Think Like the Market Woman: Kingsley Opoku Simpeh || Masterminds Podcast EP64

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Most graduates are waiting for a job that may never come. Kingsley Opoku Simpeh got rejected 15 times — and instead of going for the 16th application, he built his own path from zero capital into a thriving FMCG distribution business with 180 customers, a warehouse, and daily sales that outstrip the salary of most office workers in Ghana.

In this episode of the Masterminds Podcast, Richie Mensah sits down with Kingsley for one of the most grounded and eye-opening conversations the show has ever hosted. Kingsley breaks down exactly how the distribution industry works, why the colonial mindset around office jobs is keeping Ghanaian graduates poor, the three principles that govern money, and why the market women most of us look down on understand wealth better than anyone with a degree. If you are waiting for someone to give you a chance, this episode will change how you see the opportunity already in front of you.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why 15 rejections became the best thing that ever happened to Kingsley
• How to start an FMCG distribution business with zero capital
• How the entire distribution chain works — from manufacturer to consumer
• Why the colonial mindset around office jobs is keeping African graduates broke
• The three principles that govern money and how to build a covenant with it
• Why business money is never your money — and how to structure your accounts
• How to think like the market woman and why that mindset is worth millions
• Why the money is already in Ghana — and how to position yourself to get it

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Why will I be in the university and come to the market and sell? Yeah. That thing we should take it out from my mind. Which where I sit now working for someone is a little.

SPEAKER_01 0:09

Should everybody be the business owner?

SPEAKER_00 0:13

Your mind is being channeled to work for someone. Yeah. So from primary DHS, SHS University, that's how they've programmed us. But the height, they are too smart. Even though they brought this to us, that's not how their system works. Why will I take a pack of toilet shoes and be roaming in town to look for buyers? Yeah. Whilst I can get an office to relax. You see, fast-moving consumer rules, one rule is their brands stay in the warehouse for a maximum of 14 days.

SPEAKER_01 0:44

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 0:44

After 14 years, if you still have brands in your warehouse, which means you don't understand it. Have access to information. Poverty's best friend is information astimate. If you want to make money, you also need to think big. I would say there's the covenant that surrounds money. And you need three principles to build that property.

SPEAKER_01 1:03

What's that? Before we jump into the conversation, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for supporting and deciding to watch this episode. But now I have a favor subscribe to the channel. Subscribing to the channel helps me and the entire mastermind team to continue bringing you wonderful conversations and episodes that bring you closer to being the mastermind you deserve to be. So join the community. Welcome to the Masterminds Podcast, your ever-exciting journey to mastering your most powerful tool, your mind. I'm Richie, your tour guide as usual. Today we're going to discuss something interesting. You know, so many people are complaining about unemployment this, unemployment that. Thank you, sir. How are you doing? I'm fine and you I'm awesome like that. I like I like your story, you know. I'm I'm somebody who, whenever I see people online complaining, talking, and I always ask, why aren't you doing something about it? So I want to jump into it. I want to start from you know, you grew up in Koferidia. Yeah, Koferidia. Right. So, what was life like when you started growing up? What built you to have this resilience?

SPEAKER_00 2:56

Thank you for giving me this chance to be on your show.

SPEAKER_01 3:00

Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 3:01

Life in Kofaridia was school. I actually didn't stay with my dad. Okay. So it was my grandma, my mom, and my auntie. They took care of me from GHS to SHS to university. Okay. So life was school. I had some siblings who normally come from Accra to visit us, some from Nkoko, some from Kwubo to visit us during um the festive seasons, Easter and Christmas. Okay. So it was cool. It was actually a nice thing to be with your siblings. You normally meet them every four months, so yeah, when they do come, it's like this is the family vibe is there.

SPEAKER_01 3:43

Okay, so I I'm really fascinated by your story because I want to understand the mindset that prepared you for this. So many people, so many people, like I was saying in the beginning, are complaining about unemployment. I want to first understand what triggered you to say that after 15 rejections, right?

SPEAKER_00 4:03

Yes, 15 rejections.

SPEAKER_01 4:04

After 15 rejections, instead of going for the 16th one, you would create your own opportunity.

SPEAKER_00 4:11

I would say the first one was my family background. Okay. My my grandmom was someone who normally visits to go Nigeria Beni to bring stuff to Ghana to sell.

SPEAKER_01 4:21

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 4:22

Yes. And the other one was her sister. Her sister was a key distributor for one big beverage company in Ghana. Okay. Yes. And that also just came to my mother. Why don't I start something? Because looking to my background, my my grandmother was with this trading, buying and selling. My my grandmother's sister, Ababanada for me, so rest in peace. She also was a very big distributor with no academic background.

