Segment: From No Business Name to International Brand - You Don't Need Perfection to Start

Summary

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Konnected Minds Podcast

Host: Derrick Abaitey
Episode Segment: From No Business Name to International Brand – You Don’t Need Perfection to Start
Date: March 24, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this inspiring episode, Derrick Abaitey welcomes a resourceful female entrepreneur who built her international feminine hygiene brand from scratch, starting with no business name and overcoming significant personal and financial hurdles. The discussion unpacks why passion must trump perfection or profit motives when launching a business, the power of persistence, and the importance of authenticity and presence online. The guest also offers candid reflections on family expectations, societal pressures, and the transformational journey from struggle to success, particularly for young women and small business owners.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Regulatory Challenges and Credibility (00:00–01:14)

• The guest describes difficulty expanding her product range due to FDA approval processes, which restrict selling certain products without direct supervision or prescription.
  • Quote:
    “I have a lot of products I would like to add, but they can’t be approved...” (A, 00:04)
• Despite restrictions, medical professionals trust her products and frequently recommend them to their patients.
  • Quote:
    “I went to this hospital and the doctor said I should come to you…” (A, 00:49)

2. Building an International Brand (01:00–01:14)

• She ships to the US, Canada, UK, Germany, and has expanded operations to Nigeria.
  • Quote: “Oh, I’ve been selling outside U. S., Canada, UK, Germany—it goes on.” (A, 01:00)

3. The Passion vs. Money Dilemma (01:14–02:15)

• Many aspiring entrepreneurs expect instant success. The guest stresses that money-motivation is insufficient for sustainability.
  • Quote:
    “People want to start today and they want to blow. …That’s because you’re motivated by money, not passion.” (A, 01:31)
• Her success has been propelled by passion for women’s education on feminine hygiene.
  • Quote:
    “Even on days I don’t feel like showing up, I still show up because I’m never tired of talking about feminine hygiene…” (A, 01:56)

4. Overcoming Hardship and Starting from Zero (02:15–03:34)

• She recounts post-graduation struggles, including unemployment and extreme financial hardship while living with friends.
  • Quote:
    “We were bathing AC water… because we couldn’t fill our tanks.” (A, 02:41)

5. Advice for New Graduates and Aspiring Entrepreneurs (03:39–04:42)

• She urges graduates not to wait for government jobs but to start purposeful businesses.
  • Quote:
    “You don’t have to wait... If you are just motivated by money, you are in for a short term.” (A, 03:48)
• Stresses embracing mindset of building a long-term brand rather than chasing quick returns.

6. Pivotal Growth and the Power of Influencer Marketing (04:43–06:09)

• Initial success came from recommendations and learning from sales downturns. A strategic investment in influencer marketing was transformative.
  • Quote:
    “I paid [Dulcie] for 2,500… and then in a span of 24 hours, I’d sold about 25,000 cedis.” (A, 05:15)
• She reinvested earnings into more collaborations and focused on growth even before choosing a business name.

7. Healing, Fulfillment, and Purpose (06:09–07:20)

• The guest reflects on personal healing, pride from her family, and genuine fulfillment from impacting women’s lives.
  • Quote:
    “It’s like I’m fulfilling a purpose… I wanted freedom for women.” (A, 06:35)

8. Navigating Parental and Societal Expectations (07:20–09:34)

• Her mother pushed for a traditional 9–5 job due to societal reputation, but she held fast to her vision.
  • Quote:
    “She wanted me to wear the suit and go to work…but that wasn’t me.” (A, 07:49)
• Both agree that parents must guide, not dictate, supporting children’s chosen paths.
  • Quote:
    “Allow your kids to choose their path and then direct them… showing your child just love... would just mold them into the right path.” (A, 08:54)

