Segment: From University Alone to Business Success - Why I Had to Leave My Family Behind

Summary

Konnected Minds Podcast: "From University Alone to Business Success - Why I Had to Leave My Family Behind"

Host: Derrick Abaitey
Guest: [Name not specified]
Date: March 23, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode of Konnected Minds Podcast explores the guest’s journey of breaking away from her family, moving from Kumasi to Accra, and navigating the uncertain path from university graduation to founding a successful business, Femlast. The discussion is an honest look at autonomy, family dynamics, the hardships of early career setbacks, financial challenges, and the creativity required to launch a company from nothing.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Family Resistance and the Solo Journey to Accra

• Leaving Home:
  • The guest shares the struggle of making a significant life decision—moving from Kumasi to Accra—despite her mother’s disapproval and family expectations.
    • "If my mom says no, it's no. She said no, but I said yes because I felt like she doesn't know me like she thinks she does... I'm not saying disrespect your parents, but I knew what I wanted and I wasn't going to get it in Kumasi." (A, 00:17)
  • Arrived in Accra with minimal support, ended up lodging with a stranger, and started her official service.
    • "I parked myself straight to Accra. I didn't know where I was going...had to lodge in a total stranger's house...for about a month or two." (A, 00:32)
• Motivation for Independence:
  • Intentionally distanced herself from family to foster independence.
    • "I wanted to be away from my family. I wanted to be alone. Like, if they want to get to me, they have to pick a car and come." (A, 01:33)
  • Recalls going to university alone, contrasting it with peers who arrived with family support.
    • "I carried my bag and went to Knust alone...no one came to visit me." (A, 01:53)

2. Struggles Post-Graduation & Early Work Experiences

• Job Challenges:

  • Worked under someone in construction but felt unvalued, unpaid, and unfulfilled.
    • "I'm taking transportation in and out, I'm eating, I'm spending about 20 cities daily. That was like a lot of money for me. And I'm not getting paid." (A, 03:25)
  • Emotional toll led her to quit abruptly.
    • "I woke up, I went to work one day and I was so depressed. I wouldn't say depressed, but so sad. I cried, I cried, I cried. I called my friend...and I never showed up to the work again." (A, 03:55)

• Surviving a Difficult Two Years:

  • Spent two years at home, supported financially by a then-partner, but recognized the unsustainability of dependence.
    • "I didn't want to be at home and not doing anything...I have to depend on a man. And I wasn't comfortable." (A, 04:38)

3. The Spark – Birth of Femlast

• From Personal Discovery to Business Idea:

  • Noticed a femcare product at a great price and saw opportunity through a friend’s interest.
    • "I realized she's selling something that I'm interested in...I bought from her and tested it...Then one day my friend was like, she's looking for something...and I realized...I can make a business out of it." (A, 05:05)
  • Decision to try a dropshipping model: buying only when there was demand.

• Launching with Minimal Funds:

  • Started the business on the same day the idea came, using Snapchat as the core platform.
    • "By noon in the afternoon, I posted it. And really, I posted so many people in the first 24 hours of my business, I got more than 100 orders." (A, 06:35)
  • Leveraged a saved 10,000 Ghana cities (gifted/saved from previous relationship) to pay an influencer and boost her reach.
    • "I had saved from my previous relationship. I saved about 10k that time. 10k was like big money." (A, 07:16)

4. Viral Growth and Entrepreneurial Hustle

• Immediate Market Validation:
  • The product resonated and sales exploded on Snapchat—over 100 orders in the first 24 hours, enabling revenue of over 20,000 Ghana cities almost immediately.
    • "In a span of 24 hours, I've made about 20,000 Ghana cities, even more." (A, 08:45)
  • The fulfillment partner quickly became overwhelmed:
    • "She didn't know what to do again and was like, it's stressful. She can't do it again." (A, 08:05)
• Commitment to Quality & Branding:
  • Realized presentation mattered for feminine products.
    • "She was just putting it in a rubber and sending it out...a product of that magnitude, you can't just send it out just like that." (A, 08:46)
  • Invested further in influencer marketing as demand grew.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Autonomy and Parental Control:
  • "If my mom says no, it's no. She said no, but I said yes because I felt like she doesn't know me like she thinks she does." – A (00:17)
• On Self-Reliance:
  • "I wanted to be away from my family. I wanted to be alone. Like, if they want to get to me, they have to pick a car and come." – A (01:33)
• On Leaving an Unfulfilling Job:
  • "I woke up, I went to work one day and I was so depressed...I called my friend...and I never showed up to the work again." – A (03:55)
• On Building a Business from Zero:
  • "By noon in the afternoon, I posted it...in the first 24 hours of my business, I got more than 100 orders." – A (06:35)
  • "In a span of 24 hours, I've made about 20,000 Ghana cities, even more." – A (08:45)
• On the Reality of Social Media Selling:
  • "Snapchat alone, no other platform...But that one, you need to pay influencers. And I didn't mind so far as the money was coming." – A (09:05)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00–01:08: Family resistance, moving to Accra, quest for independence
• 01:33–02:21: Motivation for moving; university life alone
• 02:23–04:35: Early career, unsatisfying jobs, emotional lows
• 04:35–05:02: Transitioning out of a relationship, desire for self-sufficiency
• 05:05–06:50: How Femlast began, zero-capital business model
• 06:50–09:05: Viral growth, leveraging Snapchat influencers, rapid revenue, scaling pains

