THE LOOP: PITCHDAY 2022
Investments will range from a minimum of NGN500k to NGN5m or more depending on each business case.
Interested investors will indicate to ask questions, pledge funding amount, and engage further with any business that gets their attention.
Investors are individuals seeking to get their money working for them while making an impact on small businesses seeking to scale up. ROI will be short and mid-term.
Only one business owner will be in the room per time.
There are three selection stages and we are targetting just about ten finalists.
Time: 11AM
Do you think you are ready to move your business forward? Click on APPLY below.
THE END OF THE APPLE IPOD: A CLASSIC CASE OF CREATIVE DESTRUCTION
Written by Robinson Tombari Sibe (originally published on Facebook)
There was a time when the Apple iPod was the most desired gadget anyone could wish for. Gradually, it began to diminish in market dominance, until two days back when Apple announced the discontinuation of iPod production, after 21 years in the market. This was a classic case of creative destruction, for students of strategy.
Coined by Joseph Schumpeter in 1942, the term creative destruction refers to “the incessant product and process innovation mechanism by which new production units replace outdated ones.”
Steve Jobs, the Apple co-founder was a master of this strategy. Not only did Apple’s rapid innovation creatively destroy other competitors’ products, but they also applied it to themselves as a survival strategy.
Apple knew that with the technological trends, iPod was going to suffer and lose the battle eventually. Competitors were already incorporating music download and play functions on smartphones and gadgets, and it was only a matter of time before iPod will lose its charm in the market.
Rather than wait for that moment when the competition will drive the iPod out of the market, Apple decided to creatively destroy it themselves, by using another innovation. This birthed the iPhone.
The iPhone had not just the capability to download and play millions of music but could do more. It was a mobile computing device, with internet connectivity and massive processing capabilities. Why have an iPod when your iPhone can do much more?
In the rapidly evolving technological landscape, you either innovate or die. iPod is dead, but it is gratifying to note that its funeral was not organised by “strangers”. In Africa, it is said that it is better for a child to bury his parent than the other way round. iPod died a fulfilled gadget. It was given a befitting burial by its offspring, the iPhone. It will be missed, but the music plays on through iTunes.
So long, iPod.
Photo Credit: Pexels.com
- Published in Business, Strategy, Technology
WHAT IS BRANDING? A SIMPLE WAY TO UNDERSTAND IT.
Our favourite synonym of the word branding is marking.
Marking on the surface level seems like the names, symbols, and physical attributes we use to identify one thing from another.
We see it in our villages how livestock owners mark their goats, chickens, etc. That is branding in its basic form.
We see it in the story of Eden how Adam marked the other creatures by name. What we know as a lion today could have as well been known as an ant if Adam named it so. That is branding in its basic form.
It is the same thing with the logos, colours, and designs on our phones, cars, gadgets, etc.
But then, marking goes beyond just physical attributes to internal characteristics.
Your voice is part of your mark.
Your belief system is part of your mark.
Your culture is part of your mark.
An Ijaw man cannot become an Ijebu man just by taking on the Ijebu tribal marks. There is more that defines an Ijebu person beyond the tribal marks.
An Asus laptop cannot become a Macbook by sticking an Apple logo on it.
A Keke napep cannot be Mercedes because one Keke Rider fixed a Mercedes Benz logo on it.
If no be Panadol, e no fit be like Panadol!
Some Chefs have a signature meal because of the mark they have given it (the recipe).
The Chinese and Japanese have an architectural system unique to them because of the mark they have given to it.
The face of the person in the image attached to this article is not clear but you can most certainly guess who it is…that is the power of a mark!
Points to note in summary:
1. Branding is the intentional marking of a product, service, city, person, etc
2. To give it a uniqueness and identity
3. That differentiates it from others and creates the right impression
4. In a manner that shapes the desired perception
5. And draws people towards it for patronage (as loyal customers, fans, tourists, etc)
The question for your business brand and even you as a personal brand is WHAT IS YOUR MARK?
Note: The mark is plural – the summation of everything internal and external that makes you different.
What makes you unique?
There are many bakers out there, what makes you different?
So many schools out there, what makes yours different?
Many hotels out there, what makes yours different?
A lot of service providers and contractors out there, what can stand you out?
Figuring it out may not be easy (we can help you), but it changes your course and yields better results once you get it right.
Take branding seriously.
#DoBusinessBetter
- Published in Branding
ONBOARD YOUR NEW EMPLOYEES RIGHTLY
We read the employment letter of a certain business some time ago and it sounded more like a court judgment sending someone to imprisonment.
No life in it, no line saying welcome, not to talk of the company’s vision and how new recruits fit into it. Basically, it’s a “this is what we employed you for, just come and do it daily and have your pay” kind of letter, not bad at all if that is how the business wants it.
However, we once had a discussion with the owner of the same business and she was lamenting how the employees weren’t diligent enough. They quit without prior notice a lot of times. She had lost a lot of good hands, “just like that”, and the process of rehiring for the same positions was draining.
Reading through the employment letters she issued, we saw exactly what the problem was for many other businesses. It’s the hiring process and how we onboard those we expect to “own the business”.
Many business owners don’t realize it, perhaps due to the prevalent job scarcity, but you also have to market your business to potential recruits, especially millennials and generation Z. You have to give them reasons why your business is a COOL place to work and WHY they should give their best to it beyond just earning their monthly pay.
Recruiting, motivating and retaining good talents is serious work. You don’t wish it into existence.
#DoBusinessBetter

