Segment: Stop Chasing Jobs, Create Them - Entrepreneurship Beats 9-5 Slavery Every Time

Summary

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Episode Summary: "Stop Chasing Jobs, Create Them – Entrepreneurship Beats 9–5 Slavery Every Time"

Podcast: Konnected Minds Podcast
Host: Derrick Abaitey
Guest: Ebenezer Kwajo Saka Adomiensa (CEO & Founder, Saka Homes)
Date: June 1, 2026

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Overview

This episode dives deep into the realities of entrepreneurship versus traditional employment, especially within the Ghanaian and broader African context. Host Derrick Abaitey brings on Ebenezer Kwajo Saka Adomiensa, an influential real estate entrepreneur and multi-business owner, to debunk myths about finance, opportunity, and mindset. The conversation is raw and practical, focused on inspiring the next generation to create jobs—not chase them.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Value of Entrepreneurship over Traditional Jobs

• Certificates vs. Practical Action
  • Derrick provocatively suggests “dropping the certificate from university” and pursuing business (00:29). Ebenezer agrees, emphasizing that academic credentials are not a barrier to opportunity and should not limit the pursuit of success.
  • Quote:

    “So if you have a certificate you can't sell kelewele? You are mad… If it’s kelewele, I’ll sell to get the money. I’ll do it.” — Ebenezer (00:35)

• The Purpose of University
  • Ebenezer advises young people not to limit their aspirations to finding employment post-degree but to focus on “creating a job” (00:48).

2. The Myth of Needing Capital

• Young people commonly say they lack capital to start. Ebenezer reframes this:
  • Quote:

    “Your idea is worth more than capital. I started my business with a thousand cedis, but then I built a house.” — Ebenezer (00:58)

  • He insists credibility and good ideas attract money more than resources alone (10:57–11:51).

3. Ebenezer's Entrepreneurial Journey

• Surviving Loss and Hardship
  • Ebenezer reflects on losing land, homes, and enduring long legal battles when starting in real estate (01:11).
  • Quote:

    “I’ve lost money, I've lost land… I lost two houses that I built, had roofed. Someone took me to court for a whole year.” — Ebenezer (01:11)

• Real Estate Realities in Ghana
  • He cautions that real estate prices will only get tougher and urges people to be realistic about market expectations (01:29–01:50).

4. Mindset: Enjoying Life and Wins Along the Way

• Derrick and Ebenezer discuss the importance of “living in the now” and not deferring happiness for future milestones:
  • Memorable Story:
    Ebenezer’s mother saved for pension, retired at 60, but passed away at 61—her children spent the savings she never enjoyed (03:39–04:28).
  • Quote:

    “As we succeed, as we thrive, let’s indulge in things that we enjoy. Let’s enjoy our little wins.” — Ebenezer (04:23)

• This attitude ties back to motivation and energy, making the entrepreneurial journey more fulfilling.

5. Early Influences and Independence

• Ebenezer reflects on being resourceful and business-minded from his teens, contrasting his own experience with today’s youth:
  • He started side businesses as a student, including running a photocopying service on campus (05:39–06:47).
• He did not come from an entrepreneurial household; instead, he drew inspiration from wealthier peers and school experiences (06:47–07:29).

6. Lessons & Advice for Young People

• Dream bigger, believe more, and push further—these are Ebenezer’s lessons to his younger self (08:22–08:54).
• The necessity of constant learning, unlearning, and re-learning:
  • Quote:

    “Every day I learn… Sometimes you need to unlearn. What you thought was good yesterday might not be good today. So you constantly need to learn, unlearn, and relearn.” — Ebenezer (08:59–09:15)

• Advice to aspiring entrepreneurs:
  • There’s “enormous opportunity” in developing countries. Don’t wait for someone to employ you—create your own path (09:46–10:52).
• Value personal credibility above all—people invest in people they trust, not just good ideas (11:09–11:51).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “If you have a certificate you can't sell kelewele? You are mad... Let me try here. I need money. If it’s kelewele, I’ll sell to get the money. I’ll do it.”
  — Ebenezer (00:35)
  A humorous but powerful rebuke against status-driven thinking.

