Nicholas Moseley
My Business Training
Mubarak Muhammad
Quick Facts
Mubarak Muhammad, affectionately known as "DPO," is a hardworking 22-year-old care mechanic from Bauchi.
Raised in a large, unified household of fifteen children, Mubarak learned the values of family cooperation early on.
During his final year of secondary school, he faced a massive financial crisis that threatened his graduation.
Showing immense resilience, he secured a loan from his employer to pay for his WAEC examinations, working for a full year to completely clear his debt.
Motivated by a deep desire to make his mother proud, Mubarak actively contributes to his family’s food expenses and medical bills.
Mubarak Muhammad
Business Goals
Mubarak aims to transition his long-term mechanical training into a permanent, independent automotive workshop called MK Motorcycle Shop.
Operating daily from 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM on a highly accessible main street, his shop will offer specialized motorcycle repairs, tricycle servicing, and retail spare parts.
He’s also targeting commercial riders aged 25 to 40 who depend entirely on fast, affordable, and dependable vehicle maintenance to protect their daily transport income.
Serving twenty motorists daily, especially during peak Saturday morning rushes, Mubarak expects to use professional outdoor banners to build a leading regional brand known for high quality.
Mubarak Muhammad
Business Obstacles
Mubarak possesses a long ten years of hands-on mechanical experience, but his commercial growth is severely restricted by a critical shortage of technical resources.
He currently owns only a basic toolbox and a few select spanners, leaving him entirely without the specialized machinery needed for modern repairs.
Another major challenge is the lack of specialized equipment like heavy-duty drills, socket sets, and precise tire levers.
Attempting repairs without the exact tool can easily damage sensitive engine parts, costing him money and harming customer relationships.
Additionally, he lacks formal bookkeeping experience to track fluctuating material costs.
Mubarak Muhammad
Vulnerabilities
Mubarak is collaborating with Leadership Initiatives to leave his long-term apprenticeship behind and establish a fully independent mechanical workshop.
This strategic partnership will equip his new commercial startup with essential heavy tools, including a comprehensive socket set, an electric driller, tire levers, specialized pliers, and vital seed capital.
By funding a permanent, dual-room storefront on a bustling main street, this initiative allows Mubarak to set up an organized front product showroom and a secure rear tool storage area.
This critical support directly helps him minimize parts damaging, increase repair speed, and secure consistent household income.
My Business Proposal
Throughout the program, we worked closely with Mubarak Muhammad to develop a clear understanding of their business goals. Though they have leveraged their skills and years of experience to create their business, they face obstacles hindering the expansion of their work.
Guided by their vision, we created a proposal detailing the marketing materials necessary to support the growth of their business. We devised a plan that would allow Mubarak Muhammad to optimize their business through a new brand identity
Investments in a logo and marketing materials, such as signs and flyers, are vital for establishing a strong brand identity and expanding the customer base. These visual assets create a consistent and memorable image that builds trust and recognition among potential clients.
My Business Proposal Presentation
As part of the International Leadership and Business Internship, I collaborated with top development experts to strengthen my business partner’s brand.
At the conclusion of the program, my team presented our final proposal to a panel of judges from the Leadership Initiatives Grant Committee. This formal pitch allowed us to demonstrate our entrepreneurial skills, showcase our strategic plan, and advocate for meaningful change in our partner’s business.
Our team was awarded grant funding to support the implementation of our business partner’s plan, providing life-changing support that will expand operations, strengthen financial stability, and create new growth opportunities. Over the next year, this grant will help transform the future of their business and improve the quality of life for both the entrepreneur and their community.
Internship Highlights
- Business Partner Meeting
- Visit To The Embassy Of Portugal
- Diplomacy Briefing At The Finnish Embassy
- Professional Mentorship
Our business development journey began with a one-on-one Zoom meeting with our partner, Mubarak Muhammad, and our Nigerian project coordinator. This initial conversation laid the foundation for strong collaboration. It allowed us to better understand our partner's background, family, goals for the business, and the specific challenges they were facing.
Hearing directly from Mubarak Muhammad provided the insight we needed to begin brainstorming practical, personalized solutions. Each morning, our team held focused discussions to refine our ideas, reflect on expert advice from the day before, and adjust our timeline to move our plans forward efficiently.
Throughout the process, on-staff project coordinators and business development experts offered guidance, helping us ask the right questions and turn our ideas into meaningful, actionable strategies.
I had the unique opportunity to visit the Embassy of Portugal, where I gained firsthand insight into the role of diplomacy in fostering strong relationships between Portugal and the United States.
The embassy serves as a center for international collaboration, partnering with countries and global organizations to address pressing issues such as poverty, gender inequality, and climate change. Through this visit, I learned how diplomats engage in meaningful dialogue and policy development to create sustainable, people-focused solutions.
Officials from the Embassy of Portugal shared how they collaborate with local communities to identify needs and implement programs that empower individuals and strengthen long-term development. This commitment to community-driven impact inspired my team and me as we worked to develop our own business proposal focused on creating lasting change.
During my visit to the Finnish Embassy, I gained insight into how diplomacy shapes international cooperation and development. The experience deepened my understanding of the embassy’s role in promoting peace, fostering economic partnerships, and addressing shared global challenges.
Embassy representatives discussed how their work supports cross-cultural exchange, advances policy priorities, and strengthens relationships between the Finnish people and the United States. I learned how embassies serve as bridges, connecting governments, communities, and organizations to create innovative solutions for global issues.
This visit broadened my perspective on international leadership and inspired me to think critically about how collaboration, cultural awareness, and strategic planning can drive meaningful progress- principles that our team applied while developing our business proposal.
Throughout the internship, our team had the incredible opportunity to collaborate with leading experts in business and economic development from Johns Hopkins University, the U.S. State Department, and the U.S. Department of Commerce.
One of the highlights was a session with Carla Brooks, Business and Development Officer at the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
My team also worked directly with a personal mentor. Our mentor provided us with career insights, project support, and feedback for our business ideas. The meetings we had throughout the week with our mentor provided critical insights from the initial business ideation phase through our project presentation.
With support from Ms. Brooks and other global leaders, including Eric Rosenstein, we refined our ideas, strengthened our strategy, and developed a powerful and polished pitch deck to present at the end of the week. Their guidance helped us take our business proposal to the next level, creating a plan designed not only to launch a venture, but to transform our business partner’s future.