Best Video Phone Offer!

You're probably aware of the fact that the video phone is my favorite gadget. It's truly a superior and less expensive telephone system, hence as I travel around, I never leave it behind. It helps me save money and connect with family and friends like never before. With the video phone, I don't only talk - I see the person I'm talking to, without the old-school hassle of hooking up computers, webcams and headphones. I've enjoyed video phone communication for almost 2 years now and won't be giving it up anytime soon. Today, you can have yours by taking advantage of the best video phone offer.

It has come to my notice that for just $99.95, you can own a 8831b video phone. You'll also get a black case with a zipper to protect your device. This is an unbeatable deal! It's the best video phone offer ever! I got mine for $299 and a case was not included.

Here is the deal - the equipment now costs $99.95 and the activation fee is $44.95. With UPS shipping, 1 month bill and all the tax included, be ready to pay only $221.65.

I arrived Sweden today for the Easter holidays and guess what - my video phone is here with me, so I can make and receive calls as usual. No extra charges, irrespective of location. That's the power of this technology.

Later tonight, I'll call my sister at blogFace2Face on the video phone. She lives in the U.S. but if you ask me - she's just a video phone call away.

Looking forward to the day when everyone will own a video phone. It's inevitable! I'd be glad to dial a phone number and have you show up on the other side of the screen. Exciting!

To place an order for your video phone(s), click here or drop a comment. I'd love to help you. The offer is good until April 15, 2010.

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Bluntly Racist Public Announcement at Wal-Mart Store

Last week, I wrote about Racism: A Taboo in the U.S. and a Celebartion in Europe. Little did I know that Racism would become a frequent topic, On The Road To Success.

As an unapologetic black man living in a land where the majority of people don't look like me, I have heard all sorts of unspeakable utterances directed at blacks, but I must tell you - news of a bluntly racist public announcement at a Wal-Mart store in New Jersey left me wanting.

Customers at a Wal-Mart store in New Jersey were stunned by a public announcement - ordering black people to leave the store on Sunday 14 March, 2010. Many even thought they misheard the announcement. The racist announcement came from the public address system and it went thus:

"Attention, Wal-Mart customers: All black people, leave the store now."

The announcement left Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. officials apologizing once again and black customers devastated. Investigations are underway - with security tapes being reviewed to determine who made the racist announcement.

Many Americans depend on Wal-Mart for all their needs, but some customers who were at the store on that fateful day have done what I would do - express anger and plan to boycott Wal-Mart until the issue is addressed.

Although Wal-Mart officials have condemned the announcement, more needs to be done - the perpetrator should be brought to justice! Racism is unacceptable and perpetrators should bear the full weight of the law.

According to the Associated Press, the Gloucester County Prosecutor began an investigation on Monday and said on Thursday that some public address system phones are accessible to the public and security cameras do not survey all of them. How unfortunate!

Keep in mind that this is not the first time Wal-Mart has ran into problems with black customers; black employees have had their share of problems with the retailer - Felicia Gray-Watson, dragged Wal-Mart to court in 1996 for racial discrimination in the workplace.

In February 2009, barely one year ago, Wal-Mart paid $17.5 million to settle a racial discrimination lawsuit - over truck driver discrimination. It is alleged in a lawsuit of May 2009, that Mexican employees face repeated verbal harassment.

Discrimination at Wal-Mart is not limited to race. The retail giant has also faced charges of sex discrimination - Wal-Mart agreed to pay $12 million to settle a sex discrimination lawsuit.

All in all, you would agree that discrimination is what Wal-Mart is made of. The recent bluntly racist public announcement at Wal-Mart store is just a reminder of the fact that the retailer does not welcome diversity.

What are your thoughts? Do you still think Wal-Mart treats people with dignity and respect?

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The Final Fall of Bill Gates?

The wind of change is truly blowing across the world and the status quo is being challenged like never before. Recently, tables turned in the field of politics when an unexpected African American challenged the status quo, running on a platform of change. He now sits in the highest office on the planet. In the business world, business moguls are being tested like never before. The visionary Microsoft co founder, Bill Gates has lost the title of the world's richest man - a title he has held for 14 of the past 15 years. The fall of Bill Gates to second place on the world's richest list could not go unnoticed, because he was replaced by an unlikely businessman, who just made his debut on the top spot.

The obvious question is - who is now the world's richest man? Who is the brain behind the fall of Bill Gates?

His name is Carlos Slim Helu. He is the richest man on the planet in 2010, according to Forbes. Now 70 years old, Slim is widowed, a father of 6 and a self made billionaire from Mexico.

What is his net worth? He is worth $53.5 billion, with up to $18.5 billion in the past 12 months.

When news of the fall of Bill Gates to second place in the world's richest list broke on CNN, as you would expect, many people made comments - sympathizing with the visionary. I read a couple of the comments. Some people argued that Mr. Gates donates a lot of money to charity and has not lost (in the true sense of the word) his net worth as such. I thought this was a lame argument! No doubt, he has made more money this year, but who doesn't donate to charity? According to Forbes, Mr. Slim has donated to the tune of $65 million to fund a research in genomic medicine.

Why did Bill Gates fall to second place? I think he has been knocked out of the way by the on-going digital tsunami in the telecom industry. Telecom has hit a new level and has propelled the Mexican telecom tycoon to first place on Forbes rich list 2010, relegating Bill Gates and America's "favorite investor" - Warren Buffet, to second and third place respectively.