• “Your idea is worth more than capital.”
  — Ebenezer (00:58)
  A recurring theme throughout the episode.

• “Real estate in Ghana is not going to get cheap any day. The earlier we learn it, the better… Stop wanting real estate to be cheap. It's not going to get cheaper, it’s even going to get crazier.”
  — Ebenezer (01:29–01:50)
  A sobering reality check on market expectations.

• “If you learn to enjoy your little wins, you’ll be amazed the motivation and energy it gives you.”
  — Ebenezer (04:23)

• “What you constantly think is what you become. So I’m very careful what I think now… If I dreamed just a little bit bigger, if I believed in myself just a little bit more… it would have been much bigger, and much easier than it is now.”
  — Ebenezer (08:33–08:54)
  On the power of mindset for long-term achievement.

• “You don’t need capital… Your idea is worth more than capital. If you have a good idea, add credibility to it. A lot of people are not credible, and that’s the real issue.”
  — Ebenezer (10:57–11:51)

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Important Timestamps

• 00:29 – Academic certificates vs. action; “go and sell kelewele”
• 01:11 – Ebenezer’s struggles in real estate; legal battles and setbacks
• 03:39–04:28 – The importance of enjoying wins now, story about Ebenezer’s mother
• 05:39–06:47 – Ebenezer’s teen entrepreneurship
• 08:33–08:54 – Lessons to his 19-year-old self: dream and believe bigger
• 09:46–10:54 – There’s more opportunity in developing countries—create jobs, don’t chase them
• 10:57–11:51 – The significance of credibility over capital

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Conclusion

This engaging conversation is a reality check and a motivational guide for anyone feeling stuck or disillusioned with the standard 9-to-5 path. Ebenezer and Derrick urge listeners to leverage their ideas, build credibility, never stop learning, and—most importantly—create their own opportunities. The candid stories and practical advice make this episode a must-listen for ambitious Africans and anyone ready to shatter limiting beliefs.

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Transcript

[Grainger Advertiser]

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[Derek Abayte]

You should drop the certificate from university and go and sell Kalewele.

[Ebenezer Kwajo Saka Adomiensa]

So if you have a certificate, you can't sell kale. You are mad. Let me tree here. I need money. If it's kelevele, I'll sell to get the money. I'll do it.

[Derek Abayte]

So what's the point of the university?

[Ebenezer Kwajo Saka Adomiensa]

A lot of people are planning to go to school and go and look for a job. But I encourage them to go to school and create a job.

[Derek Abayte]

The young people are saying that they don't have the capital.

[Ebenezer Kwajo Saka Adomiensa]

Your idea is worth more than capital. I started my business with thousand cities, but then I built a house.

[Derek Abayte]

How?

[Ebenezer Kwajo Saka Adomiensa]

Let's get to the more important thing.

[Derek Abayte]

So let's talk about your journey to real estate.

[Ebenezer Kwajo Saka Adomiensa]

I've lost money, I've lost land. I lost two houses that I built, had roofed. Someone took me to court for a whole year. We're going to court, wasting our time. One day we went to court and I told my lawyer that this thing is draining me. Would you let them take that?

[Derek Abayte]

When it comes to this real estate conversation, young people are saying that homes

[Ebenezer Kwajo Saka Adomiensa]

are not affordable enough because they don't have money. They should look for money. Real estate in Ghana is not going to get cheap any day. The earlier we learn it, the better. You like cheap things, but no but

[Derek Abayte]

let's be real here. The average salary of a regular Ghanaian, it's between 1005 average.

[Ebenezer Kwajo Saka Adomiensa]

You can't do jack with that money and stop wanting real estate to be cheap. It's not going to get cheaper, is even going to get crazier.

[Derek Abayte]

It's making money that simple.

[Ebenezer Kwajo Saka Adomiensa]

Hey.

