Naomi Michael Adenuga: The Boss Lady of Talent Management
Being a woman in a male-dominated industry is a challenging reality for anyone, but thriving in the said industry can be done, and it can be done well. I had the privilege of speaking to Naomi Michael Adenuga, a successful female talent manager in Nigeria about her experience being one of the very few women in the entertainment management industry. During our conversation, she candidly shared the realities of the struggle, and how she negotiated it to become one of the most sought-after agents in the space. So, who exactly is Naomi? Naomi is a multi-award-winning brand strategist and talent manager committed to helping people identify their purpose and monetize their talents. She is the founder of Naomad Talent Management Agency, which represents gifted individuals and visionary brands passionate about their craft and meaningfully connecting with their audiences. She and her world-class team of professionals help clients hone their skills, develop confidence in their capabilities, and strategically build and position them as viable brands with longevity. She boasts of over 9 years of experience and is unapologetic about taking her “seat at the table.” Her sharp intuition, a penchant for over-delivery, and exceptional ability to connect to her clients have gained her the apt moniker of “Boss Lady”. She has a true heart for people and believes that everyone comes into the world endowed with certain talents given for the purposes of earning a personal living, sharing with others for social good, and impacting the world. A few notable awards she has won during her career include Talent Manager of the Year, Entertainment Personality of the Year, and the Young Achievers Award. She has most recently been nominated for Nigerian Entrepreneur of the Year by Nigerian Teen Choice Awards and Entertainment Personality of the Year by Nigerian Achievers Award. With such a compelling set of accomplishments, I was eager to have her share her story and perspective on how to “kill it” in a male-dominated industry. How did you discover your purpose and passion? I found my purpose when I started my passion filled talent management journey. Talent management means building up a person and guiding them to their highest potential. I call it King making, some people are Kings and some others are King-makers. As time went on, I had people come to me for advice on general stuff and work stuff. The more people I spoke to and worked with to help build them up, the more fulfilled I was. My purpose is to help others find their purpose and become better versions of themselves. By doing so, I not only build myself up as well, but I get to do what I am passionate about and fulfill my purpose. What was it like initially trying to break into a male-dominated industry? It was tough I had to constantly prove myself, work harder and smarter. [bctt tweet=”My purpose is to help others find their purpose and become better versions of themselves – @NaomiBosslady” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How has your experience been since then, and how do you navigate challenges? It’s honestly not as bad as it was in the past. The industry is evolving, and I noticed the change when women and men started being nominated in the same award categories. A few years ago, it was: Best Female Talent Manager or Best Female Artist or Best Female DJ; now, it’s Best Talent Manager, Artist, or DJ. The gender bias is reducing. When I have challenges, I talk to God about it. He always gives me a strategy (laughs). I also have a few people in my Industry I go to for guidance. I look at women who are breaking boundaries in male-dominated sectors and I draw strength from them. Women like Ibukun Awosika, who currently serves as Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria; Kemi Adetiba, who is a leading music video director and filmmaker. She directed The Wedding Party, which is one of the highest grossing films of all time in Nigeria. Finally, Tiwa Savage, who is one of the biggest names in the African entertainment industry. She goes toe to toe with the men and comes out on top of her game. She sells out venues like the men and is a mother. These women and a couple of others have consciously and unconsciously laid out the blueprint for the next generation of women to break into and thrive in male-dominated industries. I draw strength from them by reminding myself that they too must have faced similar challenges and more but keep pushing. This tells me that I too can do it, survive, thrive and beyond. [bctt tweet=” I look at women who are breaking boundaries in male-dominated sectors and I draw strength from them – @NaomiBosslady” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Why did you choose the entrepreneurship route over working for someone else? I didn’t have a choice really. The last job I had working for an entertainment company ended because the CEO dissolved the company. I had to make ends meet, and so I started working independently. I began by writing proposals for people, coming up with strategies, consulting here and there for upcoming artists and small brands, while moonlighting as a manager of a nightclub and serving as an event planner. I was working by myself and just winging it. Along the line, I realized, “girl you really can do this”. I never applied for a job with any company after that and continued working for myself. I also discovered that I am a natural born leader. [bctt tweet=”The entertainment industry is evolving and the gender bias is reducing – @NaomiBosslady” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Can you share a little more about the non-traditional route that brought you where you are today? First off, shout out to my uncle and mentor who gave me my first shot, Efe Omorogbe. I was basically doing nothing with my time and getting up to no good, and so my mum insisted that I reach out to him. He is the CEO of Now Muzik and is an entertainment industry powerhouse. He gave me a
