There’re many people who are broke, poor and frustrate in life, but very few of them are able to move from their predicament to the other side of life. Unfortunately, some people wallow in poverty and lack till they die.
But it needs not to be that way!

It’s not enough to struggle and suffer for a while, but not for ever. Actually, I believe that there is only one difference between broke and poor. Poor is eternal—for once life. But, broke is economic—just for a moment!

And that’s the reason I said, “How I Moved From Broke to GHS 10,000 As a Digital Marketer.” Actually, I was broke, but I never see myself poor…I always see myself as a wealthy, rich man. So even in those days when I was broke, my friends called me, “Rich Man!” “Billionaire” The Mogul” etc.

It all started from who I saw myself—I see myself as a rich and successful person, continuously making consistent progress towards my dreams and potentials. And that is exactly what happens in my life, and hence my catch phrase, “Keep moving forward!”

I’ve been in Business for past 10 years, since 2007. It all started when my mum asked me to run her shop after I completed my Junior High School.

My said to me, “Son, I don’ have any money anywhere to pay your senior high school fees. You’ve got to run the shop…and then we’ll do savings and then from the savings, I can raise money to pay off your school fees.”

I was the last born of my mum, we were 5. Even through 4 of them had completed Junior High School, none of them went on to the senior high school? Someway, somehow, I had the best grade among my brethren…that was Grade 14. The best in my school…Kpong Methodist Junior High School.

My mum said, “Even though all my children had not gone to the senior high school, as for you must go. But you have to run my shop and then we use proceeds from the shop to take care of your school fees.” My mum was a baker. But she also had a small provision shop located on the road side.

WORKING WITH MY MUM—BUSINESS PARTNER

So when my mum said that, my business school had started. After completing school, I stayed at home and run the shop for my mum. I did a very good job, selling and managing the shop. Due to the good work that I was doing, my mum saw me as a business partner and trusted the shop to my care.

I did a good work…but little did I know that my mum was training me for the business world, which was ahead of me. She was teaching me how to sell, account, trade and manage a successful shop. My mum was a business women. She had a Midas touch—everything she touches seems to prosper. But she was a traditionalist!

While at the shop, I read my Bible throughout the day. My elder brother comes in occasionally to help me and teach me some few things in the Word of God. At this stage, I would say that I was being taught Bible Principles that would help me in the business world.

So I actually went to the senior high school, Manya Krobo Senior High School. I did very well at school. In my second year, I took the Best Maths Award and my mum was very happy about me. Where was my dad at the time?
Well, she was at KwamiKrom.

My mum and dad had separated and divorced. So here am I under the roof of a step-father and my mum. So that was how the house went. My mum loved me so much and tried her best to give me all kinds of counsel and training so I could end up to become very successful in life.

While working with her at the shop, she taught be the mental and emotional fortitude required to be successful in business. While she was not educated, she always moved by her intuition, experienced. She taught me to be strong, brave and courageous in life. She would say, “If you’re afraid, you’ll not win!”

I was a day student, so my mum employed someone to run the shop while I was at school. At this stage, mummy was teaching me how to leverage the efforts of workers to grow a business. But I must confess that I did not do a good work all the time while I was at the shop.

I lost focus many times and we have the shopkeepers stealing the money. So the shop would perform badly at a period of time, but my mum would reinvest into and resurrect the shop back again. At that stage, I believe my mum was teaching me the lesson on persistence and how to survive in the business world.

BECOMING AN ORPHAN

When I was in my third year at the senior high school, My mum fell sick. It was very terrible. She fell sick for a very long time. We did all that we could, but finally she died. It was very sad to hear that my mummy, who was my business coach, business partner and business mentor die.

When my mummy died guess what happened?

The shop collapsed and my mummy’s bakery business went down with that. But thank goodness that she worked hard to build a small house for us before she died. It was very sad…but I could do nothing about that. My mum died in 2010. I was 20 years by then!

About a month after we buried my mum, my father also feel sick died. It was really devastating. My dad’s death was really sad. When my mum died, I was in the first term of Year 4. My school fees were not paid and was not allowed to write exams.

Our English Teacher was arranging some papers for me …so I could take my dad to WAJU so he can assume responsibility over my school fees at school. But just after we were doing all those arrangement, my dad just died!

I felt helpless, frustrated and motionless!

It was like…all hope is gone. Now, I only have my brothers and sisters. And I needed to face the world alone. I was 20 years, in senior high school…a General Science student….an orphan…no mum and no father. You have nowhere to go, I have to depend on my fellow brethren to help me to complete school.

