Naomi Bernal
My Business Consultant Training
Collaborated With A Business In The Developing World
Our team reviewed the economic, social, political, and environmental factors that impact our partner business to design a launch plan and identify how to bridge the gap between our business partner’s current and desired conditions.
Earned a Development Grant to Enact Solutions
In order to fund the proposed business, our team composed a detailed plan and pitched our proposal to request seed funding from the Leadership Initiatives Grant Committee.
Collaborated With Business Development Experts
After researching the socio-economic conditions facing our business partners, our team worked with the Nigerian development staff to create effective solutions to the challenges our business partner was facing.
Sani Abdulhamid
About Sani
As a child, Sani often dismantled and reassembled electrical devices to learn more about them. His father recognized his passion and helped Sani secure an apprenticeship under a well-respected electrician. As an apprentice, Sani was exposed to various aspects of the trade, including installation, maintenance, and electrical system repair.
Due to the nature of his work, Sani is often exposed to hazardous materials, dangerous situations, and difficult clients. Despite these challenges, he remains committed to prioritizing safety and professionalism. Sani derives immense satisfaction from solving complex electrical problems and seeing tangible results. He takes pride in the opportunity to contribute to the well-being of the community by delivering reliable electrical services. The combination of hands-on work and the positive impact on people's lives makes being an electrician and fulfilling and rewarding experience for Sani.
Sani Abdulhamid
Business Goals
Sani has several goals he hopes to achieve once his business is established. First and foremost, Sani dreams of achieving financial stability and securing a comfortable future for his family through the success of his business. As he continues to grow, Sani aspires to continuously expand his knowledge and skills in order to stay up to date with the latest advancements in the electrical industry. He believes this will be essential for becoming a well-respected authority in his field. Lastly, Sani wants to share his good fortune by creating job opportunities for others in his community.
For Sani, success extends beyond individual accomplishment. Through his business, Sani wants to positively influence the lives of others. He believes that success is measured by the ability to create opportunities, support others' growth, and contribute to the betterment of your community.
Sani Abdulhamid
Obstacles
Unfortunately, Sani faces several issues in reaching his goals. The most daunting of these problems is Sani's inability to purchase tools for his business. Due to the hazardous nature of his work, well-maintained equipment is essential for his business. In addition to this, Sani lacks the knowledge to effectively manage his business finances and properly advertise his services. These issues make attracting and maintaining a steady clientele especially difficult.
Eventually, Sani hopes to expand his business to serve a wider client base and establish partnerships with key stakeholders in the community. He wants to be at the forefront of technological advancement in order to continually upgrade his services, skills, and expertise. As his business grows, Sani is dedicated to focusing on customer satisfaction, reliability, and professionalism.
Sani Abdulhamid
Family & Home
Sani is a 25-year-old man living in the Gwallagan Myaki community in Bauchi with his mother and 16 siblings. Before he died, Sani's father was able to secure an apprenticeship for his son, recognizing his potential and passion for electrical work. After his father's death, Sani's family struggled for many years. Despite this, Sani remained dedicated to his burgeoning career and the care of his family. As his oldest brother is unable to contribute to his family's well-being, Sani has taken sole responsibility for supporting his mother and many siblings.
Sani begins each morning with a prayer. After greeting his mother and siblings, he provides them with money for breakfast and goes to work as an apprentice in an electric repair shop in Zango. Sani perseveres in the face of economic hardship and turns to government programs and community support when he is unable to bear the burden on his own. Sani is determined to create a brighter future for himself and his family.
Sani Abdulhamid
Our Partnership
With the passing of his father, Sani faced significant challenges. He struggled to help provide for his family for many years and was unable to pursue an education past secondary school due to these financial hardships. Sani's business has been a positive turning point in his life. Sani is thrilled and honored to collaborate with Leadership Initiatives. Having worked as an apprentice in the electrical business for over 10 years, he hopes that the innovative ideas from his internship team will help him expand his business, increase profits, create job opportunities for young men, and continue giving back to his community for many years to come.