SPEAKER_01 4:50

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 4:52

She managed the distribution for 40 years. Wow. Yes. Impressive. For 40 good years. So I was just picturing that thing and also pictured my customers. Um, some people didn't uh to two or three people I normally vibe with, they have no academic background, nothing. But if you see the houses they've they they they've built, uh I I actually had to switch my my mind off just to start something from because looking at from the family side and the customer side, uh I actually thought, no, I need to start something because that's where the money is. Yeah, yes. And the the youth wouldn't like to do this kind of job because in quotes uh uh they they see it to be the colour type of work. Because they would they would just think, why will I be in the university and come to the market and sell? Yeah, I think that thing we should take it out from our mind. Because in Ghana, this kind of works will put you up, office work wouldn't pay more. Because working for someone um where where which where I sit now, working for someone is a no. You can imagine it's yes, it's actually a no because um if if you take the financial statement of every every company, yeah, you see revenue, you see cost of sales, expenses, you just look at the net profit they are making, yeah, and just compare to your salary. So even if if if you are paying if you are being paid 10,000 to 15,000, no, yeah, no, no, no, no. Me to me, you know, it doesn't make sense, it doesn't make sense, yes. To me, because there's nothing like good pay. True. If I should I should I should quantify this at that, there's nothing like good pay. So even if a company happens to pay you 500,000 CDs a month, it means they're making much of that profit to be able to pay you. So why don't you start something for yourself? And one thing I've realized with the youth is they they always starts to jubilate when they are being awarded, let's say, best customer, a best employee of the month. And I was chatting with another guy who also wanted to start something. He said, Do you know what that thing means? It means the company is using you to make profits for their shareholders. No one will reward someone he's in profiting from. Yeah, I just told him that. It means you are the highest profit earner for the company, so they have to recognize you, they just put your picture in um let's say a glass frame, yeah, and they paste it so that everybody said, But no, why don't you use that energy, that enthusiasm to create it for yourself? But let me just jump straight into this question.

SPEAKER_01 7:45

I was going to ask you this later, but let me jump into it. But should everybody be the business owner?

SPEAKER_00 7:51

Yes, me to me, you see, um, Ghana, our dependency rate is 80%, which means people can work on their own. Every day, people do talk, no, nobody can be um, let's say, business owner, but they also want to buy the idea that everyone has to work for someone.

SPEAKER_01 8:10

So if everybody is a business owner, then who works for the business owner?

SPEAKER_00 8:14

Oh, that woman is a whole question on its own. But I am talking from my experience. You see, I uh I always listen to people who do do talk like no, not everybody can be a business owner. Yeah, and also ask them the same question: Are you okay with all of us working for someone? So it should be a balance something. Me, the workers I have employed, I give them five years.

SPEAKER_01 8:40

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 8:40

That's five years. Five years, you should I'll just maybe I'll just see your capacity so it can build yours. But working for someone, even though it's it's it's sometimes good, but in the long run, you know, to also build build yours. That's why we have life.

SPEAKER_01 8:56

Do you think the problem could also be the type of jobs that people want to do? Because you see, when I look at your story and I look at where you chose to go, I like what you said in the beginning that a lot of people think, oh, these jobs there is it's a dirty job, but it's not serious. I can't go to university and and come and sell you know these kind of things. Do you think that mindset is what is forcing so many people to be chasing to go and sit in a room with a C West guy?

SPEAKER_00 9:24

I I will say and answer this question twofold. The first one is coming from colonization. The white man make us understand that office work is the way out. Yeah, so that's why we go to university. We we we even try to figure out some way just to give some people some money so they can post us to companies where they'll absorb us after our our service, yeah. And these kind of jobs which they don't pay. You see, um, let me take you back to 1745. It's a story, it's a codest story in a game I do play, Red Dead Redemption 2. Okay, yeah, yes, nice game. Yes, they had the Grace and the Breathweight Minor. Okay, let me focus on the Breathweight Man. The Breathweight Minor migrated from UK and came to US to start their plantation farm. At that time, they were taking our forefathers from Africa to work with them. Yeah, and this story, they the their main motive was to have cheap labor. So they do buy our forefathers from Africa and take them to their plantation farms to work for them for free. Yeah, so it's graduated from that time to this day. That's why you you see Ghana, some of the salaries they do give away.

SPEAKER_01 10:45

It's like you're a slave.

SPEAKER_00 10:46

Yeah, it's like you're a slave. That's that's what I want to say. Yeah, it's like you're slaves. And one funny thing they did was when the um um what they call it, the slave trade was abolished, they called them back and gave them a piece of land for them to work. And after they gave the piece of land, they intentionally um gave them a plantation store where they can buy the seeds from the plantation store and plant on the land with high interest. With high interest. I am taking this story to this time because a lot of people think you leaving Ghana, Ghana is tough, Ghana is a dirty country, Ghana is a village, and working in foreign lands means you are going to be rich. But here is the key: the the land they give to them is the citizenship and this and other stuff. And the plantation store, this story, this what I'm saying is actually it's aligns with the Rockefeller idea, okay, but it's coded in the game. So if you don't analyze it well, you won't know what was happening. Yeah, so the plantation store becomes the benefit they give to our people outside. Okay, the car loans, the mortgage. You see, every month you have to pay part of your mortgage. Yeah, so you are being forced to work more. That working they give to you was the land. So you have to work, and you you uh you you actually take the the seed from the plantation store, and after the harvest, um you you you still be owing them because of the high interest rate. Yeah, the same happens to what is happening in the west now. Yeah, it's the same thing, very true. Yes, so this whole idea of working for people way back 1745 is from this slave masters and this slave trade.

SPEAKER_01 12:27

You know, somebody was discussing this on the podcast, and he mentioned one thing that the only thing that changed after slave trade, once it was turned into employee systems, yes, is that now the the bad treatment stopped. Yes, but still aside the same thing. When you were a slave, you got accommodation, you got food. Do you get me? You got transportation because you are at the same place, and then they move to the employee system where your salary is just enough for your accommodation for your food.

SPEAKER_00 13:00

You know why they do pay them low? Because if they um you see, they they actually have the capacity to pay them good, but they won't. Because um, during that um 1745, they fear that if they allow their slaves to work on their land with with with with 100% ownership of the planting seeds, they'll fight them. Yeah, because they are stronger, they are stronger, they'll fight because now they have money and everything, so yeah, they can form a group and and and and and act on them, yeah. So that's why they pay them lower, and it's still happening because people boast, um, even though I I am not making abnormal profit, but what I'm making is good. People boast I'm being paid 15,000, I'm being paid 10,000. And I just said, just talk to your accountant, let him show you the annual report of the company. You know that that 10,000 is just 0.0005. It's not even up to 1% of the company's profits.