Negotiation 101 for dummies
[bctt tweet=”You’ll be winning at negotiations even if you’re no good it with these tips” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] You have been in negotiations for quite some time already. No matter how hard you try, you are confronted by a silent wall every time you attempt to find anything about the other party. Communication is not passing through and you only know your position. Worse, the tension is building up and your opponent is becoming more aggressive by the minute. What do you do? You might be tempted to give up, to stay on your position, or to concede to their requests. However, none of these options will give you what you need. This article will present you with tools to ease into negotiations and achieve a satisfactory agreement. Never state, always ask Asking questions is a way to educate and seek information. By asking questions, you show a willingness to take the other party’s opinion into consideration. You also communicate your desire to understand their situation. Questions are also a wonderful tool to make them understand your own position. Ask them what they would do in your place. Ask them hypothetical questions like, “What if I did exactly what you asked, what would be the consequences that I will face?”. It will help put their demands in perspective and show how realistic their proposal is. The power of silence Silence, when used right, is a very powerful tool it shows that you are listening and paying attention to what is being said. When silent, do not try to think about what you are going to say next or how to counter their current argument. Focus on what is being said and on making sure you have a proper understanding of the situation. When you ask a question, make sure you refrain from commenting or saying anything at all until you receive a full answer. By staying silent, you are pushing them to elaborate on what was said. This is an effective way to gather as many details as possible on an issue. Silence makes people nervous and compelled to fill in the absence of noise. The more comfortable you are with being silent the better negotiation ninja you will become. Forget about bottom lines The purpose of setting a bottom line is to protect your interest by making sure that the outcome of a negotiation will never go above what you are willing to concede. By setting a bottom line you will consider only one scenario as the least acceptable one. However, the costs of considering a unique outcome greatly outweigh the benefits of a bottom line. A bottom line cannot be changed and therefore lacks in flexibility. It will keep you away from bad deals as well as wise deals. It will also limit the influx of creative input and the making of imaginative solutions. A bottom line will cut short discussions without solving anything. Developing your best alternative Negotiating power is gained when the option of not reaching an agreement is as or more appealing than the option of reaching it. Before entering any discussion, you must think about the possibility of not reaching an agreement. What will you do if negotiations are not conclusive? What is your best alternative to negotiations? Thinking about the possible failure of discussions will help make the most out of your situation. It is, therefore, important to prepare yourself. Take a moment to brainstorm all possible alternatives to the negotiations. Out of all the ideas generated, choose a few to develop into concrete plans. Then assess which out of the developed plans is the best for your situation and select your best alternative. The more attractive the alternative, the more power you will have during the negotiations. A powerful best alternative should make you want to call off negotiations before they even started. Dismantling the other side’s best alternative Part of your preparation will involve understanding the other party. You need to gain as much information as possible on their motivations, interest, and above all, you will need to know what their best alternative is. Sometimes, if not readily available, the information will have to be obtained during the discussion process. Once you have acquired all the knowledge you need, you have to ask yourself: “Is their best alternative attractive? Is it easily attainable? Is it realistic?” If the answer to all three questions is no, then you have all negotiating powers on your side. If the answer to all three questions is yes, you will have to consider taking actions that will decrease the attractiveness of their best alternative. Most frequently, the answers are a combination of yes and no. If it is your case, you will not only have to show that your alternative is more attractive to you than theirs is to them, but also explain why their best alternative might not be the best solution. Always keep in mind that the easier it is to walk away from the discussion, the more negotiating power you hold.