Warren Buffet was the world's richest man in 2008 and second in 2009. In the past 12 months he made a mind boggling sum of $10 billion, but ranks third on the world's richest list 2010.

Does the rise of Carlos Slim atop the world's richest list signal the final fall of Bill Gates? Absolutely not! Bill Gates, now worth $53 billion, has seen tougher times over the years and has demonstrated remarkable resilience. It is worth reiterating that this is only the second time he has been edged out of the top spot, since 1995. For instance, in 2008, he dropped to third place on the world's richest list and managed to bounce back. I have no doubts that Bill Gates would reclaim his hard-earned place on this envied list.

As you can see, I am rooting for Bill Gates, but as a licensed representative of an Inc. 500 telecom company, the rise of a telecom tycoon to first place on the world's richest list is good news.

You would agree that telecom has an enormous potential and provides hugh opportunities (even for ordinary people like you) as discussed in earlier articles: How to Make Money Every time Someone Pays a Phone Bill and An Opportunity in the Nigerian Telecommunications Market.

Now that the tables have turned on Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, one pertinent question remains unanswered - Is telecom the new money making machine?

I would like to hear from you.

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Men with Embarrassing Wallets!

I was at the grocery store the other day - on the queue, anxiously waiting for my turn to make a payment - little did I know that I'd be standing in line, way longer than expected, simply because a man showed up with an embarrasing wallet. When the gentleman (seemingly) in front of me reached the pay counter, he pulled out a sorry-looking wallet to make a payment. The wallet was so stuffed that, as you'd expect, he couldn't find his bank card or cash. What an embarrassment! Later that same day, another gentleman overheard my phone conversation - about getting a new header for my blog. After the phone call, he told me he was a web designer and could take care of any website related issues. Before we parted, he reached for his wallet - instinctively, I knew he was going to give me his business card. I said to myself - "wow! This must be a serious businessman." Maybe I was wrong - he pulled out a worn out wallet, stuffed with pieces of papers. It took him quite some time to figure out where exactly he kept his business cards. I waited patiently, but I had already made up my mind - I won't be doing business with him. His wallet sold him out! Two embarrassing wallets in one day? It's definitely not a coincidence! There're many more men with embarrassing wallets, on the streets.

How does your wallet look like? Is it in good shape or is it round like a cup cake? If it's round like a cup cake, chances are it's stuffed with things you really don't need:

• Receipts from 10 years ago
  
• Business cards of people you don't remember
• Scraps of papers with telephone numbers and email addresses
• Expired bank cards, credit cards, ID cards and other things that you're, perhaps, sentimentally attached to.
  

The good news is -you don't have to throw them away. You're allowed to lock them in a drawer, somewhere at home. You don't have to carry them around and embarrass yourself.

What do I have in my wallet? As a matter of fact, I carry 2 wallets - brown and black. The black is designed to hold cards and nothing else - so I thought it wise to exclusively reserve it for my business cards. Hence, I know exactly where to fine my business card when I need to "dish" it out. The black wallet contains nothing else! The brown (finest Italian vegetable tanned leather by Claudio Ferrici) is usually pretty much empty - it contains my bank cards, ID card and pictures of my parents and younger brother (our Benjamin). I usually don't carry cash, but when I have to, my Claudio Ferrici wallet serves the purpose. Although I carry 2 wallets, you'd never see my back pocket bulge! As a matter of fact, I don't put my wallets in my back pockets because I don't want to sit on them. You'd agree that sitting on a wallet makes it look like something else.

You can hide your wallet most of the time and only bring it out to pay a bill or hand out your business card. However, during these rare instances, you never know who's watching. A sorry-looking wallet speaks volumes about you and would cost you more than you think - a potential customer, business partner or a date. Believe it or not!

By the way, do you think twice before drawing your wallet, while on a date? If the answer is "yes" - you absolutely need a new wallet as soon as possible. Fashion savvy people (men and women) are turned off by embarrasing wallets!

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Tail of the Tiger Golf Balls - The Mistress Collection

I heard about this yesterday on France24 and I thought it was interesting - Tail of th Tiger Golf balls - the Mistress Collection. Have you heard about them? A lot has been said and written about Tiger Woods, since the world was rocked by a scandal of epic proportions. Initially, I promised myself not to be caught up in the saga, but later wrote about - A Damaged Game: Golf without Tiger Woods; when Tiger's mother-in-law collapsed at his home in December 2009, I responded to the media frenzy that followed, by asking the question - Did Tiger Cook Dinner for his Mother-in-Law? I even wrote about a Swedish TV Presenter who, in her own words, claimed "Tiger Tried to Recruit Me as a Lover." Have I been caught up in the media frenzy? Probably, because today, I'd like to introduce the tail of the Tiger Golf Balls - The Mistress Collection.

Yes! You guessed right - Tiger Woods' mistresses have been featured on golf balls! A company - Creative Classics, has produced golf balls with the pictures of Tiger's first twelve mistresses inscript on them - one mistress on each ball. It even gets better - their names are written on the special balls.

The balls are being sold on a website - tailofthetiger.com. What actually caught my attention was not the balls, it was the slogan - "He likes to play a round with them... now you can too!" Can you imagine? How low can people get?

As you'd expect, one of the alleged mistresses - Joslyn James, a porn star, in her first press conference on Wednesday since the scandal took the world by storm, has protested against the sale of the golf balls. She said,

"I've come forward today because I feel it is wrong for a golf ball to have my picture on it. As a victim of violence myself, it bothered me to think that someone would be standing with a dangerous club in their hands and hitting a golf ball with my face on it."