SPEAKER_01 14:02

Because if you are being paid well, it means the company is making much money. Yes, it does it. One of the most difficult things to do in financial planning is saving and investing towards a big goal. Now, let me tell you my secret that I used to overcome this challenge. I started to do small top-ups consistently on Achieve by Petra to save and invest towards my bigger financial goal. For instance, when I decided to come and shoot masterminds in South Africa, I decided to top up daily, weekly, anything that I could until I raised enough to afford my tickets, my hotel, everything to bring this podcast to you from South Africa. So if you're like me and you want to overcome this challenge of saving and investing towards a big goal, use Achieve by Petra. The link is in the description. So, but like Obindako said this thing, and I found it so profound, and you hit on it when you started. I like the fact that you mentioned what made you get into the FMCG business. Is that's what your your auntie was doing, like your family was doing it. It was actually a family business. Exactly. Obindako mentioned this when I interviewed him, where he said, so many of us, you know, maybe your mother was selling tomatoes, and she used that tomato money to take you through to school, take you, you go and finish university. Then when you come back, you want to go and sit in a bank where students.

SPEAKER_00 15:29

They've programmed Africa to think like the West. Yeah. Let me let me let me just sit on this well. That same business that was paying for your fees. Thank you. After university, you think that business is colour. Yes, same as the one who was paying the fees. Oh, and you need to do an office job. You I need to get some hundred thousand, so I give you some connection, and so you take you abroad. Yeah, but this same business was paying your fees. Yeah, so just sit down and analyze this whole you see, during um my university time, I realized something from level 100 to level 400. The questions we do answer during examinations is actually a frame. They they they've they framed it that you are working for a company to answer these questions, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:17

So that when you are living, your mind is to go.

SPEAKER_00 16:20

So they would just come so so and so company has a marginal propensity of five kilos. A how will you change this to this? How because your mind is being channeled to work for someone, yeah. So from primary, JHS, SHS, university, that's how they've programmed us. But the whites, they are too smart, even though they brought this to us, that's not how their system works. Yeah, um, I do watch this program, Shack Tank. You see, they have these billionaires, they line up, yeah, young, young entrepreneur, 24, 25, they come, they show them their sales, their profits, then they will invest.

SPEAKER_01 16:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 17:00

And the company will just open and they will employ our mothers and fathers in the state.

SPEAKER_01 17:06

Yeah, they encourage themselves to open businesses, to be entrepreneurs, to do more.

SPEAKER_00 17:11

But our country, we see this kind of business to be um attacked to people who didn't go to school. Because uh, when when I started this business, I guess you a graduate like you selling soups. I said, What's wrong with that? What's wrong with that? Yeah, a graduate like you selling toilet shows, I said no. And one funny thing is this job, they um they they they just frame it as being a colo job, but each morning you wake up, you bath, yeah, you need bathing soap, you you will need toilet show, you will need washing powder to wash your clothes. And these goods are being sold to you from someone who you claim is an illiterate.

SPEAKER_01 17:58

Yeah, you just analyze this. The way we think about these things just show we don't understand. We don't understand, which is not understanding business, but we don't understand how the global system works. Yes, you know, because a business is supposed to solve a problem. Yes. I don't know what makes you think that the soap you use every day, the food that you are eating, the things that you are consuming on the daily, I don't know what makes someone think that is not as important as the service that is coming from an office. Do you get me? Yes, I and it's like you're saying it's the indoctrination. Yes, it's the way our minds have been positioned, right? From primary, the kind of pictures that you see in the book, the the the vision that they give you for your life makes you feel, you know, going to sit in a stock exchange room and then you're punching numbers means you've succeeded.

SPEAKER_00 18:50

But you know, I always you see um the Chinese, the Lebanese, yeah, uh just where my warehouse is, they are these guys, they are Lebanese guys, they're the Kawaja brothers. Okay, they do move trailers of rice five trailers every week, five trailers every week, and they've uh they have outlets in Koferidia, outlets in Koko, outlets in Suhum, and every day they are working, every day. But if you just tell a Ghanaian to venture and do this kind of business, yeah, no, yes, rised, yeah, yeah, it goes to me, but yeah, it doesn't make sense.

SPEAKER_01 19:27

Then let me ask you this question: do you think tertiary education is important?

SPEAKER_00 19:32

From where I sit, um it is important to jobs that have to do with humanity, like uh be a doctor, be a nurse, be a teacher, okay, and maybe be an engineer. But I think um apart from these courses, SHS should be okay.

SPEAKER_01 19:53

Just to understand the basics of the way the world is.

SPEAKER_00 19:56

Because the reason I'm I'm saying for help, as for health, you need to learn more to understand as uh health, um, engineering and the professional. Yep, yep, yep, yes, the professional ones, but if it's not a professional cause, I think from Genesis to ST should be cool because the reason why I'm seeing my grandmother, who was not educated, managed a distribution outlet for 40 for 40 years.

SPEAKER_01 20:22

That's amazing. For 40 good years, she should be teaching in the university. Yes, for 40 good years, these are the kind of things we should study. We should be asking how do we all become like her for 40 good years.

SPEAKER_00 20:35

So, this thing about go to school and come and get a better job. I don't think we are we are being told the truth.

SPEAKER_01 20:44

So let me ask you this question: the the minister who mentioned the fact that if you are not getting a job, open plenty in dome places. Do you agree with him?

