could start your courier business on your own, or hire other drivers to work for you.

Did you know? The healthcare industry is expanding, which is a good sign for medical courier service job stability.

6. App development

 

Source: RossHelen / Getty Images

If you are knowledgeable and experienced in technology, you may want to consider a career in app development. Smartphones are an everyday accessory for many Americans, which has increased demand for mobile apps. Similarly, virtual reality software has become popular in recent years, so there is also a demand for VR app development. 

7. Transcription service

 

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If you have a good ear and can type quickly, a transcription service would allow you to work from home with a flexible schedule. Medical transcription services are especially needed as voice recognition technology proliferates for healthcare provider dictation. If you’re not looking to start all at once, or if you have a day job you would like to keep for the time being, you can accept as few or as many transcription jobs as you’d like. To boost your business prospects and justify charging more, consider becoming a certified transcriptionist and delving into a few specialties.

Medical transcriptionists typically charge 6 to 14 cents per line of transcription, which adds up quickly. The typical turnaround time for transcription work is 24 hours, so it’s important to stay on top of the jobs you accept. However, the flexibility to accept only a few requests at first means you can scale up as you are ready. Best of all, there is very little startup cost and overhead. You only need a computer, the appropriate software and a secure messaging service.

8. Professional organizing

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Looking for a business idea that can really spark joy? Professional organizers, like Marie Kondo, help people declutter and minimize for a living. In an age of materialism, many people are desperate to downsize and take control over their possessions. Minimalism is becoming extremely popular, but people often find it hard to part with things they’ve owned for a long time. Part of being a professional organizer is helping clients develop a system for downsizing.

If you’re a highly organized person who enjoys making spaces functional and comfortable, you might be good at coaching others to do the same. People will pay you to help them devise a method of minimizing their possessions and maintaining an organized space. To promote your business, ask if your clients will let you take before and after photos of the areas of their homes you’ve organized, and use those to create a portfolio that you can put on social media to attract more clients.

9. Cleaning service

 

Source: KatarzynaBialasiewicz / Getty Images

If you like to clean, you can easily turn that into a business. With a few staff members, a host of cleaning supplies and transportation, you can offer cleaning services to homeowners, apartment complexes and commercial properties. Most cleaning services charge $25 to $50 per hour. Cleaning services are straightforward businesses that require relatively little overhead; you simply need planning, dedication and marketing to attract customers.

If you’re looking to differentiate yourself from other cleaning services, consider adding premium options like floor waxing or exterior power washing for an additional fee. These services could be the deciding factor between your new cleaning service and seasoned companies that maintain too large a client list to provide that level of cleaning.

10. Freelance copywriting or content writing

 

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If you’re a natural wordsmith with a bit of marketing knowledge, you can establish yourself as a freelance copywriter or content writer. Whether you write blogs, web content or press releases, plenty of companies will pay for your services. Increase your value by using SEO knowledge to help clients craft a strategy around specific keywords that their target audience is already using in their online searches. Most freelance copywriters charge $40 to $50 per hour, but those with expertise in a given vertical could charge even more.

Freelance copywriting is a great business to run because as long as you have an internet connection, you can work. It’s a business that you can operate from the comfort of your own home, or even from the road if you travel. If you establish a large enough network and gain referrals from satisfied clients, you could even make freelance writing your full-time job.

11. Home care service

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A background in care and hospitality can go a long way to support housebound seniors who require in-home care. It’s also a service for which demand is only going to grow. According to the National Institute on Aging, between 2010 and 2050, the 85-and-over population is projected to increase 351% globally, and the global number of centenarians (those over age 100) is projected to increase tenfold. Many will need care and assistance, often in their own homes.

Luckily, you don’t need a background in healthcare to help seniors and grow a successful business at the same time, although those skills will be in demand as well. Many seniors need help with all kinds of tasks, like errands or repairs around the house. With some experience, you could consider growing your business to help seniors transition from their homes to assisted living facilities, offering services such as packing, transporting, setting up, or storing their furniture and possessions.

12. Translation service

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According to research from IBISWorld, the translation services industry saw a decline in 2020, as did many industries; however, IBISWorld forecasts a “major uptick” for the industry over the next five years. That projected growth isn’t surprising, as the internet has opened up entrepreneurs in other countries to English-speaking markets and vice versa.