Do you think she stands a chance of getting an injunction against the sale of the golf balls? I don't think she would. What I know is, it's immoral to profit from someone's predicament.

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Introducing the CU-3000 Video Phone

In an earlier post, I introduced you to my favorite gadget - the CU-2000 video phone, remember? The video phone is a device I can't live without at this point. I'm used to talking and seeing the person on the other side, to the extent that talking on a traditional phone nowadays feels like listening to a football game on radio (Yes! It's that bad). I'm very excited about the video phone, especially the hugh window of opportunity it has created. This state-of-the-art technology is leading visionaries everywhere to financial freedom and guess what, the opportunity is global - it just hit the Nigerian telecommunications market (the biggest telecom market in Africa). To me, personally, Africa is where the opportunity truly lies. The hardworking people of the continent are hungry for cheap ways to connect with family and friends abroad and we have provided them with an opportunity to do so. You'd agree that technology constantly improves and when it does, people would use it. Mindful of this fact, our company has stepped up the game from the CU-2000 to the CU-3000 video phone (seen in the picture above). That's what I'm talking about! Permit me to introduce you to the long-awaited CU-3000 video phone:



What you want to do is, pay attention to the following features:

• It's wireless (Wi-Fi enabled - no wires needed)
• Big on color
• Touch Screen (7-inch LCD)
• Built-in camera
• Internal rechargeable battery
• 3-way video conferencing
• Standard phone jack (for connecting to a standard analog phone)
• Photo frame and web browsing functionality
  
• Handheld remote
• Docking station
• Speaker phone and headset jack
  
• Visual ringer

The video phone connects you with your family and friends like never before. In an earlier article - Cameroonian Mother Reconnects with Son Via Video Phone, I illustrated how the video phone adds value to me life. That was the older version of the video phone (just for the records). The latest version: CU-3000 takes the experience to a whole new level. Unfortunately, it's not available in stores. It's exclusively provided by licensed representatives, like me.

Above all, the video phone is a great business tool - you can make money every time someone pays a phone bill. This is a best kept secret!



See and hear the people you love!

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Everyday Marketers Without Pay

In this context, a marketer refers to someone who PROMOTES or exchanges goods or services for money. From the definition, it's tempting to conclude that every marketer gets paid. Right? Wrong! There're many everyday marketers without pay.

Before I was introduced to the money making machine - Network Marketing on October 8, 2008, I was completely an everyday marketer without pay. Today, although I'm building a business and have a tangible product (which happens to be my favorite gadget) - the video phone, I still market some products without pay.

Recently, I marketed a sofa to a friend and never got paid for my effort. A close friend paid me a visit and was attracted to the sofa in my living room. He asked me many questions about the sofa - where I bought it, the price, how it was delivered to my home and whether there's a smaller size. Like a marketer, I provided him with all the information he needed. Guess what, he went ahead and purchased the sofa. Yes, I made a sale! But something went wrong - I didn't get paid! Can you related?

I bet you're already a marketer and chances are, you don't get paid for your efforts. Have you ever bought a product or service and recommended it to a friend, co-worker or classmate, who needed the same thing? Bear in mind that if they went ahead and bought the products or services based on your recommendation, you made a sale. Congratulations! Ladies, have you ever referred a friend to that place where you get your nails done? What about where you do your hair or where you shop those shoes? How much money did you make on that recommendation?

Real marketers make money from the sales they generate. Somebody makes money everytime people buy or pay for what they need. You might become confrontational and remind me that it's not all about making money. I've heard it before. Well, why spend the bulk of your waking hours on earth, working or seeking for a job? If it's not all about the money, stay at home and refuse to exchange your time for money.

Why don't you start a business and get paid for doing what you're already doing for free? You can start part-time and as your business grows, you'd make more money than you're making at your job (it has been done) - at this point, you might decide to go full-time. Trust me! Nobody likes working for someone else. Besides, a new survey says only 45% are happy with their jobs.

I endorse Multi-Level Marketing (Network Marketing) - a business model that compensates independent entrepreneurs who are licensed to represent a company. What they do is basically not different from what you're already doing everyday, without pay. Believe it or not!

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Debt Can Make You Rich!

Debt, in this context, refers to something owed, such as money, goods or services. It's the condition of owing.

For many years, I've known debt to be a bad thing and I've tried as much as possible to be debt free (I'm debt free). This is in line with the preconception that getting out of debt is ideal. Every financial expert would advise a client to get out of debt because debt is bad. After some research, I have realised that debt can also be a good thing and it can make you rich. Today, there's good debt and bad debt.

I know some people would be quick to point out that they know the difference between good debt and bad debt. I used to think so too. Growing up, bad debt was a jargon. We considered bad debt to be debt which would never be paid back. In an event where money was loaned to someone who'd not pay back, we often qualified the debt as "bad debt." Good debt on the other hand was considered to be debt which could be paid back. Those days are gone and my understanding of good debt and bad debt have changed.

According to Robert Kiyosaki, the difference between good debt and bad debt is simple - good debt makes you rich while bad debt makes you poor. Good debt puts money into your pocket while bad debt takes money from your pocket. In fact, debt can make you rich! How? Hear from the investor and financial guru himself - in the video below:




Make sense? The problem is, many people get into debt for all the wrong reasons - to impress. They get into debt and buy liabilities (things that take money from their pockets) - things like cars, boats, a Rolex watch on a credit card, a vacation on a credit card, cell phones, computers, you name it. Smart people on the other hand use debt to get rich. They buy things that put money into their pockets. In other words, they use debt to invest.