SPEAKER_00 20:53

Um, I will agree with him on it, because that's not what you said when you were campaigning. Yes. Yes, that's not what he said when you're campaigning. Now that you are there, but but on the good side, it's good because one funny thing about this business, this fast-moving consumer goods, and this service-oriented business, you actually don't need enough capital to start.

SPEAKER_01 21:15

You can start small and growing.

SPEAKER_00 21:17

If in starting small, you still need cash, but you can start like how I started. I started with zero capital.

SPEAKER_01 21:24

Okay. Please walk me through it. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 21:27

So this what I did after my rejection. Um I had a chance to work with a family friend. Okay. Yes, and I was introduced to a brand that was new in the radio. So I went from Match 2 to Match 2. So that's how this whole thing started. So I'll I'll just come to you and tell you look, I have this. Um it's very good. Oh, and and mostly because oh. We know this product, but I can get it for you. So um, let's say if the car will come on Tuesday, I will take the orders on Monday. Okay. Then orders, and I take it to them that this is what I have. So I was actually making small, small money, small, small money, small, small money. And to a time I hired a customer, Margaret Vance, who was the absolute one for me. He told me to get him uh bulk, bulk volumes. Okay, he bought it and he she paid. Okay, yes. So that was how I started. So up to now, I still do the same thing with the company. Okay. And I don't pay before I get the goods. So that ideology that you need capital to start business, no. Yeah, you just need the idea. You just need no, not not actually the idea, but you need to build the foundation of the business. Okay, you see, first moving consumer goes, one rule is the the brand stay in the warehouse for a maximum of 14 days.

SPEAKER_01 23:09

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 23:09

After 14 years, if you still have brands in your in your in your warehouse, which means you are not at you don't understand the business. So this what I do tell people. Let's say this this toilet show business. I'm into it. I'll tell you to lower your standard, go to the market with me, think like them. Make them your friends, and tell them you can supply this to them at this price. And you come to me, I'll just give you the goose, and you you take it the same way I was taking from the company. You can also start that way, yeah. But you see, the these kind of things they won't do it. Me to me, that's how I feel. They won't do it because they feel these kind of jobs are for the illiterate. They feel too big, but they feel too big. Why would I take um a pack of toiletry and be roaming in town to look for buyers? Yeah, whilst I can get an office to relax and uh yeah, you see the ideology, yes. So that's how I I started, and now I move volumes now.

SPEAKER_01 24:20

So walk me through it. So you started first of all by finding products, finding the buyers, and connecting them. Then now, after you were able to get enough profit, because that means you're getting commissions on each one.

SPEAKER_00 24:34

So, what was the next step? Uh the next step, um I uh I decided to enter into another form of I I actually got new brands. So I I met my godfather, Mr. Patrick French. Okay, and I told Mr. Patrick, I want to sell some of these goods, but you know, um I don't have money to pay those goods, and companies, um distribution companies, they do move with MOKs, minimum order quantity. So if you don't meet the minimum order quantity, they won't make it. But to my surprise, this man was a distributor for that company years back. So contacting them was easy, yes, and that brand. I I actually don't want to do free free advertis advertisement for everybody. I would not mention that that brand is being sold. I I do sell hundred of that brands a day. Interesting, hundred of that brands a day. So they they brought the goods because they knew that that my godfather brought the goods for me to sell. So I I quickly brought in two people, Sari, who is my sales girl, and Kahiru Mohammed. One funny thing about these guys, he was also he he he he he also worked with a woman that was supplying washing powder, so he knew customers in Navatia, in Kede, in Soumenia, in Poco, so you see, he he knew customers, so moving the brands to them became easy. Okay, so nice.

SPEAKER_01 26:17

So then now you they also brought in other people, other buyers.

SPEAKER_00 26:22

Yes, they brought in buying. So I said now we had we have 180 customers. Nice the whole fixture. And Richie, let me walk walk you through how this distribution thing is done. You see, there are manufacturing companies in Ghana or this in US. I I can mention a few. I can mention Pro Proclus Ghana, they do manufacture cable. I can mention AB or Carbro Limited, which is being owned by Nanisha Bridge in Bev, A B in Bef. And we have DiAgio.

SPEAKER_01 26:52

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 26:53

Diagio is being owned by Guinness Ghana. They bring these products or manufacture this product in Ghana and they look for people to push the brands for them.

SPEAKER_01 27:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:04

So they normally put it out. Maybe this is our MOQ. If if you can meet the requirements, they give it to you. I I can give you the story of Guinness Ghana. Guinness Ghana, they have only one distributor, as I know, double synchrofrida. He she handles the distribution in Eastern Region. Okay, so the these companies look for people who can help move their brands.

SPEAKER_01 27:31

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 27:31

So let's say I am the key distributor of so and so company, and I do buy in volumes. And I do buy in volumes, and I also have a margin of let's say 10 CDs to 60 CDs. Now that's what happens in Ghana. Every key distributor you know earns from 10 CDs to 60 CDs profit per case. Per case, okay. It's actually a margin. So if you're able to sell more, you get more. So if they give their key distributorship to you, you also have to look for wholesalers. Okay, wholesalers who can buy, let's say, 100, 200 of them, and the wholesalers also look for retailers. Okay, so if you can't just it becomes a change, it becomes a producer first, yes, to the key distributor. Yes, so key distributor to wholesaler. That's why you can't just wake up and go to a crowd brew that you want to one bottle of, yeah, yes, of club. They they they don't try it tomorrow and see. No, they'll quickly give you their distributors number, and the distributors will give you the wholesale number. Yeah, in fact, they will tell you to go to the pub, that's where you get one bottle. So it's a chain. So that doesn't break the chain. Yes, it's a chain. So that's how this whole distribution changes.

