Are you pushing a rock uphill? When you're working on bringing a product or service to market, sometimes it can feel very burdensome – like you're pushing a heavy load skyward. A lot of effort is required and you're becoming exhausted in the process. But this is to be expected, right? You're always hearing that every new idea takes time, effort, patience, determination and plain hard work to become successful. It's true that what we perceive as an overnight success is usually at least 10 years in the making. There's more to it than that, though. Some ideas really are…

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has unveiled fresh regulations governing the issuance and allotment of securities by private companies. According to the new rules, any individual who issues or allocates securities without prior approval from the SEC, or breaches any of its regulations, will face penalties starting at N10 million initially, with an additional daily penalty of N100,000 for each ongoing violation. These regulations, outlined in the proposed guidelines by the SEC, encompass various aspects including debt securities offerings by private companies through public offers, private placements, or other approved methods. The rules also extend to registered exchanges and…

I recently returned from teaching a class of executive education students at Harvard. Most of the business leaders enrolled in this particular class were accomplished real-estate and property developers from around the world. Builders are always sharpening their communication skills because nothing gets built until investors, city leaders, and local citizens buy into a developer's vision. So, to be convincing, developers constantly refine their plans and pitches to 'resonate with stakeholders.' Regardless of your field, if your messagedoesn't resonate with your audience, you stand little chance of gaining their support. The only question that really matters to them is: "Why…

Larry David For those who prioritize some standard of decorum, conventional or nontraditional social norms and expectations, here are three valuable lessons about unwritten rules that every business stakeholder can glean, especially if their aim is to build meaningful connections. Unwritten rules serve several important functions in society and business – they keep things running smoothly by guiding how we interact with one another and avoid unnecessary drama. Basically, they're like the invisible hand that keeps things in check without needing to call in the big guns of formal rules and regulations or, dare I say, HR. 1. Be fair…