The bottom line is, debt can make you rich. But in order to make it happen, you need to know the difference between good debt and bad debt. Most people say, "get out of debt." If you ask me, get out of BAD debt!

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Millionaire at 14: From Poverty To Plenty

"My story, though unique is not unlike others who began with nothing more than a dream fueled by sheer determination. I believe my story will remind you of the kid in all of us who know no limits and believes anything - and everything - is possible."

- Farrah Gray.

Have you heard the name Farrah Gray? He is a dynamic young man who became a self-made millionare at 14 years old. He was born on September 9, 1984 (I'm older than him. Are you?). How exactly did he do it? Watch the video below:



It's an inspiring story, isn't it? I have not yet read his book - Reallionaire. But it's definitely on my to-read list. In the book, Farrah laid down 9 steps to becoming rich from the inside out. The above video highlights 3 key steps:

• Never fear rejection; everything you want is on the other side of fear. Farrah says, "it's amazing what you can achieve when you don't know what you can do." Imagine what would have happened if Bill Gates feared rejection. What would have happened if he feared that people would not buy his software?
  
• Seize every opportunity. Opportunities rarely come around. Hence you have to be at the right place at the right time. As a matter of fact, "you have to be everywhere all the time."
• Give back. It is in giving that we receive.
  

Farrah's story is lesson-packed, that's why I'll be reading his book in order to find out how he was able to do it so fast. I encourage you to read the book as well (if we share the same goal).

Jim Rohn said, "take a little time out to listen to someone else's experiences and see if it might cause for you a little moment of correction."

To Read: Reallionaire: Nine Steps to Becoming Rich from the Inside Out.

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The Poor and the Middle Class Povery Trap

I have often wondered why the poor remain poor and the middle class remain, socio-economically, between the poor and the wealthy.

Growing up in a middle class family, I watched my parents work very hard to break the glass ceiling. Despite their hard work, our standard of living never improved. Were they working hard to secure a place in the middle class? Is there a poverty trap for the poor and the middle class?

After a lot of reading and research, I realised that the poor and the middle class are trapped in poverty by the things they buy. On payday, the poor and the middle class spend their money on things that don't generate any income. Hence, they depend on one source of income - usually a job.

The poor spend money on inexpensive things that they don't need to survive. They buy "stuff" that don't add real value in their lives. Their income does not generate any income. Consequently, they're trapped in poverty by the things they buy. Simply put, they've not mastered the wealth creating formula.

People in the Middle class have the same delimma. These are people society mistakenly thinks are rich. They earn good money from their jobs. Some even earn up to 6 figure incomes and bring home a lot of money on payday. However, just like the poor, they're trapped in a life of struggle by the things they spend their money on. When the middle class go shopping, they buy things that don't generate any income (just like the poor). They spend their money on things like cars, boats, credit card debts, mortgage on the lovely large house. After all their expenses, they're left with no disposable income and MUST go back to work in order to maintain the lifestyle they have designed for themselves.

No doubt, the poor and the middle class are trapped in poverty and a life of struggle. All their income is dependent on their personal effort and they must exchange their time for money - money they spend buying things that don't generate any income. Worst of all, if the poor and the middle class don't go to work, they don't make any money. The things they buy trap them in the middle class.

The wealthy don't buy "stuff" and things that don't generate income. They're constantly looking for opportunities to invest and generate more money. They've mastered the wealth creating formula and fully understand the concepts of assets and liabilities. They know a job alone cannot make it happen. The wealthy spend money on assets - things that generate income. Consequently, they make more money and get richer. It's not a mystery.

In a nutshell, the poor and the middle class are trapped in poverty and a life of struggle by one thing - MINDSET. With a change in mindset, the glass ceiling would be broken and more and more people would become financially free and wealthy.

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Don't Try to Look Wealthy; Be Wealthy!

Nowadays, many people seem to have forgotten what it means to be wealthy and what living the good life is all about. More and more people tend to live a "lobster lifestyle on a tuner fish budget."

As a kid, I used to think the good life constitutes living in a big house, driving a Mercedes Benz (I love the brand - Mercedes Benz), being dropped off and picked up from school, having a personal driver, having a maid, you name it. Growing up in Africa, I never included things like a luxurious yacht, a summer cottage, a convertible BMW for the summer. But now, after all the traveling and exposure to different cultures and ways of life, all the above mentioned, are included in my definition of the "good life". What's your definition of the good life?

Many people want to be wealthy. This is goo! I'm an advocate for wealth because I believe it would set a people free. What I don't support is the quest to become wealthy for the wrong reason - to impress. Wanting to become rich to impress others has landed many people into trouble. Besides, it's one of the major causes of today's global economic meltdown.

I used to admire people living the "good life" and assumed they were successful. However, a closer look revealed that many are in debt of over 50% of their gross income and have plenty of credit cards and student loan payments. In most cases the car is leased. As a matter of fact, many people living the "good life" cannot write a check with their own money. They live a life of struggle and have borrowed money to look and feel rich. Is this the good life? Is the good life a myth or a reality?

There's an unbelievable amount of wealth in the world but the majority of people in the world are not wealthy. In the U.S., for example, nearly half of the wealth is owned by less than 5% of the population. Don't get me wrong, many people make good money. However, they still live paycheck to paycheck due to misplaced priorities. All the money they make is invested on looking wealthy. As if this is not enough, saving has become an illusive concept. Statistics show that in America, for every dollar earned, $1.22 is spent. Very few people invest money in building true wealth. Does this ring a bell?

