[ ENGLISH VERSION] Do you know why fraudsters are called Yahoo boys?
Because Yahoo was once the undisputed king of the internet.
There was a time when Yahoo was everything. Emails, news, weather, chat rooms, music, even dating.
If you were online in the late ’90s and early 2000s, you were probably using Yahoo.
Then came two nerdy guys: Larry Page and Sergey Brin, with a better search engine. In 1998, they offered to sell their new project, Google, to Yahoo, for just $1 million.
Yahoo said NO.
Why?
Because Yahoo didn’t see the value in search.
They believed their goal was to keep users ON their platform, not help them leave by searching the wider web.
Fast forward to 2002.
Yahoo realized Google wasn’t just another search engine.
It was growing fast, and taking over the internet. So Yahoo came back to the table.
This time, they offered $3 billion to buy Google.
But now it was Google’s turn to say no.
Larry and Sergey knew what they had.
They believed their idea was worth more, and they were right.
Today, Google is worth over $1.5 trillion.
Yahoo? It was sold off in pieces for less than $5 billion.
How Yahoo Went From King to Cautionary Tale:
1998: Declined to buy Google for $1M
2002: Tried again for $3B, and got rejected
2003–2005: Bought several companies, including Flickr and GeoCities, but didn’t innovate or scale them properly
2008: Rejected a $44.6B acquisition offer from Microsoft (thinking they were still worth more)
2016: Yahoo was sold to Verizon for $4.83B, a fraction of what it once was worth
5 Brutal Business Lessons from Yahoo’s Fall:
- The opportunity you ignore today might be your biggest regret tomorrow. Always be willing to explore early-stage innovation.
No Student Will Go Broke If They Did This.
If you think every student in school is broke, then you must be joking.
Some students drive cars that are more expensive than their lecturers’ salaries.
And no, they're not into fraud or prostitution. Not every young person making money is doing something illegal.
A lot them are simply smart, intentional, and proactive.
They’ve understood one deep truth: nobody is coming to save them.
The moment you step into school with that mindset that your parents, lecturers, or even the government won't come running to save you, you gain an advantage.
You start thinking differently. You start looking for ways to survive, to earn, to grow.
Especially in Nigeria, where our educational system doesn’t guarantee jobs or wealth, you’ll go broke fast if you rely only on school.
No student will go broke if they follow these simple entrepreneural steps.
- Understand That School Is Not a Final Destination build a skill*
School is not your final stop. It’s just a place you pass through. The moment you understand this, you’ll stop wasting your years thinking everything begins and ends in the classroom.
There's a whole world waiting for you outside school. Start preparing for it now.
- Learn a Skill *
If all you do with your phone is scroll on social media, you’re missing out.
Your phone is not just for gossip and entertainment. You can learn graphic design, copywriting, video editing, digital marketing, online tutoring, and many more, right from your room. Use your data wisely. Invest in yourself.
- Build Valuable Relationships*
Money doesn’t only come from skills, it comes from people.
Learn to value people. Your roommate, your coursemate, that guy in church, they could be the link to your next opportunity.
Stop being proud. Learn to connect, ask questions, and offer your help. Relationships can carry your skill to places you never imagined.
- Use Social Media the Right Way*
Social media is not just for watching others live their lives. It’s a tool. A big one. Use it to promote your skill. Use it to teach something. Use it to share your journey. You don’t need to have everything figured out to start.
Let people know what you do. That’s how clients and helpers come.
- Stop Looking Down on Small Beginnings*
Don’t wait to start big. Start where you are, with what you have. Sell something. Offer a service. Volunteer.
Do free jobs just to learn and build trust. That small start might become the reason you’re never broke again.
School won’t feed you forever. But your ideas, your skills, your network, and your mindset can.
So, don’t just pass through school. Let school pass through you while you build something that can feed your future.
If you are someone who needs to learn a skill especially a student learn a skill.
Do you know why fraudsters are called Yahoo boys?
Because Yahoo was once the undisputed king of the internet.
There was a time when Yahoo was everything. Emails, news, weather, chat rooms, music, even dating.
If you were online in the late ’90s and early 2000s, you were probably using Yahoo.
Then came two nerdy guys: Larry Page and Sergey Brin, with a better search engine. In 1998, they offered to sell their new project, Google, to Yahoo, for just $1 million.
Yahoo said NO.