[Derek Abayte]

My guest today is Mr. Ebenezer Kwajo Saka Adomiensa. He's the CEO and founder of Saka Homes. At least that is the business most people recognize him for. But he owns other five businesses which he usually does not talk about. But today, the reason you should sit through this conversation is because you're going to learn the truth. Unfiltered about business on the 9th of September we're doing connected Minds Live and this year is happening in Kumasi or Sacrum. So if you want to be there and you know, network and engage with other entrepreneurs and learn a thing or two about business, mindset and success. The link is in the description, it's also going to be in the comments. Click on it and grab yourself a seat. Also, there are times when we send emails on our email list to our faithful audience. So if you are on the email list, please always look out for an email from myself twice a week. My name is Derek Abayte and thank you so much for tuning in to our beautiful podcast and an awesome time we are going to have with you. How are you doing sir?

[Ebenezer Kwajo Saka Adomiensa]

I'm doing very well. I'm alive and I feel good.

[Derek Abayte]

You're a very chilled man.

[Ebenezer Kwajo Saka Adomiensa]

Well, I didn't start out as a chilled man, but I'm learning to take life easy because someone died yesterday, someone is dying now, someone will die tomorrow. Sometimes if you don't chill, you miss it.

[Derek Abayte]

Is it a conscious effort to always live in the now rather than the past and the future?

[Ebenezer Kwajo Saka Adomiensa]

It's something that I've developed in the last few years because I realized that most of us are only chasing. We are not taking a minute to enjoy. We should learn to enjoy our little successes. I was telling you before we came here, my mother always spoke about her pension and the things she would do during her pension and she saved for her pension. She pensioned at 60, she died at 61. My sister and I went for the money. We chopped it all. The money she saved, all the enjoyment she deferred. She didn't live to enjoy that. So as we succeed, as we thrive, let's indulge in things that we enjoy. Let's enjoy our little wins. Because if you learn to enjoy your little wins, you'll be amazed the motivation and energy gives you.

[Derek Abayte]

If I take you like I want to really rewind this whole thing to the 19 year old Ebenezer. Hey, did you understand this concept at that time?

[Ebenezer Kwajo Saka Adomiensa]

Well, I grabbed life quite early. After Achimota I had to stay home for two years to at the time we who finished in 98 were due to go to the university in 2000, so I had to stay home. Then I had the opportunity to work as a clerk at snet. So I saw how workers woke up in the morning, got the bus at 6, left the office at 4:30, came back on the bus trafficking traffic out. The whole time at work was Busy. I was working in records, dirty files. It was. It was tough, but I looked at those. I worked with the older ones and how their lifestyle was. And I knew that's not how I wanted to live. So quickly I started thinking about what I could do to make my life better. Also, in my time in Atimota, I was from an ordinary home, but I met kids from homes where kids turn on aces in their bedrooms. I met kids from homes where their parents had more than five cars. I met kids who travel abroad for vacations. And these kids became my friends. So I had the privilege of visiting them at home, seeing their lifestyle. And that also motivated me. I realized that, hey, so there are homes that live like this. And if I do well, maybe I can also live like this. I visited some of them, their dad's workplaces, their homes, and all these formed me. So me at 19 back actually by 20, I knew entrepreneurship was what I wanted to do. And I started pursuing it when we were going to tech. I always say this at stc, while people were carrying their suitcases, plus my suitcase, I carried a photocopier to tech because I'd visited the school a few weeks before and I realized that there were a lot of photocopies there. Then reading Graphic. Two weeks later, I saw there was an auction for a photocopy. I put in a bid, I won it, and my blessed mom bought it for me. So I went to tech and started a photocopy machine along my first degree.

[Derek Abayte]

Your mom and dad, were they entrepreneurs?

[Ebenezer Kwajo Saka Adomiensa]

No, no, no, no. Not at all. They were the only co people who didn't do a lot of. I always make a joke that my dad went for Sumo Panka to sell and even that my dad worked at snet. He worked at SNET all his life, to the best of my knowledge, in living memory. He was a worker at snit. My mom was a specialist teacher who specialized in teaching the deaf, the blind and the handicapped. Then she later became a clinical psychologist. She worked with the non formal education division, so she retired.

[Derek Abayte]

Was there no pressure to become a doctor, a dentist, the regular?