The celebrity culture today has led many ordinary people to the wrong direction. We see the celebrities living the good life. What we don't see is the hard work and investments behind the scenes. The picture many of us see and copy is - EXTRAVAGANCE. This has distorted the view of what success is all about.

Most (if not all) wealthy people are investors. They invest in income generating opportunities. An investor may never realise a hugh salary, but make no mistake, the cash flow is very significant and that's what wealth is all about. There're many routes to wealth. You won't find them unless you're open to hearing about them. Once you find them, make sure you read the map before you venture out. The bottom line is, financial independence is more important than displaying high social status. Forget looking wealthy; be wealthy!

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A Home in Cameroon gets a U.S. Phone Number

In telecommunications, the concept of a long distance call is gradually being wiped out.

Telecommunications is being revolutionalized in a way that even Alexander Graham Bell who invented the telephone would never have imagined. Who could ever imagine a day when a home in Cameroon, West Africa would have a U.S. phone number?

We're making it happen! A home in Bamenda, Cameroon has a phone installed with a 404... Atlanta, GA phone number. How is this possible?

Well, we sent a Digital Telephone Adapter (in the picture above) to my sister who lives in Upstation, Bamenda, Cameroon. She got the internet installed at home and connected the adapter as indicated in the picture above. The adapter has a 404... Atlanta, GA number (it's possible to choose any number). For $30/month, her household can make UNLIMITED calls to mobiles and landlines in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and landlines in 75 calling areas around the world. This has completely changed the way we communicate because we no longer need to buy calling cards. The same applies to all my siblings in different parts of the world. We all have U.S. phone numbers and call each other at anytime (weekday or weekend) and talk for as long as we want without worrying about minutes. Afterall, it's always a local call. We're working to get the system installed at our family home in Foncha Street, Bamenda.

This is the future of telecommunications. Of course, broadband internet is not readily available in most households in Africa. But this is going to change in a few years. Internet is gradually becoming affordable in Nigeria, for instance. Kenya and other East African countries are getting ready for the laying of fiber optic to provide broadband internet to the people of the region (Read more, here). This tells me that broadband internet is going to Africa sooner than expected.

The availability of broadband internet in Africa will usher in a new era in telecommunications in the region. More and more homes will use the Digital Telephone Adapter and communication will be taken to a whole new level. Imagine a day when you just pick up a phone and call a friend or family member in Africa, Europe, Asia or the Middle East without worrying about minutes.

Our company made it possible for my sister to have a U.S, phone number ring in her living room in Cameroon. We're spearheading the VoIP revolution in Africa and I'm even more excited by the possiblilities that lie ahead, as more and more homes gain access to the internet.

We're pioneering the digital phone revolution in Africa. In August 2009, we opened an office in Lagos, Nigeria. Our service is now available in the Nigerian market (the fastest growing telecoms market in Africa) and we're looking for serious-minded individuals to join the revolution and build wealth. If you're reading this post and you see the vision of this company, I urge you to get in touch with me as soon as possible.

By the way, when was the last time you had an opportunity to be part of a telecommunications revolution of this magnitude? At some point, all phone calls will be routed through the internet. The question is, when this happens, do you want to be a consumer or a provider?

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An Opportunity in the Nigerian Telecommunications Market

The Nigerian telecommunications market is the fastest growing telecommunications market in Africa and eighth in the world. It's on the verge of further growth.

Statistics from the Information Economic Report (2007-2008), compiled by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) show that Nigeria has a 125% average annual growth rate in the number of subscribers for mobile and fixed lines. Subscription figures climbed to 45.7 million in the first quarter of 2008. This qualified Nigeria as the biggest market in Africa, overtaking South Africa.

Statistics from the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) show that the number of mobile subscriptions in Africa increased from 15.6 million to 189.4 million, between the year 2000 and 2006. The Nigerian telecommunications market has contributed immensely to this unprecedented growth. In Nigeria alone, there was an increase from 400,000 fixed lines and 25,000 analog mobile phones in the year 2000. These figures skyrocketed to 57 million digital mobile and 2 million fixed lines in 2008. Whether you understand this or not, the bottom line is, the potential of the Nigerian telecommunications market is enormous.

Today, we have video phones, a technology which is not yet common. This spells OPPORTUNITY. Do you remember when the camera phone was a big thing? Well, the video phone is the next big thing and guess what, video phones have just made an entry into the biggest market in Africa - Nigeria. It even gets better - ordinary people have the opportunity to invest in video telephony in Nigeria (and worldwide). This is hugh.

In the business world, it takes a visionary to predict the future. I'm sure you agree that the video phone is the future of telecommunications, and if you can predict what people will be buying a few years from now, you stand a great chance to create wealth. No doubt, everyone will have a video phone a few years. The question is, will you be a consumer or a provider? The consumers enjoy the service and pay the bills while the providers make all the money (just for the records).

One company is leading the way in video phone technology in the Nigerian market. This company could as well do what other companies do - simply provide the service. But this company is different. It gives ordinary people the opportunity to make a minimal investment in telecommunications and build wealth. Such opportunities rarely come around.

Imagine this article was about cell phones and traditional landlines hitting the Nigerian telecommunications market. Knowing what you know today, would you have taken it seriously?

Believe it or not, the video phone is the future. I'm ready to work with any visionary who sees what I see happening in the Nigerian telecommunications market and other markets around the world, a few years from now. You're welcome to leave a comment below if you need more information.