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Conclusion

This episode offers a raw, motivational account of carving out a new life path against all odds: asserting independence in the face of family resistance, enduring hardship and uncertainty, and seizing an unexpected entrepreneurial opportunity. It’s a vivid reminder of the power of self-belief, resourcefulness, and the new possibilities digital platforms create for starting a business with almost nothing but grit and a good idea.

Transcript

[A]

I'll point to them and support them.

[B]

When you decided to come to Accra, who was with you and who was against you?

[A]

My dad was the only one with me, but anyone else? My siblings didn't know, but I mean, they knew, but you know, they will always. If my mom says no, it's no.

[B]

I see.

[A]

If my mom says no, it's no. She said no, but I said yes because I felt like she doesn't know me like she thinks she does. So I'm not saying disrespect your parents, but I knew what I wanted and I wasn't going to get it in Kumasi. I was in Kumasi right after Kumasi, I didn't go anywhere. I parked myself straight to Accra. I didn't know where I was going, I didn't know where I was. I was supposed to go to a friend. Until today, I've not seen my friend. She never picked up my call after I got to. I think I'm a. That's a long story, you know. So I had to lodge in a total stranger's house, stay there for a long time, for about a month or two hours. I was starting my service and all that, so my boss helped me rent and yeah, that's where I started from, right? From university. I was like, I want to come to Accra.

[B]

Let me stop you here for a minute. So if it's your first time watching ConnectedMind or you have been here before but still have not subscribed, do us a favor, because majority of the people that watch our videos have not subscribed. This doesn't help us grow beyond what we expect. So help us by hitting the subscribe button. Now let's get back to the conversation. What is it about Accra that made you want to come to Accra?

[A]

I don't Kumasi have a family in Kumas. I wanted to be away from my family. I wanted to be away from family. I wanted to be alone. Like, if they want to get to me, they have to pick a car and come. I didn't want them to get access to me so easily. I think maybe because I was so hurt and you know, because I went, I packed my stuff and went to university alone and you know, university people are coming with their parents, their grandmothers and all that from the whole family could, you know, bring you to the university. I carried my bag and went to Knust alone, so. And then I went there. No one came to visit me.

[B]

I went to university alone as well. Yeah, there's A lot of this conversation is very therapeutic, even for me.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You know, but let's talk about money.

[A]

I love money.

[B]

Let's talk about money.

[A]

Right.

[B]

There's a temptation to carry on, but I want to talk about money.

[A]

Talk about money.

[B]

So let's do this right. So you came to Accra?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And then you started your service?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Okay, now talk me through the journey from there to starting your business.

[A]

Okay. So when I was coming to our car, I had met someone. And then the person was like, he's opening a shop. Then he would need someone to manage the shop. An apple shop. It's going to be big. And then he needed someone to take out the shop and he realized I was respectful and, you know, all that. So instead of going to the field to work like my colleagues, I went to work in an apple shop somewhere around Sphinxes. So right when I was working there, things were getting weird, you know, men and women stuff. So I was like, no, I want to end it. So I didn't even complete my service. I completed in seven months. So I went to the NSS office and filed for completion. So I just finished. And then I only stay home trying to figure out what to do. So I had an opportunity to go and work with someone, work under someone in the construction field. But I wasn't getting much from it. It's like I wake up, go to work, and I'm not being paid. I'm not learning anything. If I want to be on the site with you, I want to learn. Not just I want to learn on the job as well. But I wasn't getting that. So I was like taking. I mean, I'm taking transportation in and out, I'm eating, I'm spending about 20 cities daily. That was like a lot of money for me. And I'm not getting paid. Just I saved a lot from my previous work. So I was surviving on that for a while and I realized, no, my money is going to get finished, so I'm not going to go to work again. I woke up, I went to work one day and I was so depressed. I wouldn't say depressed, but so sad. I cried, I cried, I cried. I called my friend, I was like, come back home. So I went back home and I never showed up to the work again. And then I stayed home for about two years. And just to, you know, clarify stuff, I met someone. I mean, someone, a guy from my workplace was doing well. So that two years that I was home, you know, he came through for me. But I realized the Relationship was not serving me again. And then right from then I started

[B]

Femlux, the relationship was not serving you?