[Ebenezer Kwajo Saka Adomiensa]

No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Lucky I had parents who believed in me. And my parents didn't really force you to do anything you didn't want to do. I was a kubolo, right? I roam. At 15, 16, I could take Trotro to visit my friends in Cantonments, Osu, Kokomle. Like I was independent, I could go anywhere. And I used to do business, no, some not too great business, but I Used to do business from jss. I'll be selling things to people. I'll be. I had contacts in Kantamanto, I had contacts in ts. If you wanted to sell something, if you wanted to, you were a street boy. Yeah, I was that kind of guy who could make it happen. And it's really helped me.

[Derek Abayte]

What do you think is the difference between you at that time and the young people today?

[Ebenezer Kwajo Saka Adomiensa]

Well, I believe they are young people like me now.

[Derek Abayte]

Okay.

[Ebenezer Kwajo Saka Adomiensa]

But the real. If I was 19 again, the way I would think and what I would do, I would be way bigger than I am now.

[Derek Abayte]

Talk to me, what would you have done?

[Ebenezer Kwajo Saka Adomiensa]

So I'm of the opinion that your thoughts become your reality. What you constantly think is what you become. So I'm very careful what I think now because if I was 19 again, I would realize that if I dreamed just a little bit bigger, if I believed in myself just a little bit more, if I pushed just a little bit further, it would have been much bigger and much easier than it is now.

[Derek Abayte]

At 19, you. You didn't have this information?

[Ebenezer Kwajo Saka Adomiensa]

No.

[Derek Abayte]

When did you chance on this information?

[Ebenezer Kwajo Saka Adomiensa]

As I grow, I learn. Every day, I learn. When I came to you now, I was on a lecture, I was listening. You will say that for a man my caliber. I have a degree, I have three master's degrees. What am I doing with more learning? I constantly learn because sometimes you need to unlearn. A lot of us don't unlearn, but you should understand that you need to unlearn because what you thought was good yesterday might not be good today. So you constantly need to learn and learn and relearn. If you incubate it into you and it becomes part of your life, life becomes less burdensome. So you don't carry any mini, mini, minim. So sometimes you're minim.

[Derek Abayte]

Right. So that that 19 year old who is stuck somewhere don't know what they're doing with their life. What are you going to tell them?

[Ebenezer Kwajo Saka Adomiensa]

I'm going to tell them that, look, we live in a developing country. There is enormous opportunity here. A lot of people are planning to go to school and go and look for a job. But I encourage them to go to school and create a job. There are a lot of opportunities. If you look at the trajectory of developed countries, you can just study them. How did entrepreneurship start? How did people get into this? There are always little, little things people need and we should understand that. Rome wasn't built in a day. Entrepreneurship is tough, but it's worthwhile. I'M going to explain to you why it's worthwhile. If you build it well, it's for you. There's no sucking, there's no moodiness. There is no tomorrow. He decides to fire you, you are gone. It's not your you put your effort in helping him build his dream. But if you build a business, you are diligent and you build it steadily. It is yours who is coming to sack you. You rather employ people and they work for you and pursue their dream. If you structure it while a time is coming, your money and people will be working for you and you'll be sitting at home.

[Derek Abayte]

Young people are saying that they don't have the capital.

[Ebenezer Kwajo Saka Adomiensa]

You don't need capital. I have said this and I will continue to say it. I didn't have capital. I had an idea. Your idea is worth more than capital. If you have a good idea, yeah, add credibility to it. A lot of people are not credible, and that's the real issue. Because I am able to raise money from my friends to invest in business. The people who know me, when I go to them for money, they give me. Why? No bank in Ghana can say Saka owes him till today. But I have friends, at least about 10 of them, who can say their money is with me and can vouch for me that whenever I sell, I give them back their money. And that is what is important. A lot of young people meddle in all sorts of messes and mess up with their credibility. If you are 19 and you are watching me, or you are young and you are watching me and you want to start a business, my advice to you is simple. Value your credibility. Connected Minds Podcast

[Grainger Advertiser]

Grainger knows When you're a procurement manager for an office park, you're not managing one building, you're managing all of them. And to stay ahead, you need to see through walls and around corners. Lights about to fail, filters ready to clog H Vac on its last leg. If you wait until something breaks, you're already behind. Count on Grainger for quality products, easy reordering and 24. 7 support. Call 1-800-GRAINGER click grainger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done.