Read more about the Nigerian telecoms market, here.

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How to Eradicate Homesickness using a State-of-the-Art Technology

Almost everyone experiences homesickness. Simply defined, homesickness is the distress or anticipated separation from home environment. It is highly prevalent during the holiday season, as millions of people can't make it home. The holiday season refers to an annual festive period that surrounds the christmas holiday. It's sometimes synonymous to the winter season (or dry season, where I come from). This period is all about family and loved ones. People travel from far and near to spend quality time with their families.

Unfortunately, not everyone can travel to spend this festive period with family and loved ones. Consequently, a good number of people tend to be homesick and depressed during this period. No doubt this is the case because they can't travel to reunit with their families during this period, due to reasons beyond their control. However, there's good news. Today, you can see your family and loved ones during this festive period without being physically present. How?

It's simple - get a video phone. A video phone has provided me with an invaluable opportunity to communicate with my loved ones like never before. We don't only talk; we SEE each other in real time. It's amazing. Unfortunately, many people don't know that they can actually make a video phone call from home.

For 30 USD, you can talk and see your loved ones from any part of the world. PLUS, make local and long distance calls to the U. S., Canada, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and 75 calling areas around the world. Yes! Only for 30 USD. Besides, you don't need a computer or a webcam. All you need is broadband internet and a video phone (it works like a regular phone). With the video phone, it's almost like being there!

My loved ones live far away - Cameroon, Sweden and the U. S. I won't be traveling to all these countries to reunite with them during this festive season. But I'm not complaining because they're just a video phone call away. That's why I won't trade my video phone for anything.

Watch me on my video phone below:



Distance is no longer an excuse! Don't miss seeing your loved ones, especially this festive season. For more details about the video phone, you're welcome to call: (+1) - 678 - 264 - 2900.

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How to Make Money Every time Someone Pays a Phone Bill

Do you know that every time you pay your phone bill, someone gets paid? This has been true for as long as telephones have existed. People who have invested in telecommunications know what I'm talking about but a majority of consumers don't. Well, there's some good news - you too can position yourself and make money every time someone pays a phone bill. Sounds too good to be true?

In October 2008, I was given the opportunity to own my own telecom business under the umbrella of a large Inc. 500 company. Our company is at the forefront of telecommunications (with video phone technology) and we do two things:

• We help people save money on their phone bills.
• We help ordinary people make money from services people already use.

We're expanding internationally, with offices in Sweden, the U.S., Puerto Rico and Nigeria. We also have operations in many other countries like South Korea. The exciting thing about our service is that it works wherever there's internet. Consequently, the world is our marketplace.

Personally, I'm building my business in Sweden, Finland, U.S., and Nigeria. I'm particularly excited about Nigeria because it comes in the wake of other successful ventures in the Nigerian telecom market. We're still looking for serious motivated people to join the team. Anybody with a PhD (Poor, Hungry and Driven) is eligible. Considering the fact that the world is now a "global village", location is irrelevant. We can effectively work through webinars and video conferencing.

Do you know anybody who uses the internet and has a home phone? How would you like to help him/her save money on their phone bills and get paid for doing that?

The essential point is, with a minimal investment, you can get paid month after month, year after year, every time someone pays a phone bill. Yes, I'm talking about building passive income. Don't you think this is something worth investigating? Do not let your perceptions cloud your judgement. Opportunities like this do not come around very often and when they do, the timing is rarely right. Now is the time to get involved!

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Trust: Do business with a friend or with the guy at the Mall?

Trust means reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc of a person or thing; confidence. Trust has many meanings but let's stick with this one for the purpose of this article.

Trust is a hugh thing in our lives and it is one of those important things that can easily be overlooked. It is enthrusted in all aspects of our lives and it is the foundation for meaningful and successful relationships. When it comes to business relationships, some claim that it is better to do business with a trusted friend (or family member), and others feel it is better to do business with the unknown guy down at the mall. Now that you know the bone of contention here, do you have an opinion about it?

Let's say your friend is involved in my line of business: provides home phones (VoIP), cell phones (from all major cellular providers in the U.S.), satellite TV, broadband internet and home security systems, for the same price (sometimes cheaper) as you'd have them at the shop or dealers store. Would you get your services from him/her? Or would you prefer to go to the dealers store?

In business relationships, would you completely trust your friend or family member? Your decision would probably be based on how well you know the friend and whether he/she is licensed to provide the goods and services you need. Your decision would also probably be based on whether you want to support the business venture or not.

I agree that we feel safe doing business the way we're used to. If you're used to going down to the mall or to the dealers store to get your goods or services, you'd find it hard to make the first move to get the same goods or services (even at a cheaper rate) from an independent representative. But just like you took that first chance to do business with an unknown guy at the mall or dealers store, I believe you can take another chance to do business with a trusted friend. Life is about taking one chance after another.

Doing business with the guy down at the mall is a risk we all take and I know if it wasn't for the fact that we so desperately need the goods and services we buy, we would probably not dare to take a chance on someone we just met at the mall.

I encourage you to follow your gut feeling. Do not be pressured to do business with anyone (be it a friend, family member or the guy at the mall). But always make sure you don't strain your relationships. Try as much as possible to make your friend or family member understand why you'd rather do business with the unknown guy at the mall. The choice remains yours. For me, I'd rather do business with a trusted friend or family member than with the unknown guy at the mall.

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Passive Income: The Key to long term Wealth

Whenever I talk about money, many of my friends are quick to remind me that, "it's not all about the money". The truth is that life is theoretically not all about money. Practically, in the real world, it's all about the money. Believe it or not!

