SuccessDigest is a digital magazine whose content aims to create financial freedom for anyone wanting to be.
SUCCESS Attitude Development Centre (SADC) founded in 1995, was established to develop human potentials, with the primary goal of raising and nurturing entrepreneurs.
The founders, Dr. Sunny and Pastor [Mrs.] Esther Ojeagbase, took the decision to set up the organization during the 10th Anniversary of their going into business for themselves
Their experience as a boot-strapped entrepreneurial couple inspired their decision to undertake this pioneering project in Nigeria. When, in October 1984, the husband arrived home one day and told the wife he was quitting paid employment in order to launch a publishing business they had both toyed with as an idea for several months, the wife immediately accepted the challenge.
Over the next seven years, the business went into different stages of hardship and it almost collapsed in 1991 when mounting debt nearly forced the company into liquidation.
The business survived the near crash by the special grace of God. But it was such a close call that, in 1994, on the occasion of their I0th Anniversary of going into business, the couple decided, upon the leading of the Lord, that they would share their experiences with other Nigerians who may wish to go into business for themselves. The objective being that they would not go through the type of harrowing experience that the couple endured in their first seven years of their business career.
To achieve this objective, a number of structures were put in place. The first one is SADC, a not-for-profit, non-governmental organization with the above mission/vision statement which was established early in 1995. It was followed by the launching of SuccessDigest, a monthly magazine, in September 1995.
Christened Nigeria’s No. 1 life-changing magazine by thousands of its readers who have benefited immensely from it, SuccessDigest combines inspirational articles with step-by-step guidance on how to succeed in business and in the game of life. One of its objectives is to teach its readers how to make more money with peace of mind.
Precisely one year after the magazine’s launch, SADC Bookstores was opened. SADC Bookstores is a specialty bookstore, stocking only entrepreneurial-related titles in management, finance, business, personal development, motivation and so on. The bookstores inventory has now been expanded to include titles by leading Christian authors.
Information is power, it is of high quality if you apply it correctly. In order for the entrepreneurs that SADC is raising to have easy access to these books that are regularly referred to in SuccessDigest magazine, the Founders were led to provide the service.
The SuccessDigest Entrepreneurs Conference (which has now been replaced by the SuccessDigest Leaders’ Club Conference) is the third product in the SADC Family. An annual event designed to bring together the entrepreneurs SADC is raising and nurturing, the first edition of the conference took place in November 1996.
The success of the conference was demonstrated in only its second year when business owners converge on Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja and gained insight on how to succeed in business from tried and tested entrepreneurs like the former Daily Times of Nigeria Managing Director and now Executive Chairman of Tanus Communications, Chief Yemi Ogunbiyi; Royal Suites Executive Chairman, T. K. Sulaiman; Lagos Business School Director, Prof. Pat Utomi, among a host of others.
Another product, SuccessDigest Enterprise Awards, was established in 1997 with the sole purpose of rewarding entrepreneurs for the risk they take in the process of doing business. Considering SADC‘s mission, these awards are inevitable.
The idea behind it is to have something of high value that the entrepreneurs SADC is raising and nurturing can aim for. And there is no better reward for any human endeavour than a recognition of one’s accomplishments.
SuccessDigest Enterprise Awards is blessed with men and women of high integrity who serve as its patrons. Among them are:
Mr. Felix Ohiwerei, Chairman, Nigerian Breweries Plc;
Dr. Christopher Kolade, former Chairman, Cadbury Nigeria Plc and Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom;
Alhaji R. A. Adejumo, former President, Nigeria Olympic Committee; Dr. Babatunde Jose, former Chairman/ Managing Director, Daily Times of Nigeria Plc; Alhaji S. Y. Kasimu, former Managing Director, Nigeria Industrial and Development Bank; Alhaji Yusuf Ali, former Managing Director, Unipetrol and former Chairman, All Peoples’ Party of Nigeria; Mr. Simeon Olaghere, Director, Afromedia Limited; Chief O. O. Olukanmi, Executive Chairman, All Stars Promotions (Sports) and Chairman, Complete Communications Limited and
Bishop Dr. George Amu, General Overseer, GoodNews Miracle Bible Church.
SADC‘s Grow Your Business (now Be Your Own Boss) Seminars, a series of training seminars covering different aspects of entrepreneuring from start-up to business maturity currently being held on weekends, is the fifth service in the SADC Family.
The first seminar in the series was held on Saturday, May 2, 1998, at the SADC Building, 28, Esuola Street, Off Ago Palace Way, Okota, Isolo, Lagos. The title was: How to Find Hidden Profits in Your Business. The second seminar, held on Saturday, July 4, 1998, was titled: Foresight Thinking while Get Fast Relief from Debt in less than 24 Hours, held on Saturday, September 5, 1998, was the third one.
SADC launched its sixth service – Business Products and Services/Consultancy – in October 1998 while, with the launching of How To Make It In Nigeria, Building Your Wealth From Ground Floor Up in December 1998, the publishing arm was expanded to include the publication of business books and that became the seventh service.
In July 1999, the eighth service, another programme that aims at empowering entrepreneurs in Nigeria, was launched. It is called SuccessDigest Business Opportunity Expo (SDBOE). Held thrice in a year – March, July and November – the SDBOE has transformed into a very successful major national event offering more than 35 business opportunities for Wealth Builders to choose from.
The year 2000 ushered in SuccessDigest Leaders’ Club (SDLC), an outreach of SADC. This was the ninth service. A mentoring programme designed to raise quality business leaders, it was formally launched on Saturday, September 9, 2000 at the Oranmiyan Hall of Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja.
A monthly programme, held every second Saturday of the month titled Business Leadership Forum, is hosted by the SDLC Founders; Dr and Pastor [Mrs.] Sunny Obazu-Ojeagbase. Club members are taught how to be the best in various human endeavour at this monthly meetings.
In October 2006, another monthly programme was introduced to cater for entrepreneurial couples. It is called Entrepreneurial Couples Forum [ECF]. The forum is held every third Saturday of the month.
The quarterly SuccessDigest Youth Empowerment Conference is the latest outreach of SADC. The maiden one is taking place on Monday, October1, 2007. It’s aimed at reaching under and post graduates, with the goal of preparing them for the world outside the classroom.
The conference is also for youths between ages 21 and 35 to provide them with the alternative means of creating the future they desire outside of paid employment.
With all these structures in place, we are confident that, through the special grace of God, who gave us this vision along with the provision for its realization, SADC, which already operates from its own building, will accomplish the task of raising and nurturing entrepreneurs who will lift high the flag of Nigeria in the international marketplaces. And it is so in Jesus name. Amen.