This trend has created an opening for multilingual speakers to offer specific services, such as document translation and the translation of website information into languages for use in other markets. If you’re fluent in multiple languages, you could be successful carving out a niche in the translation services industry.

13. Digital marketing

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The importance of the internet grows with every passing day, but it also becomes harder for businesses to cut through the online clutter and properly market themselves. Digital marketing services are always in demand, and many small and midsize companies would rather outsource them than establish a costly in-house team. If you have chops in SEO, content marketing, pay-per-click advertising, web development or social media management, you could seize a business opportunity that allows you the freedom to work from home.

Digital marketing is an important part of any brand, so you’ll need to respond to developments in your clients’ marketing strategies. Social media management entails watching for comments and messages around the clock, not just scheduling posts with a set-it-and-forget-it mindset. If you enjoy strategizing and implementing marketing plans meticulously, digital marketing could be the right business for you. You may also consider becoming an affiliate marketer, which is another form of digital marketing.

14. Owning a food truck

Source: LightFieldStudios / Getty Images

With indoor dining limited in many locations right now, aspiring restaurateurs might find more success with a food truck. Food trucks come in all shapes and sizes, serving up a wide range of snacks and cuisines. Take your favorite style of food on the road and sell your culinary passions directly to hungry customers. Sure, you’ll be working, but you’ll be in a space you’re passionate about, with a chance to connect to people who have similar interests. 

Food trucks might sound like a wild idea, but the industry is growing. The overhead and upkeep for a truck is significantly less than for a restaurant, and you have the added benefit of mobility. [Check out our recommendations for POS systems for your food truck.]

Tip: If you’re interested in serving up smiles, get more information in our guide to starting a food truck business.

15. Lawn care service

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If you grew up with a lawn, chances are your parents made you maintain it. For many of us, lawn care is bothersome, but for some, it offers a sense of peace and serenity. Working outdoors with your hands to tame and beautify the natural landscape can be a rewarding experience, and since so many people find the work tedious, it can also be profitable.

Lawn care services require little more than some basic equipment, a trailer and perhaps some staff, depending on how many clients you have and how big the jobs are. You can grow a small lawn care service into a full landscaping company by offering premium services and establishing a reputation as a brand that does a thorough job with a smile. If you like working outdoors and creating elegant landscapes, this could be the business for you.

16. Rideshare driving

Source: LightFieldStudios / Getty Images

If starting your own business seems daunting or too much of a risk, you can always use your car to become a rideshare driver. The overhead and responsibility of running the company falls on the rideshare service, giving you the freedom to work as much or as little as you want. Rideshare applications such as Uber and Lyft allow people to start side hustles that pay well and require little more than a willingness to drive people to their destinations and make occasional friendly conversation.

Rideshare drivers have the independence of a small business owner without the heavy workload required to manage behind-the-scenes logistics. If any of the other business ideas seem to require too much effort or upfront capital, ridesharing might be the way to dip your toes into the world of entrepreneurship.

17. Real estate

Source: Kritchanut / Getty Images

For many people, navigating the housing market is overwhelming. As a real estate agent, you can help people find their dream homes at a price that fits their budget. In many states, you only need to complete a few months of classes and pass an exam to qualify as a real estate agent. Keep in mind that even with a certification, you’ll need strong social skills, so if you’re not a people person, this might not be the route for you. [Read related article: How to Become a Real Estate Agent]

18. Graphic design

Source: AndreyPopov / Getty Images

Corporations, small businesses and sole proprietors all need eye-catching promotional materials, but not everybody has an eye for what looks good. If you have an artistic streak and know how to organize content into a visually pleasing format, start a graphic design business to provide flyers, digital ads, posters and other engaging visual materials. Graphic design requires few physical tools beyond a laptop and a desk.

19. T-shirt printing

Source: MaxkyTH / Getty Images

Just like with graphic design, you might enjoy launching a T-shirt printing business if you’ve got a sharp artistic sense – or if you enjoy taking someone else’s designs and screenprinting them onto a blank tee. Either way, if you have space for a T-shirt printing setup, you can easily acquire the necessary tools and get started.

20. Dropshipping

Source: ijeab / Getty Images

Not all companies that sell goods store them onsite. In dropshipping, people who run e-commerce sites go to a third party to fulfill all orders. The third party is likely a wholesale retailer or other entity that runs a warehouse and shipping operation. The minimal inventory and tools needed for dropshipping make it an especially great startup idea if you’re worried about overhead costs and physical space.

business challenges 2{profit heist}

 

Most people(business owners, entrepreneurers, traders) are completely ignorant of some things that contributes to loses or inprofitability in their businesses and these things can cause frustration and jadedness.