Everywhere I go, people spend the bulk of their waking hours working for money, yet they're quick to say money is not important. Without money you have no house, you have no car, you have no food, you have no medication, above all you and your kids would have no education without money. In fact, I don't know what on earth money does not affect.

We all aim to generate enough income to meet our needs. The problem is that many people know only one type of income and resign themselves to generating only that type of income. This is the case because it's the type of income many are educated to generate and it's the easiest and most convinient type of income. This type of income also happens to be the worst type of income. The question that arises here is, what is the most common and worst type of income?

Earned income is the the most common and the worst type of income. Earned income is income that is generated by working. It is salary or money made from employment. The downside of earned income is that if you're not working, you're not making any money. This means that earned income earners are condemned to working for money if they intend to have any money. Once they stop working or get fired (which is common nowadays), they make no money and they and their families suffer.

Many people consider earned income as a secured and safe type of income because no investment is required to earn it. On the contrary, I see it as the most insecure type of income because the earner has no control over it. Besides, it's taxed at a higher rate than any other type of income.

Prior to October 2008, I was trapped in the same mindset like many people and mistakenly thought earned income was the way to go. Needless to say, I was wrong.

I got involved in business on October 8 2008 and started researching on how people build wealth. I wanted to know why a sizeable minority of people become wealthy while the majority of people merely survive and live a life of struggle. I found out (among other things) that the type of income we generate determines whether we'd create long term wealth or not. Wealthy people understand that earned income would not create wealth. Hence, they build businesses that generate PASSIVE INCOME.

Passive income is money you get from your assets. For example, if you own a business that operates independently of your working for it. Once you set it up, it pays you whether you're still building it or not. Another example of an asset that can generate income is a pin ball machine. If you buy a pin ball machine, it generates income irrespective of whether you're there or not (Warren Buffet was once involved in this business).

Wealthy people invest in passive income businesses because it continues to pay them month after month long after they stop building the business. Some activities that generate passive income include:

• Multi-level or network marketing
• Rental income from real estate
• creating and selling intellectual property - books, patents, internet content etc.

It is impossible to find passive money businesses unless you're open to hearing about them. I got involved with my present network marketing company because I was looking for an opportunity to earn passive income. I would not have found the opportunity if I was not ready and open to hear about it. Once I found it, I researched it and it turned out to be what I've been looking for. Today, my business has expanded as far as Nigeria, West Africa. Guess what, this is just the beginning.

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A Superior and Less Expensive Telephone System: The CU-2000 Video Phone

Yesterday, while looking through my video phonebook, a realised that almost everyone I know is still using an inferior telephone system. After ending a video phone call with my sister in the United States, I wanted to see a few old friends but it was impossible. Very few people have stepped up the game and are able to talk and see the person they're talking to (I'm not talking about using a computer and a webcam). Most people are stuck to a voice-only telephone system. It is worth mentioning that I moved past the voice-only telephone system more than 1 year ago and since then, phone calls have never been the same again. Talking on the phone without seeing the person I'm talking to no longer makes sense.

If you ask people anywhere whether they want to pay less on a phone bill, the answer 100% of the time will be YES. But, in reality, many people still pay "an arm and a leg" for a phone service. Most people don't know that they can actually make a video phone call without the burden of hooking up computers and webcams. And it's affordable! Today, we can conviniently talk and see family and friends from any part of the world without worrying about minutes. All we need is internet and electricity. I decided to blog on this in order to create awareness and to help my readers save money on phone bills they're already paying.

You must be wondering how on earth a video call can be made without hooking up computers and webcams, right? Well, meet my favorite gadget, the CU-2000 video phone in the video clip below:

The video phone has an inbuilt phone number and you can use the same phone number anywhere in the world. For example, I have a 678... Atlanta, GA number and if you call that number, it will ring wherever I'm (even if I'm in the moon). :) Right now, I'm blogging from Finland and if you call my 678... number, it'll ring right here. If I travel to Cameroon, my 678... number will ring right there. How cool is that?

The video phone has features such as Caller ID, voicemail and other calling features. Check out the voicemail system in the video clip below:




The Home UNLIMITED Plan ($30/month) includes UNLIMITED local, long distance and mobile calls anywhere in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It also includes UNLIMITED landline calls to 75 calling areas throughout the world and to other GLOBALINX® customers in any location worldwide.

What I like about my video phone is the fact that it rescues me from the burden of hooking up computers and webcams. It's a regular phone which helps me connect with my family like never before. I won't trade it for anything.

Give me a sign if you'd like to connect with your loved ones on a new level. With the video phone, it's almost like being there! Don't compromise on an inferior telephone system.

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Work for Yourself or Work for Someone Else?

There're certain events and circumstances that impact our lives more than we can imagine. Unless we get out of our comfort zones and quit being proponents of a concept simply because it's what we were educated in, we'd be caught in the viscious cycle of getting up in the morning, going to work, coming home, going to bed and longing for the weekend. This will happen to us until old age renders us incapable.

I've been marveled by the "job" mentality we grow up with and our delibrate refusal to look at other options. At best, we are trained to be high profile employees like doctors, lawyer, bankers and you name it. Some of us even settle for low aspirational jobs. We are trained and motivated to be loyal employees working for the State or the rich (despite the fact that there're other ways of making a living). This phenomenon has raised questions about the motive of our educational sytems. Are educational systems designed to train and provide labour force for the State and the rich?

