🇳🇬 The Green Eagle Has Landed!

Nigerian entrepreneur Foluso Salami opens her first DÙNDÚ eatery in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Credit: Braye S. (@nycework_braye.)

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🇳🇬 Apparently, Nigeria’s suiting up and on the move, breaking records and taking its rightful place on the world stage.

Here are two notable wins for The Green Eagle:

1. In the news, the United Press International reports that Nigeria’s Hilda Baci is a bonafide Guinness World Records Icon.

Hilda’s feat? Baci “set the record for longest cooking marathon at 93 hours and 11 minutes.”¹

Ms. Baci is also the CEO of My Food by Hilda (LinkedIn.)

2. Just like the moon landing, The Green Eagle’s Foluso Salami (LinkedIn) made her entrepreneurial splash in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, with the opening of the first DÙNDÚ restaurant in the United States.

Per the official site eatdundu.com², DÙNDÚ’s menu “offers delicious and authentic West African favorites like Jollofrice, Peppered Grilled Chicken, and Moinmoin, as well as innovative offerings such as DÙNDÚ’s Mango Habanero Vinaigrette, which has a clear Nigerian flavor profile to elevate your simple salad greens.”

As of this writing, a Google AI search query revealed that Nigeria boasts the third-largest economy in Africa in terms of nominal GDP.

With contributions from Hilda, Foluso and other enterprising Nigerian startups, maybe The Green Eagle can position itself as the largest economy on the African Continent.

Congratulations to Hilda Baci and Foluso Salami on their world-class wins. 🌠

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👇 What’s a recent game-changing personal win that’s reshaping the world as you know it?

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• WordPress
• @nycework.braye
• @nycework_braye
• @nycework_braye

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References

• upi.com, “World’s oldest living land animal extends record to 194 years,” https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/06/17/Guinness-World-Records-oldest-land-animal-Jonathan-tortoise/7411781709883/?utm_source=join1440&utm_medium=email&utm_placement=newsletter&user_id=66c4c6405d78644b3ab5e2a4
• eatdundu.com, “Dùndú – About Us,” https://eatdundu.com/about-us/

Couching Success The Right Way

Are you destined to sit in The Big Chair?
Image Credit: Braye S. (@zeugmatisse)

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“If you don’t want responsibility, don’t sit in the big chair. To be successful, you must accept full responsibility.”

Patt Summitt

💺The Big Chair of Success isn’t for everyone. Some people require lifelong supervision and chaperoning. And, that’s OK, especially if that person’s measure of ‘success’ isn’t visionary, isn’t something calling for strategic risk and effort.

To claim Your Big Chair, failure isn’t final. Instead, think of it as a recurring battle cry. It’s your reminder that victory might be delayed until no stone is left unturned. On with the struggles!

Big Chair victories demand courage, humility, intelligence, perseverance, temperance, and tenacity. Excellence means constant and habitual improvisation, aiming for improvement in all things. Indeed, every ‘thing’ you do is an opportunity to best yourself.

When the threat of failure starts to whistle its eerie tune, choosing to remain responsible pairs well with character-building.

Stay calm and collected.

Test yourself. Always.

If you’re unwilling to fully commit to Success’s ceaselessly daunting cycles of ‘wins’ and ‘fails’: Don’t Sit In The Big Chair.

Of course, that would mean someone else gets to sit in Your Big Chair—and you know what that signals…🪑

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👇 As the possibility of failure wafts in the air, what Big Chair moves have you been fearlessly planning and executing?

The Shortest and Best Way to Make Your Fortune

Image credit: Braye S. (nycework_braye@mastodon.social)

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“The shortest and best way to make your fortune is to let people see clearly that it is in their interest to promote yours.”

Jean de la Bruyere

Everyone’s conserving cash—but we have to spend so we don’t end up in the poorhouse…or in potentially armed conflict with a collapsed economy!

That said, what’s the shortest and best way to make people feel so fortunate that they’ll promote you—and your business—because it’s in their best interest? Share your insights in the comments. 🧩

🚧 Growing Your Business Intelligently Means Knowing When to Pivot

Successful businesspeople know that getting discouraged is often a signal that change is overdue.

“The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.”

Albert Einstein

📉 If you’re an early-stage founder feeling discouraged because the ideas in your head don’t match the harsh realities you’re experiencing, this post’s for you.

Many founders think “intelligence” means having the perfect idea from Day One—but “the market” rarely cares about your initial “idea.” It really doesn’t care about you—or your “hypothesis.” Paradoxically, what the customer usually insists on is that you deliver a gratifying solution NOW!

Bottom line? Your current offer isn’t enticing enough for the customer to fall in love and serenade you with money and praise. That doesn’t mean you have a stupid failure on your hands, though.

Here’s the truth.

You haven’t been wasting time and resources. What you’ve been doing is selling ideas. Your customers have been paying you—not with money—but with data. For you right now, feedback is valuable currency. It’s profitable information that’ll help you decide if, when and how to pivot. This intel will help you make the necessary changes that your customers strongly desire.

The smart move isn’t doubling down on a failing strategy.

This is you being wise:

✅ Listening to customer feedback
✅ Acknowledging what isn’t working
✅ Pivoting quickly without shame

This doesn’t mean compromising your vision or letting your venture become unprofitable. Think of it as GPS guiding and leading you to the precise place where your customers pay you gladly because you’re delivering exactly what they want.

So, listen to your customers’ directions—even if the data is sometimes misleading. Patiently observe the patterns that develop. These will let you know when to pause, move…or pivot. Understanding patterns will amplify your business intelligence and beyond. 💹

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What patterns do you see emerging from what your customers have been saying?