Some will even have to take out from their personal funds just so they can satisfy a customer and maintain their brand reputation. 

 Sometimes after running your calculations you find out and realise that at the end of transactions you aren't making enough profits for all the stress you go through. 

Now, let's get this right.

It takes more than profits to start and maintain a business. Even though profits is the aim of every business venture but understanding how loses work sometimes can save you a lot of money.

In a driving school, they will tell you what to do and what not to do. They will tell you what can cause potential accidents during your course of operation not because they have bad intentions but because that awareness is very important.

Pilots can relate to this that when they are being trained they simulate different scenarios of plane crashes so that they can build a management system around it. The goal is not for them to crash, but that the possibilities of a crash exists in their line of job and it is better that they are enlightened and prepared. 

Do not be ignorant of the channels through which losses can come into your business, infact you should find a means to make your business more loss resistant than chasing after profits.

Sometimes it isn't always the profits that isn't enough. It is the losses that are too much.

Don't forget to drop your comments on the comment box let's solve your problems together 🙏

 

Business challenges(strategy)

 

The actual challenge with many traders, entrepreneurs and business owners is not really ignorance, before you decided to go into trading or business it means that you understand some basic principles that guides the execution of duties.

Infact if you go online, you will see lots of information attempting to communicate different knowledge based on what you want to know. So I do not believe that the issues with traders is necessarily ignorance, but I understand that based on the numerous information available, the truth that guides to specific results are being confused.

 We have the knowledge but we do not know which principle or strategy produces a particular kind of result, so we randomly apply strategies in hope that one will work and the danger is that it might actually work, but there won't be mastery.

So when next you come across the same situation, you just apply anything you think you know and hope for results.

  So, what I'm trying to say is that in whatever you do, there should be a mastery of what produces what. 

Imagine a doctor who randomly prescribes drugs to his patients,  truth is that in some cases it might work but in most cases it won't work and would cause even more damages.

Don't just apply strategies anyhow, apply the required knowledge to get the desired results.

WEALTH TRANSFORMATION(the higher access)

 

 Wealth transformation only comes when you have access to knowledge and by knowledge I mean understanding the principles and mysteries that brings wealth. knowledge in itself unexplained and not understood can bring no good, don't confuse yourself that because you have proximity with some concepts means you will automatically get wealth through it.  The same way you can hold a car key and not be able to operate it, knowledge only becomes profitable when it is believed, understood and applied.

Now let's get straight to business. 

I can assure you there are so many opportunities on the internet for you to just tap and harness to create and transform wealth, the opportunities are unending. 

WHAT TO DO? HOW TO START? WHERE TO START?

Yes you should ask this questions obviously but let me show us somethings very important.

Capital and labour are permissioned leverage. Everyone is chasing capital but someone has to give it to you. everyone is trying to lead but someone has to follow. 

code and media are permissionless leverage. They are the leverage behind the newly rich. You can create software and media that works for you while you sleep. An army of robots is freely available, it's just packed in data centres for heat and space efficiency.

Well, back to knowledge, do not go into an endeavour without having full knowledge of that space. You must gain all the knowledge required, you do not necessarily need a start-up capital to gain knowledge. The internet is broad, ask questions, learn from pros. How did they do it? the goal should be clear and the path should be backed up by a proper plan. I wallowed into the crypto currency space knowing my brilliance will make me hit it big, to cut the long story short i went there without full knowledge and a clear plan. The space swallowed me in a few weeks.

INTERNET OPPORTUNITIES?

The space is broad and you should not be left behind when there is enough money to be made.

If you can't CODE, WRITE BLOGS, RECORD VIDEOS AND PODCASTS, GRAPHICS. How about tech? CRYPTO, FOREX, AFFILIATE MARKETTING. You love writing? be a freelance writer and copywriter, write and sell your products. Too many opportunities, just tap and make good use of the opportunity using time as leverage.

Leverage is a force multiplier for your judgement. Judgement requires experience, but you can be built faster by learning foundational skills. Study microeconomics, game theory, psychology, persuasion, ethics, defi/blockchain tech and computers.