You're probably aware of the fact that earned income (compensation for working a job) is the worst kind of income. It's the highest taxed income in most countries (with the exception of socialist welfare States like Sweden). This is common knowledge. Considering the fact that earned income has been proven to be the worst kind of income, why are we encouraged to go to school get a job? The answer is simple.

Governments have expenses and some people ought to pay high tax in order to help the government cover it's expenses. Needless to say, people who work for themselves (entrepreneurs) pay less tax and governments don't need too many of such people. Governments only need a few entrepreneurs to create jobs for the majority of people so that a good number of people can work and pay higher taxes. This is a bid to help governments cover their expenses. To illustrate this, in 2006, Warren Buffet (one of the richest men in America) paid 17.7 percent on the $46 million he made while his secretary who earned $60,000 was taxed 30 percent. What does this tell you? Entrepreneurs pay less tax than their dedicated employees. The bottom line is that business owners enjoy tax cuts while the dedicated and hardworking employees (who can be fired at any time) don't. For more information about Warren Buffet paying less tax than his secretary, click here.

Many of us mistakening think governments have our best interest at heart especially when State officials and politicians preach about "creating more jobs". It's all a matter of national interest. The government needs people to work jobs so that they can pay the high taxes levied on earned income (the worst kind of income). The government does not create more jobs because it "loves" it's citizens. Believe it or not! The idea of "job creation" is intended to recruit workers to help finance government expenditure. That's why we're indoctrinated to go to school and get a job despite the fact that there're other ways of making a living. In the long run, working a job helps the State and the rich, not the ordinary citizens (employees). This is not bad. It's good business for the State and the rich.

Have you noticed that many people work really hard, retire with a meagre pension and live a lifetime of struggle? This is because they were educated on how to work for money and not on how to have money work for them (and pay less tax). School systems intentionally/unintentionally leave out the other side of the story - business ownership. People usually don't understand the fact that business ownership is the way to go until it's almost too late. This explains why more and more people start businesses in their 50s and 60s. Don't get me wrong, starting a business is tough and risky. But owning a business is the only way to control your time, income and quality of life.

Check list:

• A job does not help employees in the long run.
• Employees cannot will their jobs to their kids.
• Employees can't decide when and with whom to work.
• Someone else determines how much employees earn.
• Employees pay higher taxes.
• Employees qualify for earned income (the worst kind of income).
  
• Employees get fired.
  

Well, the truth is, when you own a business; when you're the boss, the rules change!

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Harness the Digital Tsunami

Like "The Boy who Harnessed the Wind" in a bid to support his family, many people around the world are looking for alternative ways to support themselves and their families. The economic recession is taking no prisoners! Unemployment is skyrocketing, there's no job security, businesses are shutting down and people are suffering financially.

The good news is, a digital "tsunami" has hit the world and ordinary people have the opportunity to harness this powerful "tsunami" to generate extra-ordinary income to support themselves and their families. Fortunately or unfortunately, many people don't know there's an ongoing "tsunami" because it's a different kind of "tsunami" - a wealth creating "tsunami".

With the passage of time, the world has advanced dramatically and the rate at which the world has progressed cannot go unnoticed. Change is happening in many sectors (including the political sector). A few years ago, we had film cameras, remember? Today we have digital cameras. There was a time when analog TV systems such as NTSC, PAL, SECAM were the talk of the day. Nobody could imagine anything different. Today, analog TV systems are dead and buried (in most countries). Late 2007 saw 7 countries completely shutting down their analog TV systems and many countries were in the process of making a complete shift from analog TV system to the digital TV system. As of this moment, many countries have completely shut down their analog TV systems in favor of digital TV systems, the first country being Luxembourg in 2006, followed by the Netherlands, Finland, Andorra, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Belgium, Germany and most recently, the United States in 2009. This reaffirms the fact that there is a powerful "digital tsunami" sweeping across the world, completely annihilating analog systems.

The sector that is presently being hit by the "digital tsunami" is the telecommunications sector. Just like cameras and TV systems, telephone systems are going digital. Telecommunications has hit a whole new level.

The telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell on March 10, 1876. His dream was to enable people from different continents to talk like they were sitting next to each other. Today, Bell's dream of making the world a smaller place has come true but there is something happening to the telephone system he created which he probably did not envision: the telephone system is going digital.

The advent of the internet has changed the telecommunications sector. The internet has ushered in a new era in telecommunications with a service called Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). VoIP is a digital phone service that allows telephone calls to be made over the internet. VoIP converts analog voice signals into digital data and transmits conversations using Internet Protocol (IP).

The "digital tsunami" is completely revolutionalizing the way telephone calls are made. Technology constantly improves and when it goes digital, consumers are going to use it. For example, cameras went digital and consumers today use digital cameras, TV systems went digital, today consumers won't subscribe for anything less . Presently, telephone systems are going digital and it goes without saying that consumers will use digital telephone systems.

You have to understand that the digital "tsunami" that's presently devastating traditional analog telephony systems is very powerful and it has the potential to create wealth and you can position yourself and harness the "tsunami" so that as it creates wealth, some of the wealth can come into your household.

It's absolutely important to be at the right place at the right time. You're definitely at the right place (the world) and there's no better time than NOW to position yourself and harness this powerful digital "tsunami". People everywhere are extremely eager to find information that can help them harness the "tsunami". You don't want to be left behind! Unfortunately, you can't get the information you need unless you get out of your comfort zone and be open to review the information. A wealth creating "tsunami" of this magnitude does not occur regularly.

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