SPEAKER_01 28:48

So do you also import or you only do goods that are produced in Ghana?

SPEAKER_00 28:51

Goods that are produced in, but um, I I have one company they import from Indonesia, okay. Yes, they import liquid detergents, fabric softeners, floor cleaners, okay. Uh cake soups from Indonesia, and we take it here, we support it.

SPEAKER_01 29:08

You know, I hope you watching this, you are really paying attention because it's very funny that we are using all these things on the daily. Yes, but a lot of people are not thinking about the process. You know, it's like everybody is drinking their beer or their Guinness on the daily, and they are not thinking about the process from how it left the producer to the final consumer. Exactly. There are so many different ways for people to slot into this industry. If, of course, maybe you don't have the money as you are starting to become a producer, but there are distributors, then wholesalers, then retailers, then you do get me. You can even move up the ranks. You can start just as a retailer, then enhance to a wholesaler and everything. What do you think somebody who's watching this, what do you think they need to understand about the FMCG business to know that it is something viable that they can all enter?

SPEAKER_00 30:04

Okay, they need to understand how it works. So, in case you you you you visit a provision store to buy a buffer, buff and soap, if you click your mind that it's someone's business, yeah. That's how you got it. And the person that bought it for you to get it is someone else's business. Yeah, you get what I'm saying? So they need to understand how me and I normally tell people you need to understand how this world works. See, getting things to buy is what moves the world. Yeah, everything you see around you has been sold to someone to sell it to you.

SPEAKER_01 30:41

Yes, everything. This table, yes, you know, somebody cut down the woods, yes, and the person turned it into plywood, and somebody put the, you know, made it look nice and then gave it to the carpenter who made it.

SPEAKER_00 30:52

Richie, that's where the money is, but colonization has blocked us, yeah. You see, we we have companies, um, let's say I can mention of Black Rock, I can mention of Vanguard, I can mention of Fidelity Investment, these three companies and they own assets, yes, yeah, they own assets in big companies in this world. Yeah, you know what they are finding is this same selling and buying, yeah. They don't invest. You see, business is everything. The last time I was explaining something to a guy, I said, to me, the biggest calm in this world is the pharmaceutical industry. Me, to me, that's how I see things. As I sit here now, I know there's a drug they can give to an HIV patient and it will be cured. 100%. A drug they'll give it to a diabetic patient, a drug they'll give it to um a um a high blood, yeah. Yeah, but do you know why they won't bring it out?

SPEAKER_01 31:49

Because when you stop being a collapse, why will I suck my cabinet to collapse if they are to bring a cure? Yeah, but let me ask you you that you are selling these goods, if you could sell one soup that will never get finished, will you sell it?

SPEAKER_00 32:03

No, you see, first it should get big, it never used to be.

SPEAKER_01 32:15

I've realized that a lot of companies, instead of increasing prices, they just reduce quantities, so they have to keep coming back, you buy it on a daily basis.

SPEAKER_00 32:25

I have this fabric option I saw anytime you open it, it's half full. It's half full.

SPEAKER_01 32:33

These people, yeah, and I said, Okay. Sometimes if they when they are finishing it, they squeeze the bottle so that it looks like it's full.

SPEAKER_00 32:42

So this fast moving consumer goods industry is what is moving this world now. Yeah, you eat, you drink, you use is it anything that's easy to get? Toilet shows, razor, sticks, everything. You see how what why these Lebanese guys are pumping money into the industry? Because they understand it.

SPEAKER_01 33:06

It's it's actually quite sad. You know, like um Bob and I were talking about this thing. When when you go into the industries, you realize that most of the key things in our industries, which tend to be the dirty jobs, aren't done by Ghanaians. Yeah, like let's say if you go into construction, you see that the construction material in Ghana are being produced by foreigners. Like every industry, when you go there, you see foreigners have come here and have said, we will do the dirty jobs that you guys don't want to do, and they are big, they are building wealth from it.

SPEAKER_00 33:40

Yeah, yeah. The biggest rubber manufacturing company in Ghana is being owed by China. Bell Park. Yeah, okay, is being owed by a Chinese. Yeah. So listen, there are things in Ghana that will make you succeed. But as I said, it's from how we were we were lectured. Office job is the key, office job is the key, office job is the key, but it's not.

SPEAKER_01 34:07

We're groomed for it.

SPEAKER_00 34:08

Yes, it's not because a guy called me last week. We we we brought in a new tier, me and my godfather, new the and we normally sell in Koferudian and Koko. A full truck comes, and the following day it's finished. So I told him come and let us help you visit a subi um siakwa, these six places, and tell them you have a new TO for them. Bring the order, and you get five CDs per bundle. And up to now, he's not in. He feels too big to do it because our track loads 450 bundles. So if you can get order of and and talk talk, toilet one thing about toiletry is you can get a customer who can pick 100 bundles for you, okay. 200 bundles for you because it's being used on the daily basis, yeah. And if your track loads 450 bundles, five times 450. Yeah, that's like 2500. 2250. Yeah, it's your money, yeah. But he won't do it because he feels shy.

SPEAKER_01 35:23

It's a problem, okay.

SPEAKER_00 35:24

It's a it's a very big problem.

SPEAKER_01 35:26

So then why are we complaining about unemployment?

SPEAKER_00 35:29

Uh, because you see, what we will be programmed for, there are not enough jobs for those staffs. There are not enough jobs for those staffs, and uh it's it's uh I think it's a problem because some of the courses we do do university, there are no jobs for it in Ghana here. Yeah, yeah, I think um the IT course, the science course, and the business course should be enough for every university. Okay, and and and health, and health courses.