It was when my dad and mum died that…my broke life began. I was very broke…going to school sometimes on empty stomach and eating only “Ebro Ni Nkatie!” It was really hard. I never had a hard time in my life like then. At a particular time, I taught of committing suicide. I even got a nice rope…to just say goodbye to life and then join my parents.

But something within me…stopped and I trust in fate…that God would help me connect the dots and turn things around. My class mates at school, our chemistry teacher and my elder brother finally helped me pay off my final year fees…and I was able to complete my senior high school. It was really hard!

BECOMING A PUPIL TEACHER

When I completed senior high school in 2011, I went to my sister at Kasoa. We call her, Sister Pat. She told to come over to Kasoa so she can help with get a job as a teacher. It was not easy, but she finally managed to help me write some application letters, submit to some of the schools and finally getting a job at one of the school, where her kids were.

When I came to my sister, the level of hunger and thirst reduced. It was then that I sighed a sigh of relief from the hard life I lived when my parents died. Even though my brethren helped me along the line, they do not always have….so I just have to struggle.

My mum and dad left me with nothing as an inheritance. But they left me rich with values that have made me whom I am today. I believe the best gift parents can give to their children is rich values. Those values would help mold the children…long after the parents are gone.

While at the school, Epinal Preparatory School, I did a very good work. My mums values, my quest for learning, the hard work and diligence paid off. I become the most popular, respected and admired teacher on campus. I volunteer more and do more for the school.

I come to school very early and go late. Making sure that everything was done. My salary at the time when I started was GHS 120. That was October, 2011. I worked very hard…it was changed to GHS 130.00…to GHS 150.00 and then much more when I left. I was also being paid classes fees and making GHS 20.00 per week. So in all, I was making GHS 210.0 in all.

What was I doing with the money? I was trying to take good care myself. But I also bought more books. I could just use half of my salary to buy books and read. I was reading motivational books, personal development books, business books and leadership books.
At a time, my sister even got angry at me…

STARTING A BOOK RETAILING BUSINESS

By September, 2012, almost a year of getting employed at the school, I become very successful at the school. When I came to the school, there were only 58 children, with only 4 teachers. But worked very hard with the headmistress and were able to raise the number to about 230 children. That was about a quadrupled increase when I came to help in the teaching and administration!

The school authorities saw my effort added me to the school’s PTA Committee. I learned a lot while I was there. I was actually learning how to manage, run and administer a school. No wonder I was writing business plans people to start primary schools in 2015!

I started a book business at that time. I partner with the guy I use to by books from and were into business. I get books from the guy and sell them at church. And that time, I learnt I was also doing extra classes and charging GHS 150.00 per month for two children.

I was making money, buying new cloths and living a good life with my sister!
One day, when I heading to church, I was a in a haste and suddenly left my books—the stocks in a car. That was about GHS 600 worth of stocks. Some robbers also came to steal my laptop and my sisters GHS 800 and IDs. I was getting frustrated!

Even though I was doing well at the school, something was dying within me! The mistress at the school was pregnant and I was appointed to run the school when she’s gone for maternity leave. I was 22 years by then…the youngest and shortest teacher in the school!

So we went for the long vacation break!

WORKING AT ONE STAR COMPANY LIMITED

My sister at Kpong informed me that one of our brother in-laws brother started a pure water company and was looking for me to help. So I traveled from Kasoa to Kpong and then went to Asutuare to see my brother-in law’s sister.

Actually she started a pure water company called, ONE STAR. She was very good in managing the business, but was weak in accounting and finance management. So she needed someone to help her in that area. I was not an accounts student!

But she just admired my hard work and refused to allow me to go back to the school. She offered to help me further my education so that I could work for her. So I could not return back to Epinal Preparatory School. The called …but I told them…I would not be coming again!

Well, I thought my brother-in-law’s sister would let me mange her company, since I actually lost a managerial position! But she asked that I start from the bottom and learn how the business works.

I started from the ground up…as a baker, moved to sales boy…and then sales manager and finally to the general manager of her pure water company in a year. The things I’ve been learning were all applied to her business to make it successful.

While at her end…I began to read more on business, finance, management and leadership. I bought some few books and spend the nights online researching and studying various areas of business. I made several notes…I still use some today!

Just when I was ready to go to school my in-laws sister’s business went down. The driver and the sales boys had an accident. I was lucky …she asked me to stay behind that day. They were very much wounded and the delivery van got squashed! She went broke taking care of the medical bills and dealing with those issues.

