Segment: Gen Z Isn't Lazy - We Just Lack Real-World Business Training

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Gen Z Isn't Lazy – We Just Lack Real-World Business Training"

Konnected Minds Podcast with Derrick Abaitey
Date: August 6, 2026
Host: Derrick Abaitey (Konnected House)
Guest: Young Entrepreneur (Name not specified)

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Episode Overview

This episode of the Konnected Minds Podcast dives into the experiences of a Gen Z entrepreneur who started and grew a business while still in school. The conversation challenges stereotypes about Gen Z being "lazy," highlighting instead the lack of practical, real-world business training provided to young people in Africa. Through personal stories, the guest shares insights on how innovation, mentorship, and a lack of a "Plan B" mindset contribute to entrepreneurial success.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Starting from Nothing: Building a Business in School

• Early Hustles and Community Roots
  • The guest recalls struggling to pay rent and starting his first business in a rundown shop with the help of friends and even a physician assistant-turned-painter.
  • "We rented a place...it was a total mess. We had to turn the place around...I was still in school, so who would be taking care of the shop?" (00:30)
• Pulling Friends Along
  • Shared how friends joined, took low salaries, and later on, were supported to start their own businesses.
  • His first manager handled all roles in the shop for just 200 cedis (approx. $20/month) in 2021.
  • "Now he's doing well, he's still in my space. I have helped...start another business similar to ours too." (01:40)

2. Leveraging School Networks for Business Growth

• How Tertiary Networks Expand Reach
  • By building credibility and relationships at university, he expanded his customer base as classmates graduated and moved across the country (and region).
  • "When your customer gets scattered your business gets wider with small cash input." (03:45)
  • Utilized school alumni networks to fulfill orders in remote parts of Ghana and even in other West African countries.
  • "Now it means I have a rep anywhere in any town. Unless there's no hospital...I have reps there who know me." (05:15)

3. Commitment over Comfort: No Option B

• Single-Minded Dedication
  • Guest describes a personal philosophy borrowed from football coach Pep Guardiola: never giving himself a "Plan B" so Plan A must succeed.
  • "Anytime you have an option B, the option A is not that sharp. Subconsciously...the option A loses its potency." (06:32)
  • Even turned down National Service to focus on the business, despite family pressure to become a medical professional.

4. On Gen Z Stereotypes

• Not Laziness but Lack of Practical Training
  • Dispels the notion that Gen Z is lazy; instead, says the real issue is a lack of exposure to innovation and business training outside rote academics.
  • "Never think that generation we are lazy...I think we are not innovative." (08:51)
  • Critiques the Ghanaian and wider African education system for not preparing students for problem-solving or real business situations.
  • "We are trained to write BECE…that is our upbringing in senior high school. We are trained to write WASSCE; perform well in WASSCE." (09:14)

5. Importance of Early Exposure and Mentorship

• Mentoring the Next Generation
  • Guest now takes young teens on real-world errands like banking, teaching them business basics such as what it means for a cheque to bounce or how to write cheques.
  • "So some people, their kids are with me...when I'm going to the bank, I take some young, very young people to the bank. I tell them...when someone’s check has bounced, this is what it means." (09:30)

6. Role Models and Learning from Older Generations

• Bridging the Generational Gap
  • Credits wisdom gained from older mentors and peers; often seeks detailed feedback on his business strategies from seniors.
  • "You see the kind of people I move with. They are olds, they old folks. So I blend how they do their things...with how we as Gen Zs [do]." (08:12)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Risk and No Plan B:
  "If option A doesn't work, I’ll force it to work. If, what about if it doesn't work? It will work; if it doesn't work, I'll still let it work." — Guest (07:16)

• On Gen Z and Innovation:
  "I never, never think that generation we are lazy...We are not lazy, but we are not innovating." — Guest (08:51)

• On Early Exposure:
  "I let some of the kids, some 13, 14, I let them write my check for me. Then I will do the signing part, just to introduce them to how the banking system works." — Guest (09:35)

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Important Timestamps

• 00:30–02:00: The reality of starting a business with friends, low funds, and repurposed space.
• 03:40–05:25: How using tertiary school networks helped the business expand nationwide and across West Africa.
• 06:32–07:50: The “no Plan B” mindset and how family pressures influenced career choices.
• 08:49–09:35: Direct discussion on how Gen Z isn't lazy, but lacks innovation due to systemic issues in education.
• 09:35–10:46: Specifics on real-world learning experiences and early mentorship for teenagers.

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Tone and Language

The conversation is candid, motivational, and practical, filled with real-life anecdotes and a focus on mentorship, self-reliance, and confidence-building. The guest speaks with humility and gratitude for community support, while critiquing systemic gaps in Ghanaian (and broader African) youth training.