🕺Because Someone Has to Break the Ice…

“Everybody wants to do something to help, but nobody wants to be the first.” — Pearl Bailey

Someone has to break the ice! Set the vibe…

If you’re an entrepreneur struggling to land consistent sales, you might be facing this existential paradox:

• You’ve built something valuable.
• You’ve done the research.
• But those first customers? Pshaw. Maybe they’re waiting for the Leader of the Free World to try your stuff, first. Who knows.

The fact remains: Someone has to break the ice. Make the first move.

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When The Winds of Change Blow…BUILD Your AQ

Image: A view of the windmills at Kinderdijk, Netherlands. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

“When the winds of change blow, some people build walls and others build windmills.”

~ Ancient Chinese Proverb (inc.com)

Video | Three Ways to Measure Your Adaptability — and How to Improve It [6m 31s]

In this video, Venture Capitalist Natalie Fratto TED talk about three ways to measure and improve your adaptability. [Duration: 6m 31s]

When venture investor Natalie Fratto is determining which start-up founder to support, she doesn’t just look for intelligence or charisma; she looks for adaptability. In this insightful talk, Fratto shares three ways to measure your “adaptability quotient” — and shows why your ability to respond to change really matters.

~ TED (YouTube)

Related:

• Virtual Art Classes Saved Her Company During the Pandemic. Now, Though, Everyone Is a Competitor (inc.com)

Quote of the Week: Voltaire

“God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.”

~ Voltaire (brainyquote.com)

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What Is Scarcity Mentality?

“A scarcity mindset is when you are so obsessed with a lack of something — usually time or money — that you can’t seem to focus on anything else, no matter how hard you try.”

“Scarcity mentality isn’t something you do on purpose. It’s the background noise your brain makes when you can’t get what you want. But it’ll cost you. ‘Focusing on something you don’t have can take a toll on your mental health. You can get “tunnel vision” when all you think about is the unmet need.‌

“Scarcity mentality also has other impacts on your brain and can even cause it to work differently.”

Reading: Quote of the Week: Voltaire (Don’t Just Survive. You MUST Thrive!)

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Adversity: The Fuel of Greatness

Image: White smoke rising from charcoal briquettes as they start to catch fire and burn. Source: © Tomas Castelazo, http://www.tomascastelazo.com / Wikimedia Commons.

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“Greatness is not measured by what a man or woman accomplishes, but by the opposition, he or she has overcome to reach his [or her] goals.”

~ Dorothy Height (1440 Daily Digest)

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Adversity Is the Fuel of Greatness

“I have seen the approach to adversity play out in all walks of life and unfortunately the most common response to adversity is to try and make it go away. The reality is that when you take away adversity you also take away one of the most important ingredients to greatness.”

“When adversity is avoided or kept from us, it prevents the rich roots of character, learning, resilience, creativity and conviction to germinate.”

“Adversity plays a vital role in growth and greatness. In simple terms: no adversity, no growth. Instead of avoiding adversity, we need to hug it! It is the fuel for greatness.”

~ Reading: “Adversity Is the Fuel of Greatness” by Jim Haudan

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Project Self-Discovery: Journeying Fearlessly Toward…Your Truth

Image: Astronaut Steve Robinson turns the camera on himself during his historic repair job “underneath” Space Shuttle Discovery on August 3. The Shuttle’s heat shield, where Robinson removed a pair of protruding gap fillers, is reflected in his visor. Source: NASA, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

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“Now all we need is to continue to speak the truth fearlessly, and we shall add to our number those who will turn the scale to the side of equal and full justice in all things.”

~ Lucy Stone (1440 Daily Digest)

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How To Live In Your Truth: The Difference Between Personal Values And Social Conditioning

“Living in your truth may sound serious and philosophical. In reality, it usually manifests through the little things in your life. How you make everyday decisions often shows whether or not you’re being true to yourself.”

“When you make such small choices, they may seem insignificant. You may think that they don’t impact your life. But even if one individual choice doesn’t change much, together, they add up.”

“But first, it’s helpful to understand why we struggle to embrace our truth so much. After all, shouldn’t it be the most natural thing in the world?”

~ Reading: “How To Live In Your Truth: The Difference Between Personal Values And Social Conditioning” (Big Self School)

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People: The Good, The Bad, and The Toxic

Image: “The Bad And The Ugly [#apple ,#fruit ,#good ,#bad]” by Monica Georgescu, via Wikimedia Commons.

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“You can’t do a good deal with bad people, and you can’t do a bad deal with good people. I often use that as my compass.”

~ Christina Tosi (brainyquote.com)

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Toxic People: How to Recognize and Avoid Them

“Just as the environment has its toxins, humanity includes people who consistently do toxic things. Recognizing and avoiding toxic people is an essential skill to learn as early in life as possible.

“Toxic people can spread unhappiness and personal suffering. They ultimately poison things with which they come in touch: other people, careers, businesses, marriages, and especially children. These people are often virtually immune to insight, remorse, or lasting positive change. I’m not talking about people with criminal personalities, but rather people who live and work with us every day.

“There are at least four basic types of toxic people: the narcissistic-aggressive person, the “frenemy,” the negative-complaining person, and the seductive, overly-dramatic person. Let’s take a closer look and see if you can recognize any of these folks in your daily life.”

~ Reading: “Toxic People: How to Recognize and Avoid Them” by George S. Everly, Jr. (psychologytoday.com)

Related:

• How Good Are Your People Skills? | MindTools
  https://www.mindtools.com/a3ll1vz/how-good-are-your-people-skills/

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