SPEAKER_01 35:58

Oh, you don't like the uh politics and social, what did they call it? Those courses are when people finish and they don't know what to do with themselves.

SPEAKER_00 36:08

Yeah, that thing in in no, no, no, no, no. You see, the world is changing now, and AI will take a lot of jobs out in the next five to fifteen years. Yeah, so you should position yourself well. Me, um they've nicknamed me Roman Ambassador in Koferia. I walk to every market woman to take my money. I bring them goods, I take my money, I bring it, I take my money. Yeah, and that's what the money is. You know, you need to think like the markets women, you need to think like the market women.

SPEAKER_01 36:43

And I think people forget that you if you want to earn wealth, you need to serve the masses, you need to serve more people.

SPEAKER_00 36:51

You see, Richie, solving a problem will make you rich. Solving a problem will make you rich. Let's say you are in a vicinity and a major problem is refuse. They don't have places to dump their refuses. Quickly, something comes in your mind. You get this Abu Buya, you take them five C's every day. Imagine you visit 100 people, you see the money you are making. Yeah, so identification of a problem. You see, uh the last month I I someone came to my warehouse and I told him something. The difference between me and despite is despite is someone who thinks very big. He's solving problems for a lot of people. The difference between me and him, yeah, that's why he has money. Yeah, so if you want to make money, you also need to think big, dream big. See, dream big and also have access to information. The last time when I went to Derek's podcast, I made of example, and I'll do it here too, too. Poverty's best friend is information asymmetry. True. Imagine two people going for a race. One coach who trained the athlete has an idea that if I give um my athlete steroids or glucose, he will run faster. Yeah, the other coach is using his manpower. So after the race, you see that um the one who has the information is ahead. Is ahead. Yeah, so you need to have access to good information, yeah. And I I always thank my godfather, Mr. Patrick, because I was important. He led me to supply um this softness and this washing powders because he had worked with the company, so let's see me in of school, but it's unfortunate the youth today does not want to pay for good information.

SPEAKER_01 38:56

Yeah, they don't like even when AI has come and you can get so much information.

SPEAKER_00 39:01

You can just Google how do they do this. Yes, they wouldn't do it.

SPEAKER_01 39:05

No, AI is bad. AI is not bad.

SPEAKER_00 39:07

Yeah, AI is not bad, it will be bad for those who don't want to think.

SPEAKER_01 39:11

Yeah, it's like you mentioned the one who takes glucose for the race, yes, versus the one who doesn't know what glucose can do, so they are running at their best strength.

SPEAKER_00 39:20

So, me to me, I think this life is not fair because people who don't even have who doesn't even need information have access to that information, yeah. Very true. Yes, then you who needs them because you don't want to pay, you don't want to research, yeah, you want things for free. But me to me, that there's nothing like freelance. You need to pay to get access to something, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 39:46

And sometimes you're paying money, sometimes you're paying with your time, sometimes you're paying with energy.

SPEAKER_00 39:51

First, first first, I'll um uh I was just giving free business advice, free business finders. So I had this this distribution hub. People pay to listen to business advice, people pay to a leading, and I think it's is it's it's changing the people's is that distribution hub? Yeah, distribution hub.

SPEAKER_01 40:12

Tell me about it. What is distribution hub?

SPEAKER_00 40:13

A distribution hub is um is actually a community where we do teach people how to enter into this fast-moving consumer goods industry. So we will teach you how to get the things, how to supply, at which price, which product moves, how to store them, how to price them, how to promote the brand. That's what we do. Okay, yes, that's what we do. And I think two people, so far, two people have already started. There's a guy named uh Gilbert. Okay, he's actually an administrator in Agobo. He came to my warehouse and I said, Look, I'll I'll I'll give you this brand, go and try. But take that dullness, that pride thing away, put it somewhere. Think like the market woman, yeah. Take it to them. So, first I gave him 20 packs and he paid. One week time he came that it's finished. So he needed 50, but he paid out. So, no problem. Since you pay, I'll give it to you. And the following week he paid. So when he came the third time, I told him I'll give him 100 packs, I'll give him two weeks for him to pay. And now I'm still doing that business with him. Yeah, so he he is earning 20 CDs per pack and also doing a government work. That's beautiful. So, Richie, success before you become successful, it's not easy. Yeah, your brain needs to work. You need to be thinking, you need to be asking yourself, how do I move different? Your brain needs to work. And the last time I was also telling someone about money, yeah. There's a covenant to me, yes, to me, I will say there's a covenant that surrounds money, and you need three principles to break that covenant. What's that? Let's say, let me give an example. You you want to see our president John Mahama. Let's say Mahama stands for the money, but you need to pass through protocol to get to money, and that's the principle. The first principle is money does not respond to prayer, which is true, very true. Money does not respond to prayer, money responds to contracts, whether being the spiritual side, contract, like you going to contract with let's say your God that if you do this, I also do it for you. With the someone's belief, I don't want to debunk it, and what you have to offer to get money. People have money, but they won't give it to you until you're able to solve their problem for them. Yeah, you see, so money does not respond to prayer. Prepare as I was saying that one. The only time God will hear your prayer about money is when you are being benevolent, and that is still a contract because you've given something that's it. That's why you see rich people, even though they don't believe in God. Some do there, some are atheists, some are some believe in the vibration is energies of this earth. You have foundations, yeah, where they help people, so they they know that thing. That's the first principle. The second principle is you raise your value, and man will follow you. You see, raising up your value, man will follow you. Let's let's see how I started. I started with no warehouse, I started with something nothing. Now I have a warehouse, I have a mini truck that goes for social. So I've raising my value. People can see that this is the kind of business I'm doing. Yeah, you see, and the third one is how you think. Is how you're going to get money. So if you are thinking like an employee, you make money like an employee. Yes. See, think like someone who has identified a problem and want to solve Max Zuckerberg and Elon Musk, they are human beings like us. Yeah, trust me, but their brains are working. They don't sleep, they don't go to club and just break some bottles, get some girls. No. Yeah. Even though some people do that, but you need to solve a problem.

