My guest for today is Rufus N. Yennah, a grdauate from KNUST, where he read Actuarial Science. He is currently an entrepreneur in agribusiness and fashion (smocks). Rufus is looking at tackling SDG 1,2,3, and 4 using innovative agribusiness within the Nadowli district of the Upper West Region. He was part of Yali Cohort 9,Entrepreneurship track.
Please tell us something about yourself?
Guest: I am Rufus Nantamba Yennah, a grdauate from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology – KNUST, where i read Actuarial Science. Am currently an entrepreneur-agribusiness and fashion (smocks). I am tackling SDG 1,2,3, and 4 using innovative agribusiness ideas within the Nadowli district of the Upper West Region. I was part of Yali Cohort 9,Entrepreneurship track.
How was your growing up?
Guest: I had a happy life until when I was 15yrs. I became so sick with my dad for a period of about three months. My dad passed away, and I continued to suffer from my sickness for almost three years. I havd had series of surgery on my left thigh and my right arm. There were times I wished death should come for me. But I came out of it and started schooling again after three years.
How did the idea for your business come about?
Guest: After my national service, I left Wa for Accra to join an Uncle in a family business. The salary was OK,but high cost of living took it all away. Whilst at the university, there was a friend who use to order smocks and sell to lecturers and interested parties. From this, I got my first start up cash from my sister-Ghc.500.00 ,which I used to get my first orders from Wa.
All this happened in September, 2015. Same month, I came down to Wa and started serious marketing through out Ghana. Profit started trickling in. With the profit, I ventured into piggery. My passion for agribusiness has been there growing up as a kid. But it’s capital intensive nature scared me away. Now, I have almost all kinds of domestic animals in my farm.
What was your key driving force to become an entrepreneur?
Guest: After my training at Yali, I realized I could make a big change in my community. I started looking at providing jobs for the youth. There are so many challenges my people face which can be traced to the high poverty levels. The pain I feel anytime I visit my people was unbearable. Hunger,good health, quality education all traced to poverty. Then I realized that,through innovative agribusiness, poverty can be kicked out and once it’s out,the other challenges would go away permanently. This is how entrepreneurs think. Identifying challenges and finding solutions to them.
How did you come up with the name for your company?
Guest: I watched a seasonal movie whilst at the university- “BUYMORE”. After few months of operations, I realized clients were satisfied with my services and always buy more(Buymore). So, here’s the thing- quality products – satisfied clients-more orders (Buymore). And clients have come to love the name.
How did you raise your capital to start your business?
Guest: I mentioned earlier that my sister helped with the initial capital-Ghc. 500.00. An uncle in the USA also helped with cash. In fact, this uncle has supported me a lot both in cash ,advice and encouragement. So,funding is basically from family.
How do you build a successful customer base?
Guest: It’s simple. Quality products and best customer service would keep your customers coming again and again. If one achieve these two elements, your customer base would triple with them and you won’t lose any customer. Again, occasionally recognizing loyal customers would make them aware of how much you appreciate them. Some awards would do in this regard.
How do you market your business, and which strategies have been most successful?
Guest: I market using social media-facebook,Instagram, Twitter and WhatsApp. So far,Facebook has been very effective to me. My loyal customers too have been so helpful in spreading my wonderful design to clients in and out of Ghana.
What is your greatest fear, and how do you manage fear?
Guest: My greatest fear has always been rushing in for a loan to scale up. Fear of not being able to pay back. But with my current cash flows, am confident I can pay off a loan if I opt to go in for it. It’s actually not so good a practice to rush in for a loan to start a business.
Do you believe there is some sort of pattern or formula to becoming a successful entrepreneur?
Guest: Yes I believe. The pattern is,” learn from the mistakes of existing entrepreneurs “. Most often, we focus on their success stories, not considering how many times they failed.
What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur?
Guest: Getting involved with my staff in the production process or hanging around my animals, especially my rabbits.
What has been your most satisfying moment in business?
Guest: Yet to experience such a moment. I feel I haven’t done anything yet to have a satisfying moment. Maybe if ever am interviewed again in the future, I will by then have many satisfying moments to share with you.
What is the part of your life experience you would alter if you had the chance to?
Guest: I don’t think there’s a part I would wish to alter. Everything that has happened in my life was preparing me for what I have become today and what I would become tomorrow. So,in all that has happened to me,I would say,to God be the Glory!!
If you were to write a book about yourself, how would you name it?
Guest: GREEN,RED,BROWN!!!
Any advise for upcoming entrepreneurs?
Guest: Don’t go in for a loan for a start up.
Build your business with a strong control and good quality product. With these,your business would survive over a 100 years.
Anything about your business you want to add?
Guest: Yeah, I have three main products for the fashion. Smocks for men,ladies and kids,fabrics for ladies and thread for sale to weavers as raw material for the fabric
With the agribusiness, we are looking at adding a sustained income source to especially the women. This we will do through livestock farming,starting with piggery. This we believe would reduce the high poverty levels and tackling SDG 1. SDG 1,if tackled would trickle downwards and tackle SDG 2,3 and 4.
How can we contact you?
Guest: Twitter- @nyrufus
Facebook is Buymore Co. Ltd
#buymorefashion and voila!!
Edited by Frederick
Noble 