Chief Entrepreneurship Officer
EFour Enterprises LLc
Remote business coaching and Business Development Services (BDS) for entrepreneurs in developing countries and emerging economies
nigeria
Assignment
Land O’ Lakes, Farmer to Farmer Program (USAID), 2003
​
-
Business plan development for a planned dairy/livestock farm and processing facility
-
Conducted basic market research with local foodservice facilities to determine market need for processed milk
-
Evaluated the farmland, available resources, and needs of the business
-
Wrote a business plan to enable implementation of the owner’s vision to provide the area’s first packaged milk and meat, train farmers, and create jobs
-
Assisted with the local cooperative financing agency
-
Evaluated several other local businesses for future aid and made recommendations
Adventure
Being on the road is an adventure here, as in other places I’ve visited. Whether it was driving in the city, on the highway, or the rural roads, I was always glad to arrive alive. One time I glanced up to see an oncoming truck that said “Hail Mary” on the grill. I took it as a sign and said one.
​
There were many roadside curiosities. I once spotted a bunch of guys working on a car. This wouldn’t be unusual, except they had tipped the car on its side and leaned it against a pile of tires so they could work on the underside. Clever, if risky.
​
The numerous highway stops were annoying, unsettling, and not always “official”. They consisted of rocks and branches strewn halfway across the road in both directions. The police, automatic weapons cocked, would pull the car over, peer inside, and wave us on. Others were informal stops by people who expected to be paid for the privilege of passing through.
​
One officer waved us on and then, seeing me in the back seat as we started to drive off, banged on the fender to stop us. He asked if I wanted an escort. I wasn’t sure what that meant, but I was sure that there was only one right answer to that question. “No,” I answered, “I already have two!” referring to the driver and my colleague in the front seat.
​
His buddy was scarier. He sported two crisscrossed Mexican-style bullet belts around his torso, and his helmet read “Born to Kill” in big white letters. He stuck his head in my window, and with a toothy grin, cooed “Hiiiiiii. I remember thinking, “Here’s where I get raped by the police and no one can do a damn thing about it.” But after some small talk he let us pass. Hail Mary.