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Final Takeaway

This episode effectively dispels the myth of Gen Z laziness and advocates for hands-on, real-world business education as the true missing piece. The guest’s journey—from student side hustle to employing over 30 staff—emphasizes innovation, mentorship, and relentless commitment as keys to youth entrepreneurial success.

Transcript

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[Entrepreneur Sharing Business Story]

I couldn't get money to pay everything and pay even the rent agent. The rent agent. I didn't get money for him. His name is Kwame Guru. Now. He's still my friend. He's my very good friend. Now we are together. But he told me one thing. That one day he was a hospital driver to humanity Hospital. So he told me that one day he may hold the nephew's hand and come and look for work. And it's true. Now I mean, we have done a lot for. I mean a lot for we are be able to. I mean, help him as our friend. Get it? I mean, he did it for me. And I cherish so much. We rented a place we couldn't do much. I'll share some of the pictures with you. It was total mess. We had to turn the place around other things, put some of the goods inside. I was still in school, so who will be taking care of the shop? So during the painting, mind you, the one who came to paint it was a physician assistant, my senior who had stopped practicing in the consulting room to go into his full time painting job. That's the name of his company. There were no problem. I'll do it for even if I don't have money. I like the vision. So he did it for me. He didn't take money. He painted it for me. Then when I was doing the painting, one of my SHS meets now the families and friends again. SHS classmate was passing through Samuel. I was working for some electrical shop. But now it's no more. In this existence. The woman has been relocated abroad by the husband. I don't have any work, so if you have any place to give me. And I asked him how much is he going to take? Do you know how much he quitted? Is it 180 or 200 city? That's 20. So is it 2021 or 2020? Yes, around that the 2021, 200 city. I said no problem. And now he's doing well he's still in my space. I have helped or we have helped him start another business similar to ours too. That's what we do with some of our sometimes we realize that you are doing well we want you to establish yourself so we help you go on. So he came to join us he became our first manager. He was the cleaner for the shop, dispatch rider he was the accountant he was everything at the show while I was still in school I was guiding him. Small, small. I mean he was doing almost most of this he was coming to work on Saturday, on Sunday. So sometimes I call him to our office tell him that you all of you are enjoying now people are being paid 30 months salary which I do now I pay 30 months I do all those things. This is the person that started the work that you are enjoying. He was taking 200 city yes and they call him he comes to my office all of we are friends all of me I don't. You see, I don't suck people I unless the system will let you leave my I don't suck. But he, I mean we didn't, we never had any issue he's been my friend till now. He tell them so the work was going on from there. One thing that did the turn around for us is that you see when you were in tertiary school at any point in time if you're in level 100 and let's say you are 3,000 people in level 100 there are 3,000 people in level 200, level 300, level 500 so at a point in time my seniors were leaving school and when they are living to some are coming level 100, level 200 when they leave school they get posted to all over the country like all. So my customers were getting scattered all over the country so I'm not surprised that all businesses that started from tertiary like, like Chris business that's doing so well I even bought some yesterday pizza man that started from tertiary and you get your customers from tertiary build your credibility, trustworthiness from there. When a customer gets scattered your business gets wider with small cash input.

[Interviewer]

Right?

[Entrepreneur Sharing Business Story]

Because the capabilities credibility is built from there.

[Interviewer]

Yes.

[Entrepreneur Sharing Business Story]

So when I wanted to sell someone wants to buy medical equipment my friends will tell them that because somebody are very good with them they say oh we have this friend in school who used to say let me contact him and see if he's still in that business. So I can't even those I couldn't supply, I can supply look for help and let some people help me. I supply the contract get another Bigger supply or something. Help me. We all share the money. That is how it was growing. Sometimes if someone wants to buy something from me or from my Facebook ad bell for something. So. But we haven't seen you before. I asked them where are you located? So I'm in Burger. Then I go to my school page. We have a general school page with about 20000 people. 10000 people. I put who of you is in Burger at this moment? Then someone will reply, oh, I'm in Borgan now. Okay then if it's not someone I know, I'll find out from someone I knew that. Oh, you know, this person is incredible. Okay, then someone wants to buy something for me in Burger. I want to send you the product. He will give you the money when it comes to pick it up, then you send me. You pick, let's say this percentage of the money and send me the balance. So when they were doing that, they were doing those deliveries and other things for me. So now it means that I have a rep anywhere in any town. Unless there's no hospital, there's no chips compound, there's no clinic or medical center. I have reps there who know me. And what I. So that is how the company turned around. Because of that, it became nationwide, even to Nigeria. Some could have some other West African countries because some of the universities and myths after completion they were foreigners. So after completion, someone to have a coast back, someone to Nigeria back. So I mean, that is how.

[Interviewer]

So you started a business while you were in school?

[Entrepreneur Sharing Business Story]

Yeah, finished.

[Interviewer]

And you are still working in that business?

[Entrepreneur Sharing Business Story]

Yeah, I'm still working.

[Interviewer]

You are not looking for a job?