Even though she later found her way back, the business was no more profitable as other competitors came in…making things very touch. I was tired and released she did not have enough money to get me to school. So at that time, I thought of running away…but I had nowhere to go!

Finally, I went to tell my brethren about the issue and they had to query her…since I had worked for a whole year with almost no pay! The thought I was foolish. Indeed I was foolish to work for a year with no pay, but I learnt a lot about business while there!

Finally my in-laws brother in law decided to help me go to school. But I said I would not go to a science school. I would got to a business school. Well, that was what brought me to Accra—to attend Entrepreneurship Training Institute.

ATTENDING ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRAINING INSTITUTE

My uncle who was the CEO of Kron Finance and Investments Limited so that I was very brilliant and intelligent, so offered to pay my school fees for school. But my brother-in-law’s sister helped me got an accommodation in Accra, Dzorwulu.

I came to Accra in the year, 2014 and started school. I had no money and nobody sent me money for school. I had to do house chores for people in the house…who were very generous to me…by providing me food, day in and day out, when I was going to school.

But I saw that they became fed up, It was as though I was damped on them. They were friends to my brother-in-law’s sister. Finally they told me that they were going to have a visitor, so had to go back to Asutuare when were go on semester break. On semester break, I went back to my brother-in-law’s sister…to still help her with her business.

It’s a new semester and I needed a new accommodation in Accra to go to school. Again, my brother-in-law’s sister found an accommodation for me to go to school. She had a business partner at Accra Kotobabi, Abavana..so I went to stay with the business partner!

There was a problem!

My uncle fell sick and the school fees were not paid that semester. His business partner was good to me…but also did not fund it. So deferred my course and taught of starting some business on my own.

STARTING A BOOK RETAIL BUSINESS AGAIN

I thought that I should start the book retailing business again. So I wrote a business plan and sent it over to the brother-in-law’s sister’s business partner. The business was entitled REVOLUTE BOOKS! She lend me GHS 150 to start the business and we had a promissory note…she had 60% interest in the business.

The business did very well in a while, but it eventually failed and I was very broke.
We actually mismanaged the funds—as well as—not able to generate enough sales for the small business. I was actually buying business books and selling them to business people, it was then that I saw my next business partner.

OPERATIONS MANAGER OF PRIME LEADERSHIP CONSULT

One of my client wanted to start a new business, and offered me to become his operations manager. It was a training business. We were trying to organize sales training program for micro-finance institutions in Accra. We planned the whole project and even booked a venue at my school for the training.

We printed about 100 envelops and shared about 90 to micro-finance institutions. I was my bicycle to snd about 50 of those letters and my boss got the rest sent. We sent the letters but there was no feedback. So I had to call the people.
I was making over 70 and 50 calls in a day for the follow up. I was actually working from home, even though PLC had an office. It was very hard in those days. Eventually the training failed, and we had few companies agreeing to come for the training…

The business failed and I went jobless!

STARTING A NEW CONSULTING BUSINESS

So I decided to start my own business. A consulting business—ACHIEVERS PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT SCHOOL. One of my friends helped me register this business. Again, I wrote another business plan and went and pitch it to my uncle, CEO of Kron Finance and Investments Limited to give me money to start that business.

He did not give me money…but he gave me ideas…laptop and printer—the most important things I needed for my business. I was developing small 5-7 page strategic life plan for people. I would interview people and help them develop a plan for their 10-15 years. I was making GHS 30.00 for each plan.

That business failed along the line. I had more account receivables and had money to run the business. AT that time I thought of starting another business. That was 2015.

STARTING ANOTHER BUSINESS

So I started a business plan and proposal writing business. I would develop a 30-40 page business plans for people. I did that for a while. I beg a fellow to let me use part of his office to run my operations since people keep asking me, “Where is your office!”

I got a friend of mine to start that business. We called it, “ACHIEVERS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SCHOOL”. We did our best to print posters and paste them in Accra Kotobabi, Alajo and Newtown. We worked very hard at promoting the business. We were receiving calls from people do business plans for them.
But that business also failed and I went broke!

The people in my house all think that I need some prayers—everything I did failed. I was still with my brother-in-law’s sister’s business partner. At that time, the man realize that I was confused, frustrated and any business would not amount to anything.

STARTING A WRITING BUSINESS

I brainstormed and asked myself what I should do next. Well, I realized that I a lot people had business dreams, but most of them never act on their dreams. I decided to write a book, entitled, “Start Something!” I loaned money from my friend, Jude to publish the book. It was GHS 500.00 and I was able to print about 200 copies.

