NATIONAL COUNSELING AND YOUTHS EMPOWERMENT, JANUARY SESSION, 2026

Speakers:

MAGISTRATE NNWANA YANIC ZOZONG
Sir. GODWILL YAKUM

THEME 1:

“How to Start a Successful Business in a Difficult Environment and Under Difficult Circumstances”

Your environment may be tough, your resources limited, but your mindset is your most powerful tool. By the end of this session, you will see that difficulty is not a limitation, it’s a launchpad for success.

Understanding difficult environment and difficult circumstances

1. Difficult Environment

This is the world around you that makes business hard. It includes:

High unemployment — few jobs for everyone
Weak economy — money is tight
Poor infrastructure — unreliable power, roads, internet
High competition — many people chasing few opportunities
Limited access to finance — banks and loans are hard to get
Unstable systems — government, markets, or regulations are unpredictable

“Your environment is tough, but it doesn’t decide your future. You do.”

2. Difficult Circumstances

These are the personal or immediate challenges you face in this environment:

No start-up capital — you have little or no money
No experience — you feel unskilled
No strong network — few people to help or guide you
Fear of failure — pressure and uncertainty are scary
Lack of knowledge — don’t know where to start or what works
Daily survival — focus is on food, bills, and basic needs

“Hard circumstances test your courage, creativity, and determination. They are the training ground for strong entrepreneurs.”

Objectives:

Important to understand that:

Lack of money is not the end
Lack of relationships and connections is not the end
Hard environments usually produce strong entrepreneurs
Success is possible even under pressure

“Difficult circumstances do not destroy dreams — they define strong entrepreneurs.”

Good to know:

“Many successful people did not start with money, connections, or comfort. They started with hunger, problems, and pressure. Your environment is not your limitation — your mindset is.”

Examples of People Who Started with Hunger, Problems, and Pressure

Myles Munroe

Born in the small village of Grand Bahama.
No money, no global influence, limited resources.
Started teaching leadership and purpose from local communities.
Became an international motivational speaker and author.

Lesson: He used his knowledge, vision, and determination, not money or connections, to impact millions.

Robert Kiyosaki

Grew up in a regular middle-class family.
No big inheritance or wealthy connections.
Lost money in early investments and faced financial pressure.
Learned financial education, created the “Rich Dad Poor Dad” system, and built wealth through assets and entrepreneurship.

Lesson: He turned failure and limited resources into financial education and systems that made him successful.

Tony Robbins

Grew up in a poor and unstable home.
No money, no mentors, little support.
Started by giving small free seminars and coaching locally.
Became one of the world’s most recognized life and business coaches.

Lesson: He turned his challenging circumstances into motivation, learning, and action.

Key Takeaway:

Your environment doesn’t decide your future. Hunger, pressure, and problems can be fuel — but your mindset decides the outcome.

Reality Check

Know and accept the truth clearly:

Jobs are limited
Government can’t employ everyone
Waiting for opportunities is risky
Survival now requires skills, creativity, and courage

3. Key Principles of business success

🔑 1. Your Mindset

Think solution, not struggles
Think value, not victimhood
Think learning, not complaining

“If your mind is poor, your business will be poor.”

🔑 2. Start Small, Think Big

Be ready to start small, those people you envy; They also started small. Infact you began too rich, too comfortable, with more privileges and opportunities.
Small businesses grow
Start with what you have:
- Phone
- Skills
- Talent
- Knowledge
- Time
- Energy

Examples:

Phone → Online business, Content Creation, Blogging, Graphics, …
Skill → service business
Knowledge → teaching/training
Talent → creative industry

🔑 3. Problem-Based Business Model

Understand this formula:

Problem = Opportunity = Business

Steps:

Identify problems in your environment
Ask: “How can I solve this?”
Package the solution
Sell the solution

Examples:

Dirty environment → cleaning services
Unemployment → skills training
Food scarcity → food business
Transport issues → logistics
Poor education → tutoring
Poor digital access → tech services

🔑 4. Skills Over Certificates

Acquire them:

“Skills pay more than certificates in today’s economy.”

Skills You Need to Succeed in 2026

1. Digital Skills

Skills to work online or use technology to create value
Examples: Social media management, content creation, digital marketing, video editing, graphic design
Why: These skills let you earn money globally, even with little capital

2. Technical Skills

Hands-on skills that solve real-world problems
Examples: Phone repair, computer repair, barbing/salon, electrical work, plumbing
Why: People pay for solutions, and these skills are always in demand

3. Trade Skills

Skills for producing, selling, or providing services
Examples: Tailoring, catering, welding, carpentry, small-scale farming
Why: You can start small, serve your community, and grow over time

4. Online Skills

Skills specifically for earning money on the internet
Examples: Freelancing, online tutoring, dropshipping, virtual assistance
Why: Low start-up cost, high potential reach, scalable

Key Advice:

Skills pay more than certificates.
Combine skills with small businesses to start earning.
The more skills you learn, the more problems you can solve and the more income you can generate.

🔑 5. Discipline + Consistency

Success formula:

Small actions done daily = Big success over time

Practical Steps

STEP 1: Self-Discovery

What can I do?
What do I know?
What problems do I see?
What do people need?

STEP 2: Skill Building

Learn online
Learn offline
Practice daily

STEP 3: Start Small

No perfection
No big capital
No excuses

STEP 4: Branding

Be known for something
Build trust
Build reputation

STEP 5: Growth

Reinvest profit
Learn more
Expand slowly

💬 Reminders

“Your environment can shape you, but it doesn’t have to limit you.”
“Poor conditions create strong entrepreneurs.”
“Pressure builds diamonds.”
“Don’t wait for perfect conditions — they don’t exist.”
“Start small, grow smart.”
“Hustle with vision, not desperation.”

Now Ask yourself:

What problem do you see daily?
What skill do you have?
What can you start with zero money?
If you had 20.000 FCFA, what business would you start?
What stops you from starting?

Final Thoughts

“You don’t need a rich background to build a rich future. You don’t need connections to build value. You don’t need comfort to create success. What you need is courage to start, discipline to continue, and vision to persist.

Low-Capital Business Ideas (Start with Little Money)

1. Service-Based Businesses

Cleaning services
Laundry services
Barbing / Salon
Food vending
POS (Point of Sale) services

2. Skill-Based / Freelance Businesses

Freelancing (writing, virtual assistance, digital tasks)
Content creation (videos, social media posts, blogs)
Graphic design
Coaching / Teaching / Tutoring

3. Tech / Online Businesses

Online selling (marketplaces, social media)
Dropshipping
Mini importation (buying small goods to resell)
Phone repair
Phone accessories sales

4. Small-Scale Agriculture / Production

Small-scale farming (vegetables, poultry, fish)
Food processing (snacks, packaged foods, local delicacies)
Handmade products (soap, candles, crafts)