Why?
Because Yahoo didn’t see the value in search.
They believed their goal was to keep users ON their platform, not help them leave by searching the wider web.
Fast forward to 2002.
Yahoo realized Google wasn’t just another search engine.
It was growing fast, and taking over the internet. So Yahoo came back to the table.
This time, they offered $3 billion to buy Google.
But now it was Google’s turn to say no.
Larry and Sergey knew what they had.
They believed their idea was worth more, and they were right.
Today, Google is worth over $1.5 trillion.
Yahoo? It was sold off in pieces for less than $5 billion.
How Yahoo Went From King to Cautionary Tale:
1998: Declined to buy Google for $1M
2002: Tried again for $3B, and got rejected
2003–2005: Bought several companies, including Flickr and GeoCities, but didn’t innovate or scale them properly
2008: Rejected a $44.6B acquisition offer from Microsoft (thinking they were still worth more)
2016: Yahoo was sold to Verizon for $4.83B, a fraction of what it once was worth
5 Brutal Business Lessons from Yahoo’s Fall:
- The opportunity you ignore today might be your biggest regret tomorrow. Always be willing to explore early-stage innovation.
No Student Will Go Broke If They Did This.
If you think every student in school is broke, then you must be joking.
Some students drive cars that are more expensive than their lecturers’ salaries.
And no, they're not into fraud or prostitution. Not every young person making money is doing something illegal.
A lot them are simply smart, intentional, and proactive.
They’ve understood one deep truth: nobody is coming to save them.
The moment you step into school with that mindset that your parents, lecturers, or even the government won't come running to save you, you gain an advantage.
You start thinking differently. You start looking for ways to survive, to earn, to grow.
Especially in Nigeria, where our educational system doesn’t guarantee jobs or wealth, you’ll go broke fast if you rely only on school.
No student will go broke if they follow these simple entrepreneural steps.
- Understand That School Is Not a Final Destination build a skill*
School is not your final stop. It’s just a place you pass through. The moment you understand this, you’ll stop wasting your years thinking everything begins and ends in the classroom.
There's a whole world waiting for you outside school. Start preparing for it now.
- Learn a Skill *
If all you do with your phone is scroll on social media, you’re missing out.
Your phone is not just for gossip and entertainment. You can learn graphic design, copywriting, video editing, digital marketing, online tutoring, and many more, right from your room. Use your data wisely. Invest in yourself.
- Build Valuable Relationships*
Money doesn’t only come from skills, it comes from people.
Learn to value people. Your roommate, your coursemate, that guy in church, they could be the link to your next opportunity.
Stop being proud. Learn to connect, ask questions, and offer your help. Relationships can carry your skill to places you never imagined.
- Use Social Media the Right Way*
Social media is not just for watching others live their lives. It’s a tool. A big one. Use it to promote your skill. Use it to teach something. Use it to share your journey. You don’t need to have everything figured out to start.
Let people know what you do. That’s how clients and helpers come.
- Stop Looking Down on Small Beginnings*
Don’t wait to start big. Start where you are, with what you have. Sell something. Offer a service. Volunteer.
Do free jobs just to learn and build trust. That small start might become the reason you’re never broke again.
School won’t feed you forever. But your ideas, your skills, your network, and your mindset can.
So, don’t just pass through school. Let school pass through you while you build something that can feed your future.
If you are someone who needs to learn a skill especially a student learn a skill.
[SPANISH VERSION] ¿Sabes por qué a los estafadores se les llama Yahoo boys?
Porque Yahoo fue una vez el rey indiscutible de Internet.
Hubo un tiempo en que Yahoo lo era todo: correos electrónicos, noticias, clima, salas de chat, música, incluso citas.
Si estabas en línea a finales de los 90 y principios de los 2000, probablemente usabas Yahoo.
Entonces llegaron dos nerds: Larry Page y Sergey Brin, con un motor de búsqueda mejor. En 1998, ofrecieron vender su nuevo proyecto, Google, a Yahoo por solo $1 millón.
Yahoo dijo NO.
¿Por qué?
Porque Yahoo no veía valor en la búsqueda.
Ellos creían que su objetivo era mantener a los usuarios dentro de su plataforma, no ayudarlos a salir buscando en la web más amplia.
Avancemos rápido a 2002.
Yahoo se dio cuenta de que Google no era solo otro motor de búsqueda.