You should be too busy to "drink garri" while still keeping an uncluttered calendar. Set and enforce an aspirational personal hourly rate. If fixing a problem will save less than your hourly rate, ignore it. If outsourcing a task will cost less than your hourly rate, outsource it.

WORK AS HARD AS YOU CAN EVEN THOUGH WHO YOU WORK WITH AND WHAT YOU WORK ON ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN HOW HARD YOU WORK.

please drop your comments and questions in the comment box.

Why you are stuck? (wealth creation)

  

Can we talk about why you haven't been able to achieve considerable success in your financial endeavours?

Well I don't know your problems but I can actually put out some reasons and possible solutions as to why your problem suffices, what you should do and how to go into the internet and create wealth.

Now let's talk about wealth, money and status

Seek wealth not money or status. Why?

Wealth is having assets that works for you while you sleep, money is how we transfer time and wealth, while status is your place in the social hierarchy. Well from here you will picture which is more valuable to inculcate in your daily life.

What can you do?

Understand that ethical wealth creation is possible. If you secretly despise wealth, it will elude you.  

You are not going to get rich renting out your time or playing around you must own equity, knowledge, consistently trading, developing, researching and adding value to gain your financial freedom. Okay let's get positive now

You will get rich by giving the society what it wants but does not yet know how to get. At scale. Should I tell you how?

 Pick an industry/community where you can play long term games with long term people.

The internet has broadened the possible space of careers. Well, most people haven't figured this out yet.

 Play iterated games. All the returns in life whether in wealth, relationships or knowledge comes from compound interest.

Pick a partner or partners with high intelligence, energy and above all integrity. Don't partner with cynics and pessimists. Their beliefs are self fulfilling. Please don't.

 Now I've spent time listing out stuffs you should do. The things you should be looking at adding or improving for you to go into an endeavour and create wealth. Well can we also talk about time management? I won't emphasize much on this part because I can't control your schedules for you but I can tell you that everyone has 24hours everyday both the rich and the poor, both the fit and the disabled. You have the same 24hours as Elon musk. Don't spend your time and resources on frivolities, make use of this time and explore. Take your time to learn and learn, practice and practice again. Time is too short for indecision and vacillation. This is 21st century the internet has made itself available for us to cashout, to create wealth that works for us while we sleep. If you wanna make money in this current space.

LEARN TO SELL and LEARN TO BUILD

If you can do both you will be unstoppable.

Do well to drop your questions and comments in the comment section.

What next Naija?

 The rich get richer and apparently the poor get poorer, which nation dictates who gets rich and who gets poor for her citizens? Nigeria?

 Giants of Africa as proclaimed? well dwarfism in reasoning as been the order of the day for our dear country Nigeria. Are we redeemable? Is this ever blood thirsty nation salvageable?

Well, pay no mind to the youths this nation obviously don't believe in them, a society where the male child is now useless without money, a society where a female child isn't even relevant outside wedlock no matter her achievements.

Everyday seems scripted and the perfect reference point where the life cycle of a black man becomes so predictable is Nigeria.

The labour of our heroes past shall never be in vain, one nation bound in freedom, peace and unity. These are the two blatant lies in the first stanza our nation's anthem because if the dead do shake in their graves our heroes past will be shivering in severe pains.

Nobody is guaranteed tomorrow but everyday life in Nigeria makes the odds even lower. Should we talk about the daily bloodshed? How about the looting and money laundering by the supposed men of valor in key positions? Everyday seems scripted

A nation where absolutely nothing is moving, a nation where you can easily differentiate the rich from the poor even without going anywhere. There are people who aren't even guaranteed a single meal a day whereas there are people who have enough food and resources for a millennium all inside the same nation. 

Sports? Nigeria's female basketball team D'tigres pulled out of the upcoming women's basketball world cup and even banned for 2years by their own government for reasons known to them. Should we talk about how mayhem savagery was ongoing in a train enroute kaduna state the day the nation's men's football team(super eagles) were preparing for an important world cup qualifiers game against ghana? No single sporting event is making progress.

Should we talk about the incident at the lekki toll gate few years back? The blood of those victims is yet to get justice only God knows if they are rest in peace. You never get justice in the country when your oppressor is on the other side of the financial food chain.

Should we talk about the inter ethnic fights and killings especially happening in the east? No one is even safe no more once you are outside your hometown

Should we talk about the religious fanaticism? Should we talk about the religious fights and killings? Should we talk about banditry?