SPEAKER_01 44:32

Like I know a lot of people who are earning a salary and they have plans of starting their own business. But as soon as their salary comes in, whatever is left on top, they go and blow it, you know, popping bottles.

SPEAKER_00 44:45

So that's how this whole thing works. And at times those interrates, two, three years, they fall off because they are not able to manage the finances well.

SPEAKER_01 44:58

I wanted to ask you about that because I mean you spoke about the fact that um it's not necessary to have tertiary education to do this kind of business, but you still have a lot of things, like from the metrics to the ROIs. Yes, yes, yes. How can someone manage that part of the business?

SPEAKER_00 45:15

Okay, you see, this fast-moving consumer goods business is needs to be tracked. You need to have a data for your sales, a data for your purchase, a data for your payments received, receivables from customers, that was the debtors. Yeah, you need to have um a system to track your gross profits, your expenses, everything. So tracking it to make you know you're on the right path.

SPEAKER_01 45:46

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 45:47

So first, if you want to enter easy business, then you want to do it in a professional course. You being this business, it will get to a time you need the help of your bank. If you want to expand, yeah, you need the help of your bank. So first you you need to register your business. So so and so company limited. You need to register that business. And if you register that business, you look for a favorite bank of yours. Let's say commercial bank. Me, I do say the cow bank. Okay, yes, that's my bank. You you you you you have them and register your business and have a business account. Here lies something important. I want everyone to know. Everyone to know the business money is not your money. Richie, business money is not your money at all. So you should have an account where sales comes in as your normal business account or a current account. The second account should be a personal account, a same savings account, but I mean it's the buffer account, okay, or emergency accounts, and that money that goes in that account is not for you, it's for the business. Let me feel safe for the yes. Let me just you see how boxes they do stand. Yeah, one leg is at the front, and another your front leg is the capital and the back is the buffer. Okay, so in case let's say you have a track that goes to sales for you and it breaks down, you don't dip your hand in the capital, but the buffer will support you. Okay, so if you're a fresh business, 80% of your net profit should go to the buffer, okay, and 10% for reinvestment, and and and the reinvestment usually you should also have an account. You should also have an account for because you you will need that money to open the business, yeah. When it's time to go to the next level, yes, and also you should have a personal account. That personal account is for your you if you want to give someone 50 cds or handles you, but these two these three accounts don't touch money, don't touch that money in those accounts.

SPEAKER_01 48:07

So let's go through that again.

SPEAKER_00 48:09

So you need to have the company's funding as an account that's mainly for sales, yes. And the second is the buffer or investment account that keeps that that that will keep your business running if there's an emergency, yeah. And the third one is the reinvestment accounts, okay. Yes, reinvestment accounts in the way maybe you are working and there's a new brand, a new company in town, and you want to take that it's leadership, you take that money, yes. So that's how this whole thing works out. And we don't use business money to pay fees, we don't use it to finance car.

SPEAKER_01 48:45

That's a problem and that's a mistake I made.

SPEAKER_00 48:47

If you do that, you break the business. And one funny thing is you wouldn't see because you take thousand, you take two thousand, you take five thousand. Oh, yeah, then the next week they'll go to sale, they'll get a profit and put it in, but it's when next week you put it in, something else is coming, then you say, Oh, next two weeks the money is coming.

SPEAKER_01 49:06

Yeah, so that's how it's supposed to be, and I think that's also a lot of people's problem when it comes to doing their own business, because they have, like you mentioned, they start businesses with employee mindsets. You see, when you are an employee, all the money that is coming is your personal money, yeah. So when they are running a business, they assume all the profit that is coming is their personal money, and they just spend it, and then years later, they're asking why they've not been able to grow the business.

SPEAKER_00 49:39

Me, the last time I went to Derek's um podcast, I said I pay myself$1,500. And people were, you are lying. You are lying, it's not true. As I'm working now, I can rent my own house, but I'm living in a family house. Okay, it's a two-bedroom which was built by my auntie, but no one is in, so I'm living. I spent six CDs on transportation. You wouldn't believe. Interesting. Yes, six CDs. Okay, that's because you said you work a lot. Not working a lot, but you I have the we have this pragia per head is three cities. Okay, just hop in you pay three CDs. So three CDs in, yes, three CDs out. So I am managing my finances because I want to take this business to the next level.

SPEAKER_01 50:23

That means you are doing much better than most people who would be working for somebody else.

SPEAKER_00 50:28

That's why I said my money is in Ghana, but it's in debt, and yeah, they don't want to take their mind to that side because a customer like my customer like Kabawa with no background in education, has built four-bedroom house. And last week she took me there to see a house.

SPEAKER_01 50:51

I was I was watching this woman on TikTok who mentioned the fact that she sold pie and she's bought her jiwa gone.

SPEAKER_00 50:58

Yes, and you see, they will say she's lying, yeah. Because they're thinking, ah, pie.

SPEAKER_01 51:04

But yes, pie.