The book was released in my church and I sold 125 copies. I paid back my friends money and invested the remaining money in my business. Just after the book’s released, I was asked to leave the house.

I had nowhere to go in Accra.

But my friend, Jude who believes in me and trust that I can still make it. He helped me by gave me GHS 600.00 to rent an accommodation. My brethren also helped me with some money and I was able to able to rent an accommodation at Accra, Kotobabi.

BUILDING ACHIEVER’S BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SCHOOL

After I sold the last book, I was not able to sell the remaining books. So I was not able to make money. Only God knew how I was able to survive in those days—I could go on hunger strike for 2 days in my room. It was a “broke” room.

I borrowed some money GHS 500.00 from one financial institutions and other huge ones from other places to kick start the business. I was offering business coaching and business plan consulting services. The business did very well…we helped a coupled of people …but it stilled and failed and went into debt almost GHS 5,000.00.

I had a partner at the time, he was very spiritual, He was called Eric Agbeko, now a pastor of a CAC Branch at Kaso, Domiabra. Life was very hard…my rent was also getting expire by then.

My friend and I tried getting a job at Dalex Finance, but were not able to make any sales. Our shoes worn out, our cloths were getting old on us and everything was very bad. Life was very hard. I was in debt, broke, no accommodation (since the rent had expired).

The landlord asked me to come for my things. I took them and place them with another friend. I had nowhere to go…so I slept in my friends church for almost a year, waking up every day to find a way to make some money!

GETTING ON THE INTERNET

Our church had an NGO which had an internet facility. Since I had a laptop I went there to search for online jobs. I try all I could but I could not find any online job that was able to make money to support me. Life was very hard.

I had a friend whose mum really like me—they cook and fed me for almost 6 months, when the last business failed. My business partner quit and decided to focus on ministry work at his church…since he finds fulfillment there and also gets some money. It was July, 2016

I decided to stay focus on the business.

When I could not find any job online, I asked myself two questions: “What am I good at? What can I do very well? What can I make money from?”

I realized that I can write and make money from writing. All through the years—it was about books and writing. So in started learning about blogging on the internet. I would go to the NGO site, stay there and use their internet to learn about blogging.

I was still not making any money …so I was still very vert broke!

THE TURNING POINT

People I owed money was calling for me. Financial institutions that I owed money were calling for their money, my own friends that I borrowed money from were also looking for their money. I employed some people which I could not pay.

I was owing about GHS 5,000.00!

I have nowhere to go, so I decided to go and see my pastor, Rev. Joe Cleansman and tell him about my situation. He counseled me and asked me what I can do well. I told him I can teach and write very well. I was really broke!

My pastor and another fellow exhorted me to get a teaching job. So I got a job at Atsor Memorial International School. I was paid GHS 250.00 as a salary. I used about GHS 100.00 to pay off my debts every month.

STARTING A DIGITAL MARKETING BUSINESS

I created a blogger blog, so after school, I would write an article and then go to the NGO and use their internet

data to publish my article. I was very successful at the school again and became

the most admired and popular teacher again! My blog was also growing in traffic!

I was looking for a contract for a company to work on their blog, so from September to December, 2016, I sent over 100 proposals….but none them worked. Finally one went through and I got my first business blogging contract from U.S.A. 

I also decided to convert my blog—livingpurposeschool.com—into a book. So I wrote another book entitled, 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS. The book was launched in my church again, and I made about GHS 1,200 in sales from the book. After publishing the book, one contractor, Mr. Francis Fenuku, CEO of Fekiop Limited met me and gave me some advice that launch me into the digital marketing business.

He is one of my advisory team now! I have other people also advise me along the line, notable among them was my Pastor, Rev. S.D.K. Dumevi and Mr. Bananawo, Branch Manager of Gold Coast Securities (Hohoe), Mr. Edmond Nartey (CEO of Crest House Ltd.). This people forms my advisory board at my company.
I paid off my debts and was on my way to debt free! I sold more of the books and paid many of the people I owed!

My life was getting better!

My client from U.S.A. came to Ghana and we had a deal, I was to write an article for him at GHS 10.00—40 articles per month. Well, it was good for me. Now I developed three streams of income.—my school, my blogging work and the book. I was then making about GHS 750.00 per month.

I also submitted proposals to some companies and got some Ghanaian companies asked me to create and manage their blog. Some of them are still my clients. Before I could realize, I was making GHS 750.00 from my blogging work and GHS 250.00 from the school.