How about Deborah samuel? The one that was lynched and cremated in mayhem savagery in sokoto for blasphemy? Nigeria makes it seems like your hands is in the hands of your fellow citizen because you don't even know who or what is coming for you. Even the people that introduced these religions to us don't go this extreme.

Travellers everyday are even afraid of reaching their destinations because of everyday abduction and kidnapping

ASUU has gone on strike one out of everyday four days on average for the past 6years can you fault them? They have families too and they have to feed, isn't agreement supposed to be agreement anymore? How about the students wasting days turned into months and years at home?

How about the unemployment? You aren't even guaranteed a comfortable life after school in this our country Nigeria no matter your grades.

What leads youths of today to go into fraud and then even rituals all because of money? The nation doesn't have a future for them, the nation has made it clear that it's all man for himself, the nation has made it a survival fight where even the fittest may need to shed blood.

The government? Our leaders? Change? These people in power never ever practice what they preach not when you have dry bones hoping to rise again in key positions.

36 states and yet it all oozes disunity it all oozes racism where we have turned the name to ethnic wars and tribalism. Igbos killing hausas and vice versa, fulani herdsmen killing their fellow humans and vice versa. Aren't we humans anymore? A tribe segregating another even in wedlock, every tribe has one ethnic group they will never allow their children to marry from. Why?

Free and fair election with bloodshed is truly free and fair only in Nigeria, why are the Innocent the targeted ones? Why are the poor the sacrificial lambs? 

Another election coming up and then with the unsettled ASUU issue with youths languishing at home even with the financial situation and recession everywhere you see the so called leaders spending billions with reckless abandon in this same nation. Even the outcome of the so called election seems scripted already. We don't know what is coming next for us but the question is

WHAT NEXT NAIJA? WHAT NEXT NAIJA?

When is the transfer window? How does it work?

 As soon as the club football season comes to an end, everyone’s attention quickly turns to the upcoming transfer window.

The summer market allows managers to sign new players and to sell those members of the squad they deem to be surplus to requirements based on the previous campaign.

Supporters eagerly anticipate the business their beloved team will complete, while senior figures at clubs spend their time poring over the finances related to a purchase or sale.

But how does the transfer window actually work, and how does players moving teams in football differ from how it happens in other sports across the globe?

The Athletic has answered those questions and more…

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What is the transfer window?

A transfer window allows football clubs to buy and sell players during set period of times each year.

The main one happens over the summer, at the end of the club season in most European nations, and normally lasts for around two and a half months. Windows normally open in June and close just before the following campaign begins or early in it. Premier League clubs voted to ensure it closed before a game of the next season was played in 2018 but then reversed that decision in 2020.

There is also a winter window, beginning at the start of January, which lasts a month.

The summer period for player trading tends to be when clubs make strategic signings, whereas the nature of January, around the midpoint of many clubs’ seasons, means it has a more reactive element to it.

For example, teams normally make winter-window signings to replace injured players, to try to get themselves out of a relegation scrap or to capitalise on a good start and push on for a higher league finish and/or trophies.

When does it open and close?

The Premier League’s summer transfer window will open this year on Friday, June 10 and close at 11pm on Thursday, September 1.

The summer transfer window is yet to open but Manchester City have already announced a deal to sign Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland (Photo: Alexandre Simoes/Borussia Dortmund via Getty Images)

Does this mean no transfers happen until then?

Clubs can agree on transfers earlier than June 10 but they will not become official — and the player involved will not be able to join his new side — until the window opens.

Players who find themselves out of work can sign for a club at any point of the year, while special dispensation can be given to clubs if they need to acquire a player on an emergency basis.

Common examples of this are when their senior goalkeepers are injured and a new one is needed. It happened at Southampton in December, when Alex McCarthy and Fraser Forster were both sidelined, allowing unattached former Chelsea keeper Willy Caballero to join before January.

On a basic level, how does a transfer fee work?

A transfer fee is essentially financial compensation.

As the selling club own the player’s contracted playing rights, it is down to the buying club to negotiate a fee to purchase those playing rights.

What are the stages of a transfer?

Although talks are likely to have taken place between clubs and intermediaries long before any move is completed, the first step that gets the ball rolling is the buying team agreeing a fee with the selling club.