SPEAKER_00 51:05

How many people are buying pie a day? You see, uh where cubana chief priest had uh a TikTok with Pela, and and Pela said he heard Kubana does juju money, yeah. Charlie, and he said, No, there's nothing like juju money. This juju money is trade. That's what he told Pela. Yeah, juju money is trade, and he gave him an example. In case, let's say I have an outlet in all the 60 regions of Ghana, and let's say I get a net profit of 10,000 a month, you see the kind of profit I yeah, that's the same example he gave to Pela.

SPEAKER_01 51:49

I think what is happening with most people is that they don't want to do the jobs that they call colo, but they don't realize that the colo jobs are where the money is. So when they hear somebody is doing the colo jobs and is making a lot of money, then they don't want to believe it's possible. And also they don't understand economies of scale because they are thinking you are selling something that is two CDs, three CDs. How are you making one million? But they are forgetting they are selling millions of that thing which you see.

SPEAKER_00 52:22

We have people who move volumes, so yeah, who move volumes, and it's also a matter of time.

SPEAKER_01 52:27

Yeah, yes.

SPEAKER_00 52:28

A lot of people aren't you see, you you can't start this business and blow within a year, yeah. Uh, it took me one and a half years to build this whole customer base, one and a half years, yeah. That's good, and now Sunday they'll call you. Monday, we need this, we need that, bring this to me, bring that to me. So a day we can make a sale of let's say 50,000 a day.

SPEAKER_01 52:51

But that still shows that it's a great business because the standard of business says that most successful businesses start making profits between five to six years. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 53:02

So if you're able to do your business in one and a half, yes, these kind of businesses they are being done by people they call the colour people. Yeah, because I I have a customer in cocoa, you can just buy goods worth of sixty thousand and pay the same day. I have a woman in Koferidia, he can buy thousand bundles of toiletro and pay the same day. Nice, and that the day she paid me that money.$120,000 for just bringing you stuff, and it's like it's it's normal to her because they are making the money, yes, they're making money, and her shop from six to six, people just move in and out, moving and out. You do you know what she sells? What does she sell? She sells this um kid stuff, okay, yes, maybe diapers, watching that.

SPEAKER_01 54:04

Hey, that one dear head. There's money there. Oh, there's a lot of money there because parents will do anything for their kids.

SPEAKER_00 54:11

Yes, washing powder. Just call me. Where are you? Come. I need 500 of your toilet tomorrow. Will I give you say yes? We deliver it that same day. Not we be writing a check to you. That's same day. This is cash. Uh-huh. Fresh, fresh notes. Nice one there. Fresh notes. So then we are yes saying there's no money in the system. There's there's money in the system, but how they've programmed their mind, and we think success itself is in another country.

SPEAKER_01 54:47

Yes, you see, you see this whole um juju or blood money thing, right? There's nobody who will see Elon Musk who has about 800 billion dollars, or Jeff Bezos with 200 billion dollars, and say it's juju money or it's blood money. But as soon as they see a black man with that man with that money, we don't know how you got it. Why don't we think that for the foreigner?

SPEAKER_00 55:14

You see, we we we don't think it's possible. Yeah, me, that's how I feel because um the person making that statement, his monthly salary is around 30 to 2000. So yeah, he thinks it's not possible for someone to make let's say 200,000 profit a month. We have young people who are working that are making that huge sums of money.

SPEAKER_01 55:36

Yeah, his mind cannot expand to the money.

SPEAKER_00 55:39

And and and we also think before we will succeed, we need to travel outside. Yes, yes, we need to travel. But where where I sit now, Richie, I don't think before you get money, you need to travel outside.

SPEAKER_01 55:54

The money is right here, it's just not where people are looking. Yes, it's right here. Do something for me. I want you to look in that camera, that's your camera there. And imagine that young person who needs a mindset shift to understand that on the right journey they can make the right kind of money in Ghana here and become the mastermind. Tell them something for you.

SPEAKER_00 56:17

Okay, if you're a recent graduate, you need to understand this working for your own money is better than someone paying you. So put down your pride, put down everything, think like the market women. That's where the money is. Because our family members in the states are doing mini jobs in the states, and we they we and anytime they come to Ghana, we call them boggers. So we can also do that same linear job here and make that money. Get the capacity, get your mind of being an employee and employ yourself, build a system. You see, it is better to build a system than you might you being assigned to handle a system. It's better to bake your own bread and sell to someone than to move to a shop and buy that bread. So, double up, don't give up. It is possible. I just want to tell you, think like the bank. Do you know how the bank thinks? They think by owning things, even though it's not this, they own things and never give up. And picture your mind as being truthful because a good character and your good personality will make you take things for free without pain. As I'm sitting here, this um the this company I'm working with, they supply me things worth of thousands of CDs, and they do take the money after I do so. So that's why I can say never give up. Office job is is it's not the key. You need to build something for yourself.

SPEAKER_01 58:00

Finley, thank you, thank you so much. And I must say, for a young man, you're very, very insightful. And I think if we could get a lot of the youth to start seeing things the way you do, we'll start seeing a change in the entire country. So I want to congratulate you and tell you, keep up the good work. And I'll come for training, okay, so that me too, I'll enter the business sum and I'll be making plenty of money. Okay, sure. I hope you guys paid attention. Listen to what he said, listen to the numbers, and try and see. If it's not the FMCG business, try and see what you can build for yourself to be able to find your own path. You don't always need to follow the path that exists, build your own path. I hope this conversation has brought you one step closer to being the mastermind you are always meant to be. Thank you for watching this episode. Now, the mastermind's dream is about building a community of people who have the right mindset and are ready to take their success into their own hands. So do me this wonderful favor, subscribe and share with anybody out there who you believe you want to see have the right mindset to succeed so that together we can all become the masterminds we deserve to be.