MIND OF AN ENTREPRENEUR.

Having been in business for a little over a year, I have experienced

firsthand the challenges faced by young entrepreneurs and startups in
Ghana. In particular how tiring the business journey can be. Well it’s
been over a year and together with my 2 partners we are still going and
haven’t given up. I just want to share what drives us and in my
perspective what makes one a successful entrepreneur.
Becoming an entrepreneur is often perceived as a risk, particularly for
those who have gone from the security of a job to running their own
business. A year ago I left the security of a job as an assurance associate
with an audit and tax firm in Accra. You could imagine the shock most
friends and family expressed when I broke the news of starting a
business together with 2 other friends. But I accepted this risk, and once
you do it is important you accept the difference in responsibilities. I
sometimes find that most of us who have gone from employee to
entrepreneur find it difficult to accept the change in mindset that is
required.
To me the successful person would need to have the right mindset,
personality, passion and drive as well as ability and experience. Well I
certainly lacked experience when I started but the countless mistakes
overtime have taught me well and made me a better entrepreneur.
Capital and a good support network certainly help you succeed, but it is
an individual's characteristics which are of utmost importance.
When you start running your own business, you have to accept that you
are now also a leader. You are the one who sets the tone and ethos of a
company and you are the one who others look to. For example, what sort
of brand image do you want your company to give off – corporate or
quirky? This has to come from the very top – you must represent your
brand. This will then filter to your staff and then to your customers.
When it comes to business, I am always about solutions rather than
problems. I owe this mindset to my business partner and friend DK. It’s
very easy to complain or point fingers, but as the owner you have to take
charge. It is often said that the true test of a business and its leader is
how they deal with tricky situations. When you are working for
somebody else your role in these situations can be totally different– but
as an entrepreneur you have to become a problem solver of sorts.
You also need to make a decision in terms of the long term vision.
Where do you see the company in 5 or 10 years’ time? If you want it to
be something really scalable, set this out from day 1. Of course it won’t
happen overnight, but by having that goal in mind from the start, you
give yourself something to work towards. Ambition and commitment is
something entrepreneurs should always have.
Another necessity is knowing exactly the business type you want to
pursue and the having a deep understanding of the industry you plan to
be in. One should be equipped with as much information about the
industry as possible. You only acquire this knowledge by reading and
researching.
Going into the world of entrepreneurship is often a step outside of your
comfort zone and a huge risk and it can take a while for you to get used
to it. But I am a firm believer in making the most of our limited time on
this planet and that one has to pursue his/her dreams. Once you have
adopted the right mentality, the journey to success will feel a lot easier.

BY:
NANA BOAFO GYAMERAH-AKO.