GRASPING THE RELATIONSHIP AND DIFFERENCE: BRANDING, MARKETING, AND SALES
5 MUST-HAVE QUALITIES TO CREATE A SUCCESSFUL LOGO
Written by Veronica Johnson
In this competitive digital arena, businesses have to do everything in their capacity to stay at the top. When you are trying to establish a new brand in the market and extend your products/services, you need to be ready with plenty of things.
Today, creating a unique brand identity has become more important than ever. How would you make your brand get recognized in the market? Will you start a marketing campaign? Will you create a website to attract online traffic or try to engage your audience through social media?
Yes, yes, and yes, you have to do it all eventually. However, the first thing you need to do before starting anything is creating your company’s logo.
Undoubtedly a logo is the first point of contact for any brand, and it is meant to identify. Your logo must be something that makes your audience instantly recognize you in the crowd.
Let’s take the example of Audi’s logo-the iconic four intertwined rings. You don’t need Audi written along with the logo to understand it is an Audi car. Well, that’s the power of a logo.

Image Credit: istock.com
What Is A Logo And Why Do You Need It?
A logo is basically a combo of text, images and sometimes animation. It is more of a symbolic representation of a brand that helps create an identity and attract customers.
A logo is the first impression of a company, and it has to be powerful. It should depict the core objective of the company, yet at the same time, it should be human-centric. Using emotion in logo design has also become a popular option for many companies to establish a human connection.
Without a logo, you would not be able to establish an identity in the market. Irrespective of the size, structure, and goal, every business needs a unique logo to stand apart. Without a logo, you will possibly get lost in the crowd, and all your efforts will go in vain.
#1 As Simple As It Can Be
You would not want your customers to get confused about your logo and not be able to register in their minds. If you want to make a lasting impact, you need to keep your logo as simple as possible.
You would notice that most of the successful and impactful logos in history are super simple. For instance, the single swoosh of Nike or the bitten apple design of Apple. These logos get instantly picked up in the crowd and become easy to remember.
Hence, simplicity should be the key ingredient while you are creating logo designs. Indeed, a simple design can depict your brand voice and become easily recognizable in the market.
#2 Make It Relevant
Apart from using simple text images and colors, relevance in your design is the most important characteristic. You cannot go with a design that is extremely opposite to what your brand does.
You need to communicate the personality and identity of your brand through the logo. Like the use of the right fonts and colors in the logo will compel the customers to connect with the brand.
For instance, if a company is selling kids’ toys, it should not create a logo with monochrome colors; they would need to use bright and multiple colors to depict the fun, energy and excitement of childhood.
Your logo is the visual anchor for your customer, and it is essential to make it relevant by adding appropriate font, symbols, texts, and colors.
#3 Unforgettable
Can you ever forget the logos of Windows, BMW or Starbucks? No, right? The designers have made these logos memorable for us, and that should be your next motive.
A key aspect of a successful logo is making the logo memorable. It should instantly register in your customers’ minds and stay there even after a quick glance.
Your aim should be to connect with customers and kindle their interest in the brand. When they are able to recognize and recall your logo, then it becomes instantly memorable.
You must use all the above-mentioned ingredients in the right way to make your logo stay afresh in your customers’ minds.
#4 Remain Timeless
A successful logo is something that remains relevant and fresh in the minds of your customers. Your logo should be timeless and remain effective for years and more.
The first instinct while designing a logo is to use current graphic trends, but it may not be effective always. You might have to redesign them in the future according to the changing scenario.

Photo by Oleg Magni from Pexels
For instance, McDonald’s and Coca-Cola’s logos have remained unchanged all these years. These logos were timeless and able to connect with customers irrespective of the timeline.
Timeless logos generally include effective and quality ingredients. It does not focus more on quirky ideas that may easily get outdated. It should be timeless and unique.
#5 Versatile Like Anything
Last but not least, your logo must be versatile. It should be used in different varieties of formats and shapes. A logo that can be used in only one online size is not going to work.
Your logo must be flexible and expose your brand on different platforms. It should be compatible with printing resizing and ideal for different media.
Even your best logo can become useless if it shrinks or becomes illegible while resizing. The key is to keep it simple and save it in different formats.
The Bottom Line
Have you ever tried to shoot without a target? Running a company without a logo and expecting customers to pay attention to your brand is exactly the same way.
You cannot expect your customers to recognize your brand in the cut-throat competition without having a digital identity. Right, when you brainstorm ideas for your business, you need to formulate a logo design that will work amazingly for your brand.
Creating a logo is not a walk in the park. You need to consider some important factors to create an impact. The above mentioned were 5 must-have characteristics of a logo that you should keep in mind.
Veronica Johnson likes reading, writing and exploring through her travel. With her freelance guest writing, she hopes to achieve both her passion and career in online content marketing. She writes on topics like business, advertising and digital marketing.