9. Embracing Imperfection and Authenticity (09:34–11:39)

• The guest emphasizes starting, even without everything figured out—no business name, basic packaging, no physical shop.
  • Quote:
    “You don’t have to get it perfect. That’s why a lot of people haven’t started, because they want everything to be perfect before they start.” (A, 09:42)
• She shares practical tips: optimize online presence, build community trust, and remain authentic rather than imitating others.
  • Quote:
    “You need to show up as you are. I connect with my customers so much that if someone comes to call me a scammer, they’ll fight for me…” (A, 11:21)

10. Derrick Abaitey’s Reflections & Appreciation (11:39–end)

• Derrick praises the guest’s candor and sees the conversation as motivational for young women and small business owners.
  • Quote:
    “This is an episode that should really sit well with a lot of young ladies… and small business owners as well.” (B, 11:53)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “People want to start today and they want to blow… That’s because you’re motivated by money, not passion.” (A, 01:31)
• “When you say tough, we were bathing AC water… because we couldn’t fill our tanks.” (A, 02:41)
• “I paid [Dulcie] for 2,500… and then in a span of 24 hours, I’d sold about 25,000 cedis.” (A, 05:15)
• “You don’t have to get it perfect… You need to show up as you are.” (A, 09:42, 11:21)

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Important Timestamps

• 00:00–01:14: Regulatory challenges, doctors’ trust, and global shipping
• 01:14–02:15: Why passion matters more than money
• 02:15–03:34: Story of hardship and resilience
• 03:39–04:42: Advice to young people about agency and entrepreneurship
• 04:43–06:09: Leveraging influencer marketing for breakthrough growth
• 06:09–07:20: The purpose-driven journey and family pride
• 07:20–09:34: Parental pressure and societal expectations
• 09:34–11:39: Imperfection, authenticity, and online brand building
• 11:39–end: Derrick’s closing sentiments and takeaways

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Summary Takeaway

This episode is a powerful testament to starting small, acting with passion, persevering through setbacks, and being unashamedly authentic. The guest’s story demystifies entrepreneurship, refutes the myth of overnight success, and delivers poignant advice for aspiring founders—especially young women—struggling with perfectionism, family pressure, and fear of starting. Both Derrick and his guest underscore: You absolutely don’t need perfection to launch your dream. Start messy, act passionately, and grow into greatness.

Transcript

[A]

I, I mean, very interactive and you know, all that. But I think the biggest problem would be FDA approvals because I have a lot of products I would like to add, but they can't be approved because they need, I think, one product, they said it needs supervision before they can use it. So even pharmacies and those stuff are not allowed to sell it, right? Yeah. Even though I have knowledge about it.

[B]

I'll, you know, some products in a pharmacy, there's categories, isn't it? So you have an OTC medication where anybody can pick up and you have a pharmacy medication where you need a pharmacy supervision.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And you have a prescription. Prescription, which you need a doctor first.

[A]

So that one is more or less like prescription medicines. Right. But I've had a lot of doctors also recommend me to people like. Yeah. And sometimes I'm surprised. I'm like, they're supposed. Then I mean, they know it works. That's why they will recommend people to come to me.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Oh, I went to this hospital and the doctor said I should come to you. Oh, I have this type of problem. And then the doctor said I should come to you. You can, like, really.

[B]

Are you able to ship some of your products outside of the country?

[A]

Yes. Oh, I've been selling outside U. S. Canada, UK Germany, it goes on. And actually I travel to Nigeria too, to expand my business there.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

Nigerians also are on my products and. Yeah.

[B]

What are people missing when it comes to starting their own business?

[A]

I think the basics, people want to post today and then, you know, even though when I said that it was good, people want to start today and see success today, I wasn't ready to see success. On my first year, all I had in mind is I want my products or my business to be in the minds of people and on the lips of people. I've sold through recommendations like I can't thousands of times that it was recommendation that sold my product. You get it? So people want to start today and they want to blow. It's. That's because you're motivated by money.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Not passion. I have passion for feminine hygiene because I feel like the ladies needs to learn. And even on days I don't feel like showing up, I still show up because I'm never tired of talking about feminine hygiene, you know, so you need. It's the basics. You need to make sure that it's something you love. You don't just start just like that.