Sani says "Through my electrical business and partnership, I aspire to illuminate the path of success, brightening the lives of our clients with exceptional service, innovative solutions, and unwavering integrity. Together, we will power progress, energize communities, and spark a positive impact in the world of electrical services. Working with Leadership Initiatives and interns is a great opportunity, and I am excited to be a part of this organization. I hope to become an example for others to know that with a little push, some help, and a bit of faith we can achieve success."
My Grant
Proposal
Our advertising strategy plans to promote Doro Electrical Repair as trustworthy and effective so that we can further merit his community. We plan on employing a range of marketing channels to reach our target audience and communicate the distinct value proposition of our business. Doro Electrical Repair offers exhibited expertise in electrical work. We pride ourselves on our commitment to cost- effectiveness, quality, and a profound dedication to the community.
What truly sets Doro Electrical Repair apart is that we have no local competitors. This allows us to have access to a vast network of people who all are in need of electrical work from a country developing more and more technology.
We will make effective use of a logo, flyers, business cards, and a distinct sign that will elevate Sani’s business so that he would no longer have to rely on word-of-mouth. Our strategy employs sustaining consistent branding so that the community will recognize Doro Electrical Repair as the best and brightest electrical repair in all of Bauchi.
My Grant Proposal
Presentation
Leadership Initiatives is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is dedicated to creating future leaders across the globe through experiential learning. In the International Leadership and Business Internship, I worked directly with some of the world’s leading developmental experts in order to build my partners business and brand.
At the conclusion of this internship, our team pitched the final proposal to a panel of esteemed judges from the Leadership Initiatives Nigerian Development Team and the Leadership Initiatives Grant Committee. This formal pitch allowed our team to practice our skills and utilize our entrepreneurial toolkit, all while showcasing our efforts to transform the business we partnered with.
At the end of the pitch, we were able to receive feedback on our proposal for our business partner. Over the next year, our business partner’s venture will be made into reality and monitored for sustained success and growth.
Internship Highlights
- Business Meeting
- Swedish Embassy
- International Monetary Fund
- Expert Assistance
Our team began the business development process by having a one-on-one Zoom call directly with our business partner, Sani Usman , and Nigerian project coordinator to ensure productive collaboration.
We learned more about their life, family, and desires for the proposed business venture, as well as the challenges they were facing. By discussing first-hand the challenges our partner faced, our team successfully and efficiently began to brainstorm solutions to launch her business.
Each morning we held constructive discussions about our ideas, the advice we received the day before, and the timeline necessary to begin implementing our ideas in real-time.
The on-staff project coordinators and business development experts helped facilitate the ideation process and ensured our team asked the right questions to produce tangible results.
I had the unique opportunity to visit the Swedish Embassy, where I learned about diplomatic relations between Sweden and the United States.
While touring the embassy, I learned about the wide range of policy issues and gained a better understanding of the embassy’s role in international development through sustainable and inclusive initiatives.
The embassy serves as a hub for collaboration with partner countries and international organizations, which facilitates the creation of solutions to address global issues, such as poverty, gender inequality, and climate change.
Swedish diplomats and officials work closely with local communities to identify needs and design programs that empower individuals and enhance overall societal well-being. This community-centered problem-solving is something my team and I aspired towards while crafting our business proposal.
I also visited the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which plays a crucial role in promoting financial stability throughout the world, facilitating trade, and providing financial support to member countries during economic hardship.
For over 50 years, the IMF has provided capacity development programs that drive effective economic management and policy implementation through technical assistance and training.
The IMF’s research-driven policymaking and dedication to sustainable economic management has established it as a key power in addressing global economic issues.
My visit to the IMF was not only educational, but inspiring. It allowed me to see the institution’s pivotal role in advancing international development and how I can implement their ideals into my own work.
Our team met with leading experts in the fields of business and economic development from Johns Hopkins University, the State Department, and GlobalGiving.
One such expert was Carla Brooks, Business and Development Officer at Johns Hopkins Center for Communications Program. She provided us with a crash course in advertising and marketing, in which we learned essential components of an effective marketing campaign.
Our work with Ms. Brooks was essential in preparing us for our culminating pitch deck presentation. With her and other expert guidance, we streamlined our initial ideas to further our efforts in launching the venture our business partner envisioned.
By the end of the week, we had incorporated the advice of leading experts from across the globe for our business proposal to empower and transform the life of our business partner.