Negotiate your way to financial success Part II: Negotiation mistakes and how to avoid them
In the last segment, we discussed the essential steps for negotiation. Of equal importance are things you should not do during negotiations. Mistakes during a negotiation can hinder its success. Don’t get emotional It is imperative that during negotiations you maintain a professional stance, even when you feel undermined. For example, bursting into tears and lamenting about the unfairness of an offer can prove counter-productive. Your tears won’t persuade your negotiation partners to give you a fair deal. Moreover, emotional persuasion will not help you win your negotiation partners’ respect. It will only get them to “pity” you. You never want to start a business relationship out of pity. Pity does not get you the deserved respect in the long run. Emotional outbursts during a negotiation will hurt its effectiveness and productivity. Tip: Rather than using emotional persuasion, use objective facts. Humanize the negotiation but do not personalize it. Don’t make unsupported assertions One could be tempted to make unsupported assertions when negotiations seem to go downhill. Don’t! Using fiction to support your bargaining point during negotiations will hurt your chances of success in that deal. Remember, you will likely be dealing with savvy business individuals who most probably have researched your assertion. They’ll definitely be able to spot a fictional assertion. There is nothing worse than being unethical during a negotiation and tarnishing your reputation in the business industry. News travel fast! Tip: Prior to a negotiation, gather as much hard data as possible to support your assertions. Where relevant data is unavailable, use comparable data. When using comparable data, be transparent with your business partners. Do not disguise the comparable data as one that speaks on the matter at hand. In the same light, don’t rely on spontaneous brilliance. Prepare! Do not make spontaneous decisions Do not feel pressured to make a decision on the spot. It is perfectly okay if your negotiations require a series of meetings before reaching a bargain. Tip: Ask for time to make a well-informed decision. Do not say “No” Yes! I really meant to say do not say “no” during negotiations. Never say “no” during a negotiation, even when declining an offer. Instead, positively decline the offer. You should be able to embed “no” into the kindest phrase your potential business partner has ever heard! For example, you have been recently offered a job with an unattractive salary. Rather than emailing the employer to say “Thank you, I have decided to decline your offer,” you could do it better. Consider calling and saying, “Thank you for the offer, I am excited about the position and the opportunities it will offer. However, after reviewing the compensation package, it would prove challenging to be able to meet my financial obligations. Nonetheless, I remain open to hearing about future opportunities that will match our mutual needs.” Such an approach will allow you to continue future conversations with your potential business partners, employers, or even schools. In fact, this approach helped a friend get more financial aid from a top law school. Tip: Bury your “no” in a positive statement. Make them feel good about your response so that they barely dwell on the fact that you just said “no”. Do not give an ultimatum During negotiations, your goal at all times should be to negotiate. Yes, simply negotiate. Avoid using an ultimatum during negotiations. It sends the wrong signal that you’re unwilling to further the negotiation discussions or find a win–win scenario. Moreover, an ultimatum will put your negotiation parties on the defensive. For example, saying “this is my best offer, take it or we have no deal” is wrong. It’ll likely to make the other party believe that a negotiation ends if your offer is not met. Never give the impression of foreclosing the possibility of finding a mutually acceptable bargain. Such aggressiveness will likely be counterproductive in achieving success. Tip: Rather than give an ultimatum, which focuses on the “I,” focus on the “we,”. Express your willingness to create value for all parties while also noting the need to meet a deadline. You may consider telling your negotiators that you would like to reach a decision by a certain deadline. Such timing should, however, be reasonable. This can help you pay attention to cultural nuances (as discussed below). Such an approach will allow all parties to focus on reaching an agreement within the stipulated timeframe. Do not ignore cultural nuances It is imperative to pay attention to cultural nuances during negotiations. This could play a vital role during the value-creation process. For example, direct eye contact with negotiation parties is strongly encouraged when dealing with US negotiators. This conveys sincerity and could enhance negotiations. In China, however, such a gesture could hinder a negotiation’s productivity. Direct eye contact is considered inappropriate or rude in China. Tip: Do not apply blanket tactics during negotiations. Research the negotiation parties and be sensitive to cultural idiosyncrasies. This will help you succeed in maximizing your negotiation potential. To summarize, avoiding these negotiation blunders will improve the likelihood of a successful negotiation. It would provide the ability to realize your desired outcome. If you would like insights on a particular topic, write to us! We are listening.
