Untaught

UNTAUGHT Selling, Presenting, Relating, and Stewarding: The Essentials You Were Never Taught Deeply Enough by Ify Oti Some things are called “common sense” only because you’ve already learned them, often the hard way. Many of us did everything we were told to do: go to school, get a qualification, secure the job, build the career. Yet somewhere along the line, we discovered a gap. Not a gap in intelligence, but a gap in life skills. We were trained to understand information but not always equipped to communicate value. We were encouraged to work hard, but not always taught how to present what we carry. We learned to coexist, but not always to relate with emotional maturity. And we earned money, but were rarely trained to steward it with wisdom, purpose, and peace. Untaught was born from that gap. This book is for the person who feels capable but unseen, gifted but unheard, hardworking but underpaid, faithful but frustrated. It’s for the leader who wants influence without compromise. It’s for the entrepreneur who wants confidence with integrity. It’s for the believer who wants alignment, so your faith is not something you practise on Sundays, but something that shapes how you speak, lead, build, and handle resources. The four essentials in this book are not “nice-to-haves.” They are the skills life keeps demanding: 1. Selling — communicating value clearly, confidently, and ethically 2. Presenting — showing up with presence, excellence, and purpose 3. Relating — building healthy connections through honour, boundaries, and emotional intelligence 4. Stewarding — managing and multiplying resources in alignment with God’s priorities When these four areas are weak, life feels unnecessarily hard. You can be brilliant and still miss opportunities. You can be anointed and still stay hidden. You can love people and still keep repeating painful patterns. You can earn well and still feel financial pressure. But when these four areas are strengthened, doors open, not because you chased them, but because you learned how to carry yourself with clarity. Now let’s step into Part One: Selling Skills - Communicating Value. CHAPTER 1 (Excerpt) Everyone Sells Something You’re always selling - whether you realise it or not. When you hear the word “sales,” you may picture pressure, persuasion, or manipulation. You may even say, “I’m not a salesperson.” But if you’ve ever tried to influence a decision, you’ve sold something. You may not have a product, but you sell every day: • In an interview, you sell your skills and character. • In a conversation, you sell a perspective. • In leadership, you sell buy-in and belief. • In family, you sell peace, patience, and partnership. • In faith, you sell hope and truth. The question is not whether you are selling. The question is whether you are doing it well and with integrity. Here is the problem: most of us were never taught how to sell. Traditional education gives theory, but it often leaves out persuasion. It teaches what you know, but not how to communicate what you bring to the table. So, people with real value stay quiet, undercharge, or wait for permission, while less capable people move forward simply because they know how to express value. This book will not turn you into a pushy salesperson. It will help you find your voice, own your story, and present your value with clarity so you can serve through selling. Mini-Exercise: Your Value in One Sentence Complete this sentence (out loud, not only in your head): “I help ___________ to ___________ so that they can ___________.” Examples: • “I help busy families organise their finances so they can live with peace and freedom.” • “I help teams improve access management so they can reduce risk and work securely.” • “I help purpose-led professionals build confidence so they can show up and lead well.” Now answer these three questions: 1. What problem do I solve? 2. What outcome do I create? 3. What proof do I have (results, experience, testimony, training)? You’re not boasting. You’re being clear. Clarity is not pride. Clarity is stewardship. A simple script to practise: “Here’s what I do. Here’s who it’s for. Here’s the result. If that’s something you want, I can walk you through the next step.” Journal Prompts • Where do I shrink when I should speak? • What am I afraid people will think if I put a price on my value? • What gift has God placed in me that I keep treating as “small”? • Where has my lack of clarity cost me time, money, or opportunity? A gentle but important reminder: selling is not the same as striving. You are not called to beg for doors. You are called to be prepared when they open. When you sell with clarity and purpose, you don’t chase opportunity; you attract it. What you’ll learn next in Part One In the next chapters, we’ll break down the building blocks of ethical influence: confidence, messaging, pricing, handling objections, and asking without fear. You’ll learn how to communicate without apology, how to follow up without feeling awkward, and how to offer what you carry as an act of service without compromising who you are. Continue reading to discover how to stop hiding, start communicating, and step into the opportunities that match your assignment.