[Entrepreneur Sharing Business Story]

Okay, so I have this philosophy I picked from Pepcadiola me. I don't have option B. I believe anytime you have an option B, the option A is not that sharp. Subconsciously? Yes, subconscious. That's my belief. I don't know for others. So this is my belief. I know that subconsciously, anytime you have a second option, an alternate option, the option A loses its potency because subconsciously you know that, oh, even if it doesn't work, I have a job. So I didn't even do national service. I see. I didn't do that because I knew if I had done national, even though, you see, I completed with first class, it was awarded by UCC first class. Even I didn't like the health. However I find myself, whether I like it or not, I do it well. So instead of going to do national service. Oh, my mom. My mom is in my mom and those People, they have the pride, the joy that they are. They, their son is being called. Oh, a proficient assistant. You are in the consulting room where this, they call it. I mean, you see how they, they treat clinical people. They want to have that kind of pride. I told them, well, I'm not in for that. I didn't, I didn't because that was the only available option. So right now that I'm, I'm not going to do the practice, what should I do? If I had done the service, I will be forced to do the, I mean, go and work. So, I mean, I just wanted to have an excuse to give to everybody who asked me. I didn't do the service. So it's when my company became big, then I registered with National Service Secretariat. I don't know if their name is still nss. That is when I decided to do myself in my company instead of going to do the service elsewhere. I didn't do it because I, I mean, if I've gotten the service and then everything, but I wrote my license exams and got my, my license.

[Interviewer]

How many people are you employing now?

[Entrepreneur Sharing Business Story]

Directly, like a little, about 30. Indirectly, it's at 54. Indirectly. 54 addition today. The direct stuff. Right. If the option A doesn't work. The option A work. If it doesn't work, I'll still force it to work. I mean, if, what about if it doesn't work? It will work. If it doesn't work, I'll still let it work. I had made up my mind that at West. Hey, you give me underway. I will sell it. I mean, there's no, there's no embarrassment in selling, bro. I, I was brought up with tomatoes and other things. Selling. That is not, that's not what. I used to be the business, but it built me on how to sell elsewhere.

[Interviewer]

So I'm not sure. I think you must be a Gen Z, right?

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[Entrepreneur Sharing Business Story]

Yes.

[Interviewer]

But you're a different type of Gen Z, Kind of.

[Entrepreneur Sharing Business Story]

Yeah, that's true. I think it's true. It's true. It's true. Yeah. I'm a different. I'm different.

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[Interviewer]

You remind me of a millennial.

[Entrepreneur Sharing Business Story]

Well, well, that is okay. I, I, Most of my friends are. Most of my friends and mentors are old. Is it last week or last two weeks? I was going to give one mentor, Captain Retail. I was going to give him my document to review for me, my strategy to review for me. When I sent him a s copy, he said, sam, are you out of your mind? Do you know I'm over 70 years you are bringing me a s copy. How many pages? 100 and something. He said no print hard copy and bring me. I want to write inside. You see the kind of people I move with. They are olds, they owes folks. So I blend how they do their things other things with how. I mean we as Genesis.

[Interviewer]

Do you definitely see the difference between you and some of your classmates?

[Entrepreneur Sharing Business Story]

Yes, I do.

[Interviewer]

What's the difference?

[Entrepreneur Sharing Business Story]

Risk appetite 1 I never, never think that generation we are lazy. I don't think that way. I think that we are not innovative. Okay, that one. I'm permitted full chest to say that our generation we are not innovate. We are not lazy, but we are not innovating.

[Interviewer]

Gen Z are not lazy.

[Entrepreneur Sharing Business Story]

No, no, no, they are not. We are not lazy.

[Interviewer]

They are not.

[Entrepreneur Sharing Business Story]

No, no. It's innovation we lack. Innovation means that we are trained to write bec that is our upbringing and senior high school. We are trained to write wasi like perform well in wasi. There are a lot of things that I think that you could have shaped our children from their infants which I'm currently doing with some of them. So there's some people that their kids are with me sometimes when I'm going to bank, I take some young, very young people to the bank. I tell them that when someone. We say someone has his check has bounced. This is what it means at a very young. Wow. Yes. I let some of the kids, some 13, 14, I let them write my check for me. Then I will do the signing part just to introduce them to how the banking system works. Okay. Because I feel that a lot of things that we could have. It's just innovation and it's not our fault. That is. I mean I lamers that's how just the system has been designed to be. And I have a problem. Not long ago I was talking about it that for example, if you pick children a lot of children are going to school and they don't really know what they want to do with their lives. Okay. Oh, I want to be a former. Sometimes they even go to senior high school before they know they want to become a pharmacist. I want to be a pharmacist. Do you know what it takes to become a pharmacist? They don't have any idea about it. So they would have learned so hard on their faces, their mass and a lot of the mentorship we. We get lost. You get it? So I think it's the innovation that we lack in the creativity.

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