To disclose, or not to disclose: Striking the right balance when making a case for your business
As promised in Navigating The Catch-22: Successfully Fundraising For Your Business, this segment discusses, in detail, the nuts and bolts of confidentiality agreements. Also referred to as Non-disclosure Agreement (NDA), the NDA keeps certain aspects of what an entrepreneur will discuss or disclose with a potential investor a secret. While an NDA is an important document that helps protect your new venture’s confidential information, entrepreneurs should endeavour to strike the right balance between protecting their business secrets and sharing relevant information with potential investors to attract capital or other resources. 1. Timing is everything: Relationships come first Indeed, the know-hows of your new venture might necessitate the execution of a NDA. However, this does not mean that you should walk into a potential investor’s office for the first time offering a NDA as a substitute for a handshake. This singular act may, in fact, be counterproductive as it may scare away savvy investors! The use of the words “scare away” is intentional. Indeed, this choice of words begs the question, “Why would a potential investor be reluctant to sign an NDA, if they do not intend to breach the agreement?” A few answers are listed below: Most potential investors sit on numerous pitch competition boards. They encounter numerous entrepreneurs in their professional lives and are often asked to sign NDAs. Consequently, your NDA may be number 500 on the request list. As such, a potential investor’s reluctance to sign your NDA may not be because they intend to disclose your trade secrets, rather, it may be due to the practicality of keeping track of thousands of NDAs that they receive. From a practical standpoint, it gets really challenging to track thousands of NDAs especially where entrepreneurs submit pitch decks with similar ideas. Investors are not only attracted to an idea but to other factors such as your team, track record, probability of success etc. Given that NDAs are important legal documents, investors will often want their lawyers to review these documents before they sign. This costs time and money—two things that have huge opportunity costs for an investor. Notwithstanding, if you are concerned about a potential investor’s ability to protect your confidential information, you should vet them. This can be easily done by utilizing your networks to find out more about a potential investor. If you are not satisfied with the results of your due diligence, then consider safeguarding your proprietary information. You have to strike the right balance between keeping your business know-hows a secret and attracting investors. The free flow of ideas is an important factor in further developing your product and raising capital. However, you do not need to disclose every minute detail of your business to an investor if you do not feel comfortable doing so. 2. Practical consideration when reviewing an NDA When you get to the NDA stage, it is imperative that you carefully review the NDA, negotiate the terms, and participate in the drafting process. If there are provisions you do not understand in the NDA, don’t feel embarrassed asking about the intent of that provision. Below are a few items you should consider when negotiating your NDA: Ensure that the party that signs the NDA has the authority to do so. Check to make sure that individual is an authorized officer of the company. Ensure that the NDA details what the word “confidentiality” means. If the definition is too broad and contains everything under the sun, you might get a lot of push back from your potential investors. So, be practical about the scope of the definition! In the same light, your NDA should clearly explain what doesn’t constitute confidential information. Remember, exceptions are equally as important as inclusions. The NDA should also detail the manner of the disclosure that will be kept confidential. For example, will both parties treat oral disclosures as confidential information? It is also important that you carefully think through your negotiation strategy during the NDA drafting phase and that you negotiate from a practical perspective. Spending too little negotiating a NDA might create an impression that you are not a savvy businesswoman. This perception may hurt your negotiating power with your potential business partner in the long run. On the other hand, overly negotiating a NDA might make you appear as one who might be difficult to work with. It is essential that you find the right middle ground. As a general rule of thumb, entrepreneurs should not negotiate past three drafts. More drafts may be required for an extremely complex project. Treat the NDA negotiations as a pre-investment negotiation interview. During this stage, your potential investors are just getting to know you. This is your opportunity to show them that you are savvy businesswomen with excellent negotiation skills. During the drafting phase, be cognizant of who will have access to the confidential information. Will all employees have access to the information? What third parties will have access to the information? All these considerations are important as they let you know the individuals that will be privileged to the information you have provided. Your NDA should also list each party’s responsibilities or burdens. Ensure that the NDA contains remedies that are reasonable. Most importantly, research your potential investors or business partners to ensure that the individual or firm is a reputable and fair player in the market. To summarize, it is imperative that you carefully consider the timing of requesting an NDA. When it becomes necessary to execute a NDA, carefully negotiate your NDA and ensure that you understand every word on the agreement before you sign on those dotted lines. In the next segment, we will discuss the art of successful negotiation. If you would like insights on a particular topic, write to us! We are listening.