[B]

So can you imagine when you moved after your service, you know, you were searching for jobs and you never got Jobs and it's been five, six, seven years and you're still looking for jobs. How would your life have been at the time?

[A]

I would have been miserable.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I hate discomfort. So I think that also makes me a go getter. I don't like to be uncomfortable in life, in anything I'm doing. I like to do things in my own pace and you know all that. So if five years and I had still have not been able to make it to this point, I don't know, I. I don't imagine it because it would have been horrible. But I didn't even have it easy, you know, when I left my job, honestly, I was staying with my friends and we had it tough. When you say tough, we were bathing AC water. Wow. Because like we had in. You see that water drops that come from the ac. We were so broken that we couldn't fill our tanks. And then luckily for where they were staying, I went to their house to stay with them. Where they were staying they had illegal college, you know, they had illegal connections. So the AC was, will always be on from morning to evening. And then we put like a small barrel there so it will fill up. That's how we would get water to bath because we couldn't afford to fill our tanks and all that. It wasn't easy. Has your life changed so much?

[B]

Are you happy?

[A]

Very happy.

[B]

So if somebody has just finished university today and they are waiting for the government to create jobs for them, what will you tell them?

[A]

You don't have to wait. I think right now there are a lot of businesses you can start. But as I always say, make sure you know what you want to do, you have passion for it. If you don't have, if you are just motivated by money, you are in for a short term. The money is nice. But if you feel like I want to create a company, I don't want to have just a business. No, I want a brand, I want a company. And ever since I've known I wanted a. Want to be a business owner. That is my goal. So I work towards that. If you are just motivated by money, you start today. And if you don't get sales tomorrow, you are done. And that's why people move from one business to another because they don't put, you know, I said I had about 500, you know, other. I've sold 500 products in a span of three weeks or so. And it went on like that. But from the third month going, I wasn't getting orders.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

But I didn't say okay. Because the orders are not coming. I'm going to stop. I sat down and I was like, how am I going to do this better? And that is when I started reaching out to other influencers instead of. I was using one person. So I was like, let me put money into this. I want to make it stand. At that time, I didn't even have a business name. I. When people come in excel for my business name, I didn't know because I didn't have one. So I sat down and I thought about it and I was like, I don't care if one thing. My friends always. I'm bored when it comes to decisions. I was like, if I have to put all my money that I've made into this business, I'm going to make it. So I, you know, Dulcie the influencer does. Yeah, yeah. So she brought the light into my business. I went to her and then at that time she was charging. I think her demonstrative advice was like 2500. And then I paid her for 2500. And then in a span of 24 hours, I've sold about 25, 000 cities. I took that same money I made and I gave it to her. And I was like, I want us to do one month. I paid her for the one month, it went well. Another month again, I paid her again. I. I didn't want to give up. I wanted. I want. It's like, this is a brand. I want it to be international one day. I wanted to make waves. Not just a business that wakes up and sells. No. So I. It's like the vision is, you know, there, the vision is big.

[B]

But if you look back when you, you know, you were starting life and I'm talking the times when you felt bullied, not being heard, not being listened to, nobody actually sitting you down to understand your problems.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And now what you're doing now,

[A]

are

[B]

you fulfilling those gaps that were missing when you were growing up?

[A]

Yes, I think I am to some extent, yes. I mean, I feel so happy when people come to me and, you know, they've seen results from what I'm selling. Yesterday, I think, was it yesterday before yesterday, I was just. There's so many reviews were coming in. I was like, wow, it makes me so happy. It's like I'm fulfilling a purpose. Because when I started, I wanted freedom for women because, I mean, I saw feminine hygiene products. So many people don't know feminine hygiene. We African homes, we are not taught. Our parents don't even know. So if I have the knowledge and I'm passing on to other people and they are learning and they are seeing results. I'm happy you're happy. So yes, I'm fulfilling. I feel like I'm fulfilling a purpose and it makes me so happy.

[B]

How does your father feel about you?