[A]

No, because I didn't want to be at home and not doing anything. It's like I'm. I'm at home, I'm not doing anything. I'm not making any money. I have to depend on a man. And I wasn't comfortable. So I started planning do. So I was doing so many other things, but I wasn't. It wasn't passion. I was just doing it. And I wasn't seeing any results. I was like, I love feminine hygiene, you know, and that's where Femlast came about.

[B]

Yeah. But then where did you get the money to start the business?

[A]

Good. So as I said, I didn't start with any money. I didn't start. I just had the idea. I didn't even have the idea. Let me start from. Let's start from the beginning. So I buy from some lady, and then I realized she's selling something that I'm interested in. And I've used that product before. And I bought it around like 350 cities, but she was selling it way lesser than I bought. I bought mine. So I was like, I think a lot of ladies would need this. So I bought from her and tested it. And I didn't even. It didn't come to my mind. When I bought stuff first, I wasn't thinking about business. I said I wanted to try it because instead of buying for 350, someone is saying, it's lesser. Let me try it. If it works, then I'll be buying from her. So I bought it, it worked, and I forgot about it. Then one day my friend came and was like, she's looking for something. I was like, oh, I buy from this lady. Not the same product, though. She wanted something. And I realized that lady sells the same thing. So let me go to the page. I went to the page and I saw it and I was like, I'm making a big mistake. I can make a business out of it. So let me go and speak to this lady. So I called my friend and I was like, I found a business idea. I want to start selling this product. It was like, are you sure? How are you going to start the money? So we were on the phone for hours planning, and I was like, going to do drop shipping. More or less like drop shipping. I'm going to buy from her. I mean, when people. I'll post it. When people buy, I forward it to her, the order to her, and then she would deliver to the people. So I spoke to the lady and I was like, I'm going to post your product. If people likes it, then you would deliver to them for me. And right there, the same day, we came up with the idea. By noon in the afternoon, I posted it. And really, I posted so many people in the first 24 hours of my business, I got more than 100 orders.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

I got more than 100 orders. That should tell you how much people needed that product.

[B]

Where did you post Snapchat?

[A]

I started my business from Snapchat. I didn't know how to use. I mean, I knew how to use other social medias, but Snapchat was where I was very active. I had little followers. So. But then that's the same day I came up with a business idea. I knew one influencer, so I paid her right away to post it for me.

[B]

So I went, where did you get the money to pay her?

[A]

I had saved from my previous relationship. I saved about 10k that time. 10k was like big money.

[B]

So this person that you were with was a very good guy to you,

[A]

Good, very kind care of you. He did.

[B]

In fact, that's how you were surviving at the time.

[A]

Yeah. Okay. So he was doing well. And I also tried to save, not just spend and, you know, enjoy the life at that moment. So I saved with my friend, not with myself because I know I'll spend it. So I saved with my friend. And then I didn't start the business with money duba. I needed money to make it move. So the others were coming in. I was forwarding it to this lady and I think she was swamped with the others. She didn't know what to do again and was like, it's stressful. She can't do it again. At that moment, I didn't know, like, that was 24 hours into the business.

[B]

And she said, it's stressful, she can't do it again.

[A]

She doesn't know because she. I mean, she's not used to. Because the people and people believed me and they were paying. At that time, no one was coming to me with, let me do payment on delivery stuff when you come and how I even thought. I mean, I just put the price there and people were ready to pay. I was like, really? People are ready to pay? Just like that. So they were paying and I was forwarding it to her. And then she started delivering the next day. I think we started in the evening. So the next day she started delivering. And then that was where I also thought of making it better because she was just putting it in a rubber and sending it out. And a product of that magnitude, you can't just send it out just like that. It was risky.

[B]

Okay?

[A]

So that is where the idea started from forwarding it to her. And then I was paying the influencer to keep posting it, keep posting it for me, because the orders are coming. And in a span of 24 hours, I've made about 20,000 Ghana cities, even more. Okay.

[B]

And I was like, wow, just selling on Snapchat.

[A]

Snapchat alone, no other platform. I didn't even like WhatsApp. I didn't. I didn't even. I didn't like TikTok, Instagram, those stuff. I didn't like it. I think it was a year into my business before I started TikTok and just Snapchat. But that one, you need to pay influencers. And I didn't mind so far as the money was coming. I was just paying them to, you know, keep posting for me, keep posting for me. And then the others were coming. Connected Minds Podcast.