Kalinè: You don’t need the ideal situation before you do something with your talent
Singer, pianist, composer and producer – Kalinè is an artist of many talents. The Berklee College of Music graduate inspires her fans through her genuine and unique lyrical style while navigating the Nigerian musical industry as an independent artist. After getting her start in the industry ten years ago, she has remained a self-managed artist who believes that the beauty of not being on a label or represented has given her the power to make decisions about her musical career—what she wants to do and how she wants to do it—all of which have molded her as the artist that she is today. She Leads Africa spoke with Kalinè about her journey as an artist and entrepreneur and why honesty is her favorite form of inspiration. You published a piece on your blog Self-Managed- 9 Reasons why you should be your biggest cheerleader. Why did you decide to self-manage as opposed to hiring someone to do it for you? The ideal situation would be to have a support system in a formal way, or to have a team. However, I got to a point where I was looking for people, as opposed to being found. It is a lot better to be found by a manager as opposed to looking for one or paying for one. This is because they are coming on board knowing exactly what you want to do and they have a passion for what you are doing. I’ve learned to be discerning about who I want on my team as well. I have come into my own, and embraced the challenge that a self managed artist has and I try to use that to encourage others by saying, you don’t have to have the ideal situation before you do something with your career or talent. That is how the self-mantra was formed; by embracing it and seeing the beauty in it—until the right person approaches me. We all know that building a brand is filled with everyday challenges, some big and some small and aggravating. What’s your favorite challenge that you have tackled and what did you learn from this experience? Patience is the biggest thing for me. In this industry it used to be so difficult for me to see other people making a success of their talents and passions. I’ve learned that patience is the most important thing. Everyone has their own journey, their own timelines and trajectories. There is no use being anxious or worried about what is going to happen. I strongly believe that I will get to where I want to go. I must be patient about with the recourses I do have. Since you self-manage, this must also mean that you manage your own social media sites? If so, how have you built an online community around your brand? What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs around building passionate fans and active online communities? Be true to yourself. Be authentic and genuine, whether on Instagram or Facebook or Twitter or Soundcloud. I try to give valuable advice or useful and relevant information to my followers and supporters, while constantly remembering to be myself as I do so. It is also good to have goals for each platform. Your Instagram followers are very different from your Facebook followers, likewise your LinkedIn followers. Figure out, what exactly do followers want to gain from the different platforms? It is a learning process, and a trial and error. From your social media pages, I can see that you’re inspiring your followers in everything that you do—whether it’s singing or blogging. How do other activities that you partake in, inspire your work? Photography, reading, social messages, conversations, and social issues inspire my blogging and songwriting. At Berklee School of Music I studied film and music scoring. I’ve written music for commercials, and teach piano to little kids. Being an artist is a full time job. Everyday there is something to do—from social media, to practicing for a show, to styling, and to rehearsing. What female artists do you gain inspiration and or empowerment from? Adele, her honesty inspires me. Lianne Lahava, Laura Mvula—to name a few—teach me to stay true to myself and to write from an honest place. How do you define yourself and your music, in terms of today’s climate? If you come to one of my shows, you will hear reggae, highlife, pop, R&B and classical elements. The common thread that runs through all of my songs are honesty and elements of truth and authenticity through my repertoire. I am influenced by too many things to really put myself in the box. I think that is where the world is headed—no longer really saying. Everyone is going into various genres; as the Internet and social media become more accessible around the world, we are all going to make music that we love and we know we will communicate to our followers and our fans. What tips do you have on negotiating how much you get paid, how do you determine doing a free show or not? It all depends on the type of gig, and how many minutes they want you to perform; how many songs they want and the number of instruments needed. All are determining factors and more—styling, makeup, and hair—help me to determine how much to charge. However, creativity is relative. Some people have a budget. When you get to a point where you are trying to negotiate then other things come in, such as whether it is for a good cause or if it will be really good exposure for you or performing in front of an audience that you do not get to perform in front to often; or even someone saying, I will cover your costs but not pay your labor fees. There’s also the situation where you have the opportunity to leverage off the people who ask you to perform—if they can open some doors for you, or introduce you to certain people and not pay