TwoCents | SUCCESS: EVEN YOU CAN MAKE IT

There's something that's been king for an era now, it started a while back but social media just put it into overdrive. America used it so well with the American dream, they did it so well that the rest of the world caught it and never let it drop. The thing is sales.  Whether you're in entertainment, business, fashion, trade, etc we have all come to learn CONTENT IS KING. It's not a question of if you're selling, but what are you selling?? As a student of the field, I know the secret of a great advert is not selling a product but a feeling. Seeing a great advert does all the right things- leaves a great impression, makes you happy or excited, some go as far as bringing out the kid in you. That is the power of a great story. My problem is the false advertising. One of the ways and gimmick I've seen being pushed alot in selling and branding of people is humble beginnings. It's completely unnecessary, because why do you feel the need to lie? It can be annoying especially when used to mislead people. We've heard some quotes on how some billionaires or great minds dropped out of school in their younger days and still hit it big, what we don't hear is how influential or rich their parents were. I even bought the sales till reality was revealed, and this statement was used to push the unimportance of education. Yes, education is not perfect, but do not be deceived a lot of networking and inspiration can be gotten from the four walls of any institute if you socialise well enough. What am I saying? There's this grass to grace story people being sold to the masses. Maybe it's because people secretly envy the rich and may think their kids did not work hard enough to get to where they are (which may be true in some cases, and silly in others), but this is a recurring thing I've noticed. Maybe it's to sell hope, maybe it's to make the audience feel more connected and relate to said people. I've seen this in various spheres and it seems to be catching on more and more across the globe. I'm not saying people don't break into the lime light and sphere of success, but when you see someone doing exceptionally well in what feels like a short time, it's may be that they are a second or third generation success story. Their father, uncle, cousin, uncle's cousin probably made it and got them  into the room; which is good. You should usher in your people when you make it, but I believe we need to be more transparent with some of these stories.

Other insights from Oluseyi Vandy