Estaba creciendo rápido y apoderándose de Internet. Así que Yahoo volvió a la mesa.
Esta vez, ofrecieron $3 mil millones para comprar Google.
Pero ahora fue el turno de Google de decir no.
Larry y Sergey sabían lo que tenían.
Creían que su idea valía más, y tenían razón.
Hoy, Google vale más de $1.5 billones.
¿Yahoo? Fue vendida en pedazos por menos de $5 mil millones.
Cómo Yahoo pasó de rey a historia de advertencia:
1998: Rechazó comprar Google por $1M
2002: Lo intentó de nuevo por $3B y fue rechazado
2003–2005: Compró varias compañías, incluyendo Flickr y GeoCities, pero no innovó ni las escaló correctamente
2008: Rechazó una oferta de adquisición de $44.6B de Microsoft (pensando que todavía valía más)
2016: Yahoo fue vendida a Verizon por $4.83B, una fracción de lo que alguna vez valió
5 duras lecciones empresariales de la caída de Yahoo:
La oportunidad que ignoras hoy podría ser tu mayor arrepentimiento mañana. Siempre está dispuesto a explorar innovaciones en etapas tempranas.
Ningún estudiante se quedará sin dinero si hace esto
Si piensas que todos los estudiantes están en quiebra, estás bromeando.
Algunos estudiantes conducen autos que cuestan más que el salario de sus profesores.
Y no, no están metidos en fraude ni prostitución. No todos los jóvenes que ganan dinero están haciendo algo ilegal.
Muchos simplemente son inteligentes, intencionales y proactivos.
Han entendido una verdad profunda: nadie vendrá a salvarlos.
En el momento en que entras a la escuela con esa mentalidad —que tus padres, profesores o incluso el gobierno no vendrán corriendo a rescatarte— ganas una ventaja.
Comienzas a pensar de manera diferente. Empiezas a buscar formas de sobrevivir, de ganar, de crecer.
Especialmente en Nigeria, donde nuestro sistema educativo no garantiza empleo ni riqueza, te quedarás en quiebra rápidamente si solo dependes de la escuela.
Ningún estudiante se quedará sin dinero si sigue estos simples pasos emprendedores.
Entiende que la escuela no es un destino final: construye una habilidad
La escuela no es tu parada final. Es solo un lugar por el que pasas. En el momento en que entiendas esto, dejarás de perder tus años pensando que todo empieza y termina en el aula.
Hay un mundo entero esperándote fuera de la escuela. Comienza a prepararte ahora.
Aprende una habilidad
Si todo lo que haces con tu teléfono es desplazarte por redes sociales, te lo estás perdiendo.
Tu teléfono no es solo para chismes y entretenimiento. Puedes aprender diseño gráfico, redacción publicitaria, edición de videos, marketing digital, tutorías en línea, y mucho más, directamente desde tu habitación. Usa tus datos sabiamente. Invierte en ti mismo.
Construye relaciones valiosas
El dinero no solo proviene de las habilidades, proviene de las personas.
Aprende a valorar a las personas. Tu compañero de cuarto, tu compañero de curso, ese chico en la iglesia, podrían ser el enlace a tu próxima oportunidad.
Deja de ser orgulloso. Aprende a conectar, hacer preguntas y ofrecer tu ayuda. Las relaciones pueden llevar tu habilidad a lugares que nunca imaginaste.
Usa las redes sociales de la manera correcta
Las redes sociales no son solo para ver cómo viven los demás. Son una herramienta. Una grande. Úsala para promover tu habilidad. Úsala para enseñar algo. Úsala para compartir tu camino. No necesitas tenerlo todo resuelto para empezar.
Deja que la gente sepa lo que haces. Así es como llegan los clientes y los ayudantes.
Deja de menospreciar los pequeños comienzos
No esperes para empezar en grande. Comienza donde estás, con lo que tienes. Vende algo. Ofrece un servicio. Haz voluntariado.
Haz trabajos gratis solo para aprender y generar confianza. Ese pequeño comienzo podría convertirse en la razón por la que nunca vuelvas a estar en quiebra.
La escuela no te alimentará para siempre. Pero tus ideas, tus habilidades, tu red y tu mentalidad sí pueden.
Así que, no solo pases por la escuela. Deja que la escuela pase por ti mientras construyes algo que pueda alimentar tu futuro.