[A]

So proud. Even my mother, I've forgiven her. She's so proud. Yeah, they're all so proud. You know, sometimes they didn't think, I'll get to this point. My siblings, you know, they, they feel like I've, I have, I've made it or I'm making it. Yes.

[B]

Sometimes when we are growing up as kids, do you think our parents or people around us set a target for us? Like this is, this is the bar.

[A]

You know, the reason why my mom didn't want me to come to Accra was because she wanted me to work and I mean in a government institution. Because she felt like if you become, if you go and work in shops and those things, she'll be laughed at. Like they would laugh at her. So she wanted me to wear the suit and go to work, wear the, you know, nine to five stuff. And that wasn't me, I didn't want that. So yes, you know, she was against it because she wanted to do the nine to five stuff.

[B]

And I thought you are still wearing a suit. I think this is some things that sometimes our parents don't understand. I get young people come to me and they're like, Mr. Derek, I want to, I really want to do this, but my parents don't get me. They, they. Today I made a conclusion that parents, some parents don't really take the time to understand their kids.

[A]

Right.

[B]

They don't actually know their kids.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

They may be living with you in the same house, but they have not taken the time to, to really understand you.

[A]

I think they should.

[B]

Locally we say something, say, right. So every parent think their child is bad.

[A]

Right. But I think they need to take their time and then allow your kids to choose their path and then direct them. Yes. Mold them on their way. If you say you want your child to be a doctor and she doesn't, or he doesn't want to be a doctor, ask her, ask him, what do you want to do? You might not have knowledge on it, but showing your child just love being there for her or him listening to them would just mold them into the right path. Unless a child who don't want to, you know, do the right thing. But if someone wants to do the right thing and then they get a love from parents A little bit of attention, I think they'll be. They'll do well.

[B]

Yeah. What I've really got it from this conversation is when it came to your business world course you need to start even when you are messy, when you

[A]

don't know what you are doing, you don't, you don't. You don't have to get it perfect. I think that's why a lot of people haven't started, because they want everything to be perfect before they start. The packaging should be. Well, listen, when I went to China, that was when I did my first. No, not my face. I was doing my painting in Ghana, but I wasn't getting it as I wanted it. I wanted something that when people see like it entice their eyes. When it goes to people's homes, they don't show it away. So I wasn't getting it down here. So when I went to China, that was the first night focused on packaging. My packaging bag. You don't need to get it all at once. Me, I like to go through the process. I'm not in a rush. I'm not on anyone's timeline. I'm on my own timeline. If I don't have a physical shop and I'm not rushing to get one, I need to push my presence online. If it goes well, then yes, I can get the shop when I'm ready. I don't need to push like, I want the shop. I want the shop. I want the shop. No, I work with my own timeline, not what someone is doing. Okay. Someone is getting one of the biggest shops. I don't care. Their path is different from mine. What I want my business to do is to do well and it can do well without a shop. If I show up for it, if I'm consistent, you know, if I push, my business out there might not. I mean, I'm able to sell. I think the largest sale I've ever made was like 2,000 orders. And in a span of three days, that was doing sales and then it's online. Let's make sure people trust you. Yes. So how do people trust? You need to show up more. Show up in your most authentic self. You don't have to be someone else. You know how it's not always prim and proper. You need to show up as you are. I connect with my customers so much that if someone comes to call me a scammer, they'll fight for media. They have me, you know. So you need to build your online presence well, that people, when people see your page, they don't have any doubts, you know that, yes, they can bring their money to you charity.

[B]

You have amazing guests for me today. When our team reached out to you,

[A]

you were like, oh, I'm shy. Yeah, I'm shy. I'm scared.

[B]

You have done fantastic in this conversation, and I hope my audience feel the same.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

This is an episode that should really sit well with a lot of young ladies who are looking for a way out and for people who. Small business owners as well. I just love everything you've shared. You know, it's. It's been, as I say, very therapeutic for me as well.

[A]

Connected Minds Podcast.