Anurika Azubuike is a Business Growth Strategist, Speaker, Author, Mentor and trusted Professional advisor in the areas of business strategy, marketing, branding and communications. She is the Founder of Customer Attraction Academy, a learning community and social impact project for entrepreneurs and professionals dedicated to creating a high level of success for businesses by teaching the skills necessary for attracting and keeping customers. She is also the Director, Group Accounts Management at Quadrant MSLGroup, Nigeria’s first full-service Public Relations Company. She is married with children.
PN: Tell us a bit about your journey so far, both in life and in your career?
AA:
My parents are very entrepreneurial and from very early in my life, the concept of business, that sterling entrepreneurial mindset, and the diligence of hard work has had been deep-rooted in me. Indeed, nature and nurture combine to make us who we are. That’s why I can say that every single step in my journey and all my experiences contribute to who I am and becoming.
With a background in business and marketing, a degree in Mass Communication, and an MBA from the University of Leicester, my roots in becoming one of the biggest Business Consultants out of Africa is strengthened with each stride. My experiences in broadcasting, journalism, branding, marketing communications and digital agencies attest to this.
With over 17 years hands-on business experience, and spending the past 12 years partnering with corporate organisations, small and medium sized businesses and highly motivated individuals to create transformational and sustainable results for their brands and business profits, I help empower businesses to go from ordinary to extraordinary. I have had the privilege of working with companies such as Google, Etisalat, Intel, Diageo, General Electric, Airtel, SAP, Mouka Limited, among many others.
PN: One of the many hats you wear is “Business Growth Strategist”. What does it involve?
AA:
Through my practical knowledge and experiences, I help business owners maximize their current and untapped potentials to get them superb results for growing their businesses.
It’s amazing how what you need can be right in front of you and you don’t even realize it. As a Business owner, chances are that you might be too close to your work to see things from a better, more efficient and effective perspective.
As a business growth strategist, I help businesses get more business that let them gain control and take ownership of their market space.
PN: You also own a business – Customer Attraction Academy. What was the motivation to set it up, what have been the challenges and the successes?
AA:
Customer Attraction Academy is a social impact project that I started majorly to help businesses avoid the mistakes that can cost them money, time and effort. I show them what they need to do to attract the right paying customers and leave them with tried and tested strategies tailored to fit their individual business needs.
My major success is and continues to be the success of those I work with. If they succeed, I succeed. Knowing that I have helped individuals and businesses find that missing link and achieve the results they desire is most fulfilling and rewarding. In our first year, we were able to record the growth of our online community to over 4000 business owners and professionals eager for knowledge and growth.
Of course you have to consider the fact that there are many business owners out there who haven’t really come to the realisation that the fact that they are experts in their particular subject matter, doesn’t make them an expert in running a business successfully. That’s where Customer Attraction Academy comes in – to stir that level of awareness and provide the right knowledge and action that help these business owners overcome their business growth challenges.
PN: Who are the students of this Academy and how does one enroll for a course of study?
AA:
Specifically, the Academy helps small business owners and professionals in the product and service business space find clarity about their businesses, and craft strategies that deliver maximum results for gaining the most from it. Sometimes, we are too close to our own work to see what we’re doing wrong. That’s why almost everybody whose made something out of nothing would tell you about the guidance, personal development, coaching or mentoring they got at some point in their life to help them break boundaries. I have worked with business owners in various industries ranging from fashion to education to personal care, among many others.
Students can enroll by taking advantage of the free, no-obligation premier membership level of the academy via bit.ly/attractprofits. As a premier member, they get access to free webinars, resources, tips and strategies that can help them in exponentially growing their mindsets and businesses. After the premier level membership, there are 3 other level memberships which are paid for and gives students a higher level access to even more resources, online classes and a personalised mentorship platform that offers a hand-holding and walk through of the different activities that need to be done to get them specific results and allows them track their progress.
PN: For those considering enrolling in a course at the Academy, what can they gain from the courses?
AA:
Each course is designed to help small business owners and professionals design, develop and implement strategies and systems that get them visible, attract consistent paying customers, multiply their income, and drive business growth through innovation. Application is key for us at the Academy and those who apply the knowledge and strategies they learn in our different courses, the end result has always been a transformation in their market presence and share, effective and profitable relationship with their customers and the capacity to acquire a larger market share.
PN: One of the blurbs on your website says: “Her greatest passion is in helping business owners build profitable, irresistible businesses.” How have you applied this passion to Customer Attraction Academy and what has been the result?
AA:
Customer Attraction Academy online community presently has almost 5000 members actively engaged with rich content like master classes, webinars, downloadable materials, E-books and a support system that help business growth, answer questions and challenge members to do more for themselves and their business. I also encourage feedback from members to encourage others and help me understand situations better.
- You are an author. You wrote an audio/e-book called Customer Attraction. Why did you decided to write the book?
AA:
I launched my book ‘Customer Attraction’ in October 2016. The book was an opportunity to share practical insights from my own personal experience and interactions with others, on what business owners and managers must do to stay profitable and fulfilled in business. It’s one year after and my second book, ‘The Profits Blueprint’ will be open for pre-order at the end of October 2017.
PN: Given that in this part of the world we are more familiar with getting our books in hard copy, why the choice of audio/e-books, and what has been the reception to the audio/e-book you have written?
AA: The manner in which the world consumes content has changed so much. The consumption of electronic copies of books has witnessed tremendous growth over the past couple of years. Many platforms, for example, Amazon, Kindle, etc., help to deliver these digital products more effectively and efficiently.
Though my books will have printed versions over the next few months, the success of ‘Customer Attraction’ is extremely encouraging. Not only because it sold over 100 copies within its first 3 months, but also because it’s content delivers on the intention it was made for – saving businesses.
PN: You have another audio/e-book coming out this month of October 2017 – The Profits Blueprint. Can you tell us in a nutshell what the book is about?
AA:
‘The Profits Blueprint’ book is a practical guide to help more small businesses attract more of their ideal customers. The book provides an understanding of who ideal customers are and how businesses can identify them, how to attract attention for their businesses online, the type of content to create for their audiences and how to effectively use call-to-actions to get customers’ buy-in. It combines my knowledge of our local market and my experiences helping other small businesses get results, to deliver insights in how other small businesses can replicate that success.
PN: You also work full time as a Director, Group Accounts Management in a notable Public Relations organisation – Quadrant MSLGroup. How do you combine running Customer Attraction Academy, book writing and your work as a director in the company?
AA:
It comes with its fair share of challenges in truth, but the idea is to understand the different roles that you play in different fronts and be able to offer your best without burning yourself out. The things I do are things I naturally enjoy. I have dedicated times focus on achieving specific objectives, and don’t use time for one for the other. This helps to ensure that there are no interferences whatsoever.
PN: As a married woman with children, how do you achieve the balance between work and home?
AA:
In everything, family comes first. And by putting family first, it means that my priorities as a mother and wife come before work. I intentionally make it a point of duty to stay consistently connected to my children. This means that I make myself available to them, making time out to prepare them for school in the morning, work with them on their homework in the evenings, and spend quality bonding time with them during the weekends. Whether it’s extracurricular activities or their birthdays, you’ll find me and their dad there cheering them. I am blessed and grateful for the support of my darling husband. We understand the place of purpose, and with intentionality, we both are able to do things that keep us fulfilled. I also have a support system of loving and trustworthy people that work with me to enable me do other things that matter.