BACK TO HOMELESS

My book was als0 doing well and I thought to quit the school and then focus on my blog, blogs and clients. I was still sleeping at the church in those days.

But the church leadership finally asked me to leave and stop sleeping at the church. So I had to stay at the friend’s end. My friend also sack me—after a period of time—so I was back to homeless again!
I knew one of my clients who I did some work for while building ACHIEVERS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SCHOOL. My client helped me and gave me accommodation…where I still live today! We have become brothers now!

STARTING ANOTHER BUSINESS—THINK EXPAND LIMITED

I finally quit the job and start a business blogging business. I was learning SEO and social media and how to use them for business growth. My small business grow little by little. I was still selling my small book at schools. By February 2017, I was making GHS 1,200.00 per month.

I got other clients and maintained this income level. By August 2017, my digital marketing business was doing well and I had 2 writers with a secretary working for me to serve my customers. I was making around GHS 2,400 by then.
So I registered my business as THINK EXPAND LIMITED. I also started a blog called, EXPANDGH.COM, the most successful digital marketing blog in Ghana…and may be Africa. I have received AFRICAN EXSCELLENCE AWARDS, LUX LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE AWARDS in 2017 for the blog.

GROWING THE COMPANY

From August 2017, I grew the sales of the business from GHS 2,400 to GHS 3,000 to GHS 5,000 to GHS 6,000 and now to about 8,000 per month…getting to GHS 10,000. This was done through goal setting, working on the goals and trusting God for help along the process. I set financial goals every week and every month…and work on them with my team!

I now have 6 workers and 3 member advisory board. We now have a lot of projects…with customers in Ghana, Kenya and USA. My small business has a 6 workers now! The business runs from home now…from my bedroom. But we have clients in Kumasi, Tamale, Accra, Kenya, South Africa, and the USA. Our services include SEO content writing, graphic designing, web designing, social media marketing and search engine optimization (SEO).

Having gained lots of knowledge and experience over the past 2 years, I created a magazine for businesses to learn how to use digital marketing to promote their business. The magazine was launched in September, 2018. We produce 1,200 copies,…with sales outlets in bookstores, pharmacies, newsstands and shopping malls.

The company is currently growing steadily, but still runs from my bedroom! My uncle had recently given me an office at Crest House (closer to Kron Finance & Investments Limited) to run the Go-DIGITAL MAGAZINE. This was exactly how I moved…but what did I do to turn things around?

THE SECRETS OF MY SUCCESS

The secrets of my success can be found in the 10 core values of my company.

1. We value relationships over revenue and profits. And we focus on building more quality relationships at all levels while maintaining them through trust, integrity and being caring.

2. We believe that communication is the blood flow of every relationship. And so we maintain communication and keep in touch with all people we work with and for using both online and offline communication channels.

3. We believe in candor, truth and honesty; dealing with all the people we work with and for in the spirit of integrity at all times.

4. We believe in core values over academic credentials. So we work with the best people who share the core values and passion of the company while having the academic credentials to fulfill their professional responsibilities with excellence.

5. We are committed to delivering excellence and being the best in what we do; delivering excellence at all times and on schedule to all the people we work for.

6. We believe in having freedom within a framework. And we work with self-motivated, self-disciplined and result oriented people who give off their best regardless of their position, earnings, credentials and geographical location.

7. We believe in being goal setting, being effective, organized and delivering predictable results. Therefore we put systems in place to coordinate the work of our team and to ensure predictable excellence in what they do.

8. We believe in continuous improvement. Therefore we focus on continuously evaluating, improving and learning so that we can develop innovative ways of serving our customers and improving upon our daily operations.

9. We believe in the power of digital technologies. And our focus is to be a leader at helping African businesses and organizations in harnessing, maximizing and leveraging digital technologies to promote growth.

10. We believe in social responsibility. Therefore we give generously to support, improve and expand the well-being of God’s Kingdom and the less privileged (orphans) in the society.

I live, breathe and abide by these core values. They are my rituals. They form the soul and culture of my company. It is in these 10 core values that the business runs and operates. The try to keep them—the day I ignore them, would be the day that I would probably start dying!

TALK TO ME/ORDER A COPY OF THE GO-DIGITAL MAGAZINE

Email: [email protected]

WhatsApp: +233 548334499

Telephone: +233 2228133

Phone: +233 548334499

Office: Ghana, Accra-Kotobabi

Address: P.O.Box KT 4, Accra-Kotobabi

Thank You!

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