A few months ago, I got an email from an agency in America that represents a top international automobile company. The automobile company they represent has invented and manufactured a car that can be driven by blind people and will be launching it during next year’s Olympics. They contacted me because they wanted to negotiate with the manager – ME – of one called Taivis and see how she can be one of the brand ambassadors for promoting the car. The shoot would be held in a South American country – Chile – and they were willing to fly an assistant with the model and pay what they would consider a handsome fee for our time and brand.

For those that may not know, Taivis is a Nigerian-born-blind twin who was discovered by Emmanuel Bright and brought to eloPhotos Academy in 2012 because she wanted to become a world class photographer. 9+ months of gruelling training ensued and we were able to churn out a photographer who would be the first in her class in Africa. As Africa’s first blind photographer, she got so many public attention and made the world challenge themselves again in what they thought was impossible.

And here was an international company – whose products we use heavily in Nigeria – asking to use her to represent their brand. I felt honored. More importantly, I was happy that I would be travelling to a country that I didn’t even know existed all because of PHOTOGRAPHY.

After a few emails backb and forth, we negotiated for what I would consider as a better compensation package. Eventually I got word from the agency that To…., sorry the company they represented had to cut down on their budget for the promotion of the car. Whether or not it was indeed true, I don’t know. All I know is that this South American deal seemed to have gone south and it would seem like I missed an opportunity.

Did I ask for too much? 

Was I being greedy on my terms? 

Why did they suddenly change their mind? 

These were questions I asked myself and might never really get to know the answers. Either way, I was not perturbed. I looked back on my years as an entrepreneur and realized that this was the unraveling of future international opportunities that are coming my way. 

Upon arriving at that revelational conclusion, I quickly sold a few assets in order to be able to renew my long-expired international passport. Afterwards, I would not have been able to travel if my passport was not valid. Come to think of it, maybe it was because I had not renewed my passport that I didn’t…… Oh well, I’m better prepared now. A new opportunity is lurking on the horizon. 

Knowing that the Canon brand that I’m presently associated with was not the first brand I would negotiate with. Knowing that I had negotiated first with Samsung in 2013 and then Nokia in 2014 and none of it fell through. Knowing that the 3rd company I negotiated with eventually concluded with me, I’m 110% confident that more international opportunities are on the horizon. As long as my international passport is ready…..

At the end of the day, though the deal may seemed to have gone south, I’m confident that ALL THINGS WORKS TOGETHER FOR GOOD FOR SEUN AKISANMI BECAUSE HE LOVES THE LORD.

N.B. For those of you praying for international opportunities and don’t have a domiciliary account (in dollars or pounds) or an international passport, or presence on the internet, it might not be the devil’s fault that they have not come your way. It might be yo…… 

Just saying.