Once that has happened, the player is granted permission to speak to the buying club to sort out personal terms and, if that gets done, undergo a medical. When both of those boxes are ticked, the transfer is usually confirmed by both teams.

When do clubs start negotiating deals?

Football clubs are normally in talks with agents and other intermediaries throughout the year, lining up potential targets.

Those initial conversations — ones with the following summer in mind — tend to start taking place in September and October, before everyone’s attention switches to the looming winter window in November and December.

Once January is out of the way, focus reverts to the summer. But it is not until the end of the European season, in May or early June, that the months of planning and talks come to fruition.

This was evident in Manchester City recently activating a release clause in Norwegian striker Erling Haaland’s contract at German club Borussia Dortmund. That was the result of several months’ worth of discussions with the player and his representatives.

How does this compare to the system in other sports?

America’s National Football League (NFL) and National Basketball Association (NBA), for example, have a different system from what we are used to in football.

For starters, there are no transfer fees when players change clubs in the NFL and NBA, but teams can offer picks in the annual draft of players graduating from the college-level feeder system, which there is no equivalent for in football with its pyramid system of divisions, as payment if they want to sign a player who is contracted to another franchise. Swap-deals, rare in football, are common with clubs trading one player for another of similar quality, for several lesser players or for a package of player(s) and draft picks.

There is a free-agent market, like in football, that allows teams to sign out-of-contract players once the season ends, but teams are not allowed to execute such deals until March in the NFL’s case, after the Super Bowl in mid-February, and the NBA finals in June.

How does the transfer system differ in MLS?

For teams in MLS to get most non-MLS players, the player concerned must be on the team’s “Discovery List”. If the player has already been listed by another MLS club, the interested team must pay the other $50,000 in general allocation money (GAM) — an intra-MLS transaction fund — to acquire him.

A player’s transfer/loan fee is added to wages to determine his impact on a team’s league-imposed salary budget ($4.9 million in 2022). There are numerous mechanisms through which teams can spend far above their budget, with the designated player rule being the most well-known.

MLS has two transfer windows. The “primary” one runs during the league’s winter off-season and into the league’s first weeks in the spring. The “secondary” window happens during the season and runs from July 7 to August 4 this year.

Do players have no say over their futures?

As their signature is required on the contract, players ultimately have the final world on who they want to play for.

Clubs work closely with intermediaries when selling or buying players, and if everyone has done their job correctly, the player should not be surprised with their destination.

If an agent, for example, has several clubs interested in a client, then they would go through each one together and discuss which option is the best move, how much the teams are willing to pay and other factors they deem worth considering.

Kylian Mbappe has signed a new contract with Paris Saint-Germain rather than leaving this summer as a free agent (Photo: Gao Jing/Xinhua via Getty Images)

What are the standout possible transfers of the summer?

Haaland has already completed his move to Premier League champions City and fellow striker Kylian Mbappe opted to remain at Paris Saint-Germain as opposed to joining Real Madrid, a move which was widely anticipated, as a free agent when his PSG contract expired this summer.

It will be difficult for those two deals to be beaten over the coming months, but the free agent market is thriving and possibly at its strongest point to date as it allows players to demand hefty signing-on fees due to there being no transfer fee involved in acquiring them.

Manchester United’s Paul Pogba, Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele, Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale, Juventus’ Paulo Dybala and Atletico Madrid’s Luis Suarez are all out of contract this summer and will be searching for new teams.

One developing situation to keep an eye on is Barcelona’s pursuit of Bayern Munich’s star striker Robert Lewandowski. The Poland international is said to want to join the Catalan club, but Bayern are reluctant to sell.

Lewandowski has now confirmed he wants to leave Bayern this summer. His contract expires after next season, so Bayern must choose between selling now and using that money to buy a replacement, and potentially losing one of the modern game’s best players for nothing this time next year.

Is this system used across world football?

Global governing body FIFA’s regulations set out two annual periods (transfer windows) during which clubs can buy and sell players.

The exact timings of these, however, are set by the individual countries’ football associations, with not all domestic seasons running to the same calendar.

For example, the Premier League’s winter window closed this year on January 31, whereas the one in Turkey’s Super Lig remained open until February 8.

That means Turkish clubs could potentially buy players from England’s top flight during that week when Premier League sides would have been unable to bring in replacement as the window had already shut.

(Photo of Robert Lewandowski: Ronny Hartmann/AFP via Getty Images)