Segment: Job Rejection To International Business Owner - Passion Beats Money Every Time

Summary

Konnected Minds Podcast with Derrick Abaitey
Episode Segment: "Job Rejection To International Business Owner – Passion Beats Money Every Time"
Date: May 24, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this inspiring episode, Derrick Abaitey sits down with a remarkable female entrepreneur whose journey spans from job rejection and personal hardship to becoming an international business owner. They discuss the importance of passion over profit, building a meaningful business, overcoming cultural and social expectations, and the true challenges behind success. The conversation is candid, practical, and motivational, aiming to empower aspiring entrepreneurs—particularly young women in Africa—to pursue their dreams with resilience and authenticity.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Navigating Regulatory Challenges & Expansion (00:30–01:41)

• Product Approval Obstacles: The guest highlights struggles with FDA approvals for certain products:

  “I have a lot of products I would like to add, but they can’t be approved. Even pharmacies are not allowed to sell it.” (00:30)

• Medical Community Support: Despite barriers, she shares that doctors often recommend patients to her, recognizing the effectiveness of her products.

  “Sometimes I’m surprised. I mean, they know it works. That’s why they will recommend people to come to me.” (01:05)

• International Reach: She successfully ships products to the US, Canada, UK, and Germany, and is expanding into Nigeria:

  “I travel to Nigeria too, to expand my business there. Nigerians also are on my products.” (01:30)

The Power of Passion vs. Chasing Money (01:44–02:45)

• Long-Term Vision: She emphasizes that many new entrepreneurs expect instant results, but true success requires patience:

  “People want to start today and see success today... That’s because you’re motivated by money, right? Not passion. I have passion for feminine hygiene. Even on days I don’t feel like showing up, I still show up.” (01:47)

• Purpose Over Profit: She distinguishes between wanting to run a business and wanting to build a brand:

  “If you are just motivated by money, you start today. And if you don’t get sales tomorrow, you are done.” (04:18)

Overcoming Hardship & Building Resilience (02:45–04:09)

• Early Struggles: The guest reflects on post-university job rejection, financial hardship, and humble beginnings:

  “When you say tough, we were bathing AC water... We couldn’t afford to fill our tanks.” (03:09)

• Motivation From Discomfort:

  “I hate discomfort. I think that also makes me a go-getter. I don’t like to be uncomfortable in life, in anything I’m doing.” (02:58)

Advice to Aspiring Entrepreneurs & Recent Graduates (04:12–05:12)

• Don’t Wait for Jobs—Create Opportunities:

  “You don’t have to wait. Right now there are a lot of businesses you can start, but make sure you know what you want to do, you have passion for it.” (04:18)

• Learning Through Failure and Consistency: She shares her experience of fluctuating sales and how she adapted instead of quitting:

  “I sat down and I was like, how am I going to do this better? That is when I started reaching out to other influencers.” (05:13)

• Strategic Investment in Branding: She credits influencer marketing—despite its cost—with transforming her business:

  “She brought the light into my business... In a span of 24 hours, I’ve sold about 25,000 cedis.” (05:30)

Overcoming Personal and Cultural Barriers (06:38–09:25)

• Addressing Childhood Challenges: She connects her current fulfillment to gaps from her upbringing:

  “I feel so happy when people come to me and, you know, they’ve seen results from what I’m selling. It’s like I’m fulfilling a purpose.” (07:05)

• Changing Family Perceptions and Forgiveness:

  “Even my mother, I’ve forgiven her. She’s so proud.” (07:52)

• Confronting Social Expectations:

  “My mom wanted me to work in a government institution... She wanted me to wear the suit and go to work... but that was not me.” (08:19)

• Parents Must Listen and Support: Both host and guest advocate for parents to truly understand and support their children's aspirations:

  “If you want your child to be a doctor and she doesn’t want to be a doctor, ask her, ask him, what do you want to do? ...Just mold them on the way.” (09:20)

The Process is Messy—but Start Anyway (10:04–11:36)

• Perfection is Not a Prerequisite:

  “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.” (10:13)

• Embracing the Journey & Self-Paced Growth:

  “I’m not in a rush. I’m on my own timeline. If I don’t have a physical shop, I’m not rushing to get one... Someone is getting one of the biggest shops. I don’t care. Their path is different from mine.” (10:57)

• Authentic Online Presence:

  “You need to show up more, show up in your most authentic self... I connect with my customers so much... If someone comes to call me a scammer, they’ll fight for me.” (11:36)

