Advancing quality of life through entrepreneurship: the 5 C’s

Author: Amb. Benjamin Anabaraonye, Researcher, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria; CEO, Benjy Poetry and Music Global Concepts.

Our quality of life can be enhanced by entrepreneurship, which involves creativity, innovation, and problem solving ^[1]. Entrepreneurs help new ideas become solutions for the pressing challenges of our world and making them available to people locally and globally. An entrepreneur is a starter, an initiator, a challenger, and a driver of change ^[2].

Here, I draw out the five Cs of successful entrepreneurship as I see them in Africa that are also more widely relevant to creating quality of life for a fairer society.

• Creativity: Creativity is simply use of the imagination with entrepreneurs turning ideas into reality ^[3]. They can put aside the norms and think of beyond boundaries with an aim to discern unique and useful solutions to the problems of humanity. Creativity helps the entrepreneur to increase productivity and maximise profitability. The pursuit of quality of life for all can be the inspiration for new ideas and can fuel creativity.
• Connectivity: Connectivity relates to the ability of entrepreneurs to network ^[4] with customers, mentors, and potential investors towards achieving their goals – business is a team sport – team work makes the  dream work. Creating a fairer society means people need access to mentors, financial support, etc. Here, digital creativity is especially important and enables people to more easily connect with relevant individuals and institutions who can help move entrepreneurship forward.
• Consistency: Consistency requires determination, focus, and belief that you will succeed as an entrepreneur and is a powerful quality for success in entrepreneurship ^[5]. Maximising the effectiveness of time, assets, and resources means that entrepreneurs apply themselves to their goals and learn to pivot along the way as results emerge.
• Clarity: Clarity is about being clear or transparent. Entrepreneurship requires clarity of goals and objectives which must be pursued with coherence ^[6]. It leverages internal and external resources to empower an entrepreneur to act, innovate, and offer solutions that support his or her visions and goals. Entrepreneurs need clarity of purpose, target audience, the benefits they want to realise.
• Credibility: Credibility is about being trusted ^[7]. Entrepreneurs need to be honest and reliable, act with integrity, and have a clarity of purpose and deal transparently with customers, suppliers, and workers. As John Maxwell affirmed "Credibility is a business leader’s currency; with it, he or she is solvent; without it, he or she is bankrupt." ^[8].

A fairer society where everyone can live a quality life means that we need to support entrepreneurship and enable ideas from anyone to emerge and be part of the solutions we need to create a world that leaves no one behind.
 

References

[1] Anabaraonye, B.,  Okon, O.E,  Ewa, B.O, Adeniyi, T.F, & Nwobu, E.A(2022). Green entrepreneurship education for sustainable development in Nigeria. International Journal of Research in Civil Engineering and Technology 2022; 3(1): 16-19.
[2] Afolabi, A. (2015). The effect of entrepreneurship on economy growth and development in Nigeria. International Journal of Development and Economic Sustainability 3(2), pp.49-65.
[3] Patterson.L(2018). The role of creativity in entrepreneurship
[4] Startup Istanbul (2014). The importance of business networking for entrepreneurs
[5] Scranton, D. (2018) Consistency in entrepreneurial success
[6] Constable, K. (2019). Clarity: The secret weapon to experiencing explosive business growth
[7] Daskal, L.(2021). 10 powerful ways you can earn credibility in your industry
[8] Maxwell, J.(2019). Developing credibility as a leader