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Building a Lasting Brand:
  “I want a brand. I want a company. Ever since I’ve known, I wanted to be a business owner. That is my goal. So I work towards that.” (04:22)
• On Staying Motivated Amidst Hardship:
  “I didn’t want to give up. I wanted... this is a brand. I wanted to be international one day. I wanted to make waves. Not just a business that wakes up and sells. No.” (05:40)
• On Parental Expectations:
  “My siblings, you know, they feel like I’ve made it, or I’m making it.” (07:55)
• On Authenticity in Business:
  “Show up in your most authentic self. You don’t have to be someone else... People, when people see your page, they don’t have any doubt... they can bring their money to you.” (11:36)

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Notable Segments & Timestamps

• Regulatory & Business Expansion Challenges: 00:30–01:44
• The Passion vs. Money Debate: 01:44–02:45
• Hardships and “Bathing AC Water”: 02:57–04:09
• Advice for New Graduates: 04:12–05:13
• Influencer Marketing & Business Growth: 05:13–06:38
• Childhood, Parental Relationships & Self-Discovery: 06:38–09:25
• Starting Imperfectly & Growing Authentically: 10:04–11:36

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Closing Reflection

This episode distills the entrepreneurial journey down to grit, authenticity, and finding your why. The guest’s candid storytelling—about humble beginnings, strategic pivots, and personal growth—offers relatable guidance to listeners frustrated by setbacks or external expectations. The emphasis is clear: Passion, not money, is the real driver of success, and building a brand takes resilience, authenticity, and self-belief.

Transcript

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[Female Entrepreneur]

I'm, 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,

[Interviewer]

I was, 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.

[Female Entrepreneur]

And you have a prescription, prescription, which

[Interviewer]

you need a doctor first.

[Female Entrepreneur]

So that one is more or less like prescription, prescription. 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. I mean, they know it works. That's why they will recommend people to come to me.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Female Entrepreneur]

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.

[Interviewer]

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

[Female Entrepreneur]

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.

[Interviewer]

Wow.

[Female Entrepreneur]

Nigerians also are on my products and. Yeah.

[Interviewer]

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

[Female Entrepreneur]

Businesses? 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, right. Not passion. I have passion for feminine hygiene because I feel like the ladies need 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.

[Interviewer]

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?

[Female Entrepreneur]

I would have been miserable.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Female Entrepreneur]

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 stood 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're able to 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?

[Interviewer]

Are you happy?

[Female Entrepreneur]

Very happy.

[Interviewer]

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?

[Female Entrepreneur]

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 you 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.

[Interviewer]

Okay.

[Female Entrepreneur]

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. And so 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, ask of 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 wanted 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.

[Interviewer]

The vision is big. 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.

[Female Entrepreneur]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

And now what you're doing now, are you fulfilling those gaps that were missing when you were growing up?

[Female Entrepreneur]

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 are 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.

[Interviewer]

You're happy.

[Female Entrepreneur]

So, yes, I'm fulfilling. I feel like I'm fulfilling a purpose and it makes me so happy.

[Interviewer]

How does your father feel about you?

[Female Entrepreneur]

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.

[Interviewer]

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.

[Female Entrepreneur]

You know, the reason why my mom didn't want me to come to Accra is 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 was in me. I didn't want that. So, yes, you know, she was against it because she wanted to do the nine to five stuff.

[Interviewer]

And I. 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.

[Female Entrepreneur]

Right.

[Interviewer]

They don't actually know their kids.

[Female Entrepreneur]

Yes.

[Interviewer]

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

[Female Entrepreneur]

I think they should.

[Interviewer]

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

[Female Entrepreneur]

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 the 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.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. What I've really got it from this conversation is when it came to your business was you need to start. Even when you are messy, when you don't know what you are doing, you

[Female Entrepreneur]

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. Their packaging should be. Well, listen, when I went to China, that was when I did my first. No, no, my face. I was doing my packaging in Ghana, but I wasn't getting it as I wanted. I wanted something that when people see like it entice their eyes. When it goes to people's homes, they don't throw 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 know. I mean, I'm able to sell. I think the largest sale I've ever made was like 2,000 orders in a span of three days that was doing sales.

[Interviewer]

Wow.

[Female Entrepreneur]

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 premium 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 me. They are the army, you know, so you need to build your online presence. Well, that people, when people see your page, they don't have any doubt out, you know, that, yes, they can bring their money to you Charity.

[Interviewer]

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

[Female Entrepreneur]

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

[Interviewer]

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

[Female Entrepreneur]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

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.

[Female Entrepreneur]

Connected Minds Podcast

[Spanish Advertiser]

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