Segment: Stop Selling, Start Teaching - How I Built My Business by Educating Women First

Summary

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Episode Overview

Title: Stop Selling, Start Teaching - How I Built My Business by Educating Women First
Host: Derrick Abaitey
Date: March 28, 2026
Podcast: Konnected Minds Podcast

This episode dives deep into the philosophy of building a successful business by focusing on education and value rather than solely on sales. The guest shares a personal journey of launching and growing a business in Ghana, primarily aimed at empowering women, with practical insights on sourcing products from China, navigating regulatory requirements such as FDA approval, and using social media strategically to teach rather than just sell. The conversation is candid and practical, emphasizing self-learning, resilience, and a value-first approach.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Shifting the Business Paradigm: From Selling to Teaching

• Demonstrate Value, Don’t Just Sell (00:00)
  • Instead of just promoting a product (like a camera), show its value through practical demonstrations or comparisons (e.g., phone camera vs. DSLR).
  • Quote: “[...] you don’t just post that you are selling camera. No one really cares. But if you take a video with a camera or you compare it with the phone [...] you show the value.” (A, 00:00)
• Highlight: When considering a product, focus first on what problem it solves for your audience.

2. Building Confidence in the Face of Doubt

• Addressing Online Skepticism (00:34–01:34)
  • Discussion about public disbelief when the guest posted making “800k on TikTok,” and not letting negative comments affect one’s drive.
  • Quote: “If you’re going to be on the Internet and promote your business, you don’t have to care about what people say. So far as I know my product works, I’m giving value, I don’t care about what you say.” (A, 00:42)
• Persistence is key: “I keep pushing, I don’t stop, I keep pushing making videos [...] So if you say I didn’t make it, that is okay.” (A, 01:21)

3. Practical Steps: Starting a Product-based Business (02:09–06:04)

• Identifying the Right Product and Target Audience (02:09)
  • Scout for products that solve a real problem.
  • Clearly define your audience: “Who is your audience? Who do you want to sell this product to? What problem can you solve?” (A, 02:18)
• Learning & Sourcing (From China)
  • Use resources like Alibaba and utilize free tutorials on YouTube/TikTok.
  • Quote: “No one taught me. People want to be taught before they take a step. Sometimes you need to start, get the idea, play on the apps.” (A, 02:44)
  • Always buy from verified suppliers and compare prices.
• Self-Education Over Courses (03:24)
  • Don’t wait for paid courses—most knowledge is freely available online.
  • Quote: “Don’t wait for someone to say I’m selling a course before you buy the course. No one has your time. You should have your own time.” (A, 03:20)
• Learning from the Internet (04:45)
  • “I learned everything I know from YouTube those times[...] everything you need is on the Internet.” (A, 05:39)

4. Regulatory Process for Consumable Products (06:04–07:01)

• FDA & Lab Analysis
  • Post-importation, submit product for lab analysis before FDA registration.
  • Costs: Lab analysis is approximately 1,000–3,000 GHS; FDA registration for imported products around $500 (in dollars), varies if local.
  • Quote: “Lab analysis I think it was okay. I sent a lot of products [...] Between thousand to three thousand.” (A, 06:27)

5. Smart Start: Build an Audience First (07:01–08:10)

• Audience Before Product
  • Start by building an audience; sell to them even if the product isn't yours (e.g., dropshipping).
  • Extensive product knowledge is essential.
  • Quote: “Just make sure you know, you know a lot about what you are selling, you have the knowledge about it. If you don’t know, you learn.” (A, 07:21)
• Importance of Value Over Money
  • Many focus on the potential earnings rather than solving people’s problems.
  • Quote: “She assumed that everyone knew what the product does, but people didn’t know. When I came in[...] I started teaching ladies how to take care of themselves.” (A, 08:15)

6. The Hardest Challenge: Regulatory Compliance (09:10)

• FDA Approval Is the Major Hurdle
  • Changing product names, back-and-forth documentation, and the slow processes are highlighted as a primary pain point.
  • Quote: “FDA approval [...] sometimes a product comes and the name, how to change the name, and I’m like, I’ve marketed with this name, going to change it would be a problem [...]” (A, 09:14)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “If I wouldn’t want to die, I wouldn’t want you to die.” (A, 05:09)
• “People go and swallow when it’s supposed to be inserted; people insert when it’s supposed to be swallowed. You should know what you are doing enough that when they come to you, you should know the solution.” (A, 07:42)
• “I wish someone was there to help me understand how to do things better [...] but when I saw that, okay, this helped me, I started teaching ladies how to take care of themselves.” (A, 08:25)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time | Topic/Segment | |----------|-----------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00 | Teaching vs. selling products; showing value | | 00:34 | Handling online skepticism; staying focused | | 02:09 | Steps for product selection and sourcing from China | | 06:04 | Navigating import and FDA processes, costs explained | | 07:01 | Building an audience before launching | | 08:15 | Value over money; importance of deep product knowledge | | 09:10 | The hardest challenge: FDA approval process |

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Tone & Style

The episode’s tone is energetic, practical, and honest—reflecting the guest’s direct and hands-on approach. Listeners are encouraged to take initiative, use free resources, and focus on adding real value to their customers’ lives rather than chasing quick profits. The conversation is sprinkled with relatable anecdotes, motivational asides, and clear, actionable advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, particularly women looking to start a business in Africa.

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Takeaways

• Focus on teaching your customers and providing genuine value—selling will follow.
• Use free online resources and social media to self-educate and build confidence.
• Start with a problem you understand and care about, then grow an audience before sourcing or launching a product.
• Know the regulations in your market and prepare for bureaucratic hurdles, especially with health-related products.
• Persistence and resilience in the face of skepticism are essential for entrepreneurial success.

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Transcript

[A]

Maybe I'm okay with my phones recording with my phone, but maybe a camera has good quality. State the qualities that this camera has. You don't just post that. You are selling camera. No one really cares. But if you take a video with a camera or you compare it with the phone or this a phone's camera, this is the camera itself. You push people. If someone is serious, they go for the camera. So you have to show the value of all the importance of me having the camera. You don't just post it. I don't care about camera. So I could have posted my product but no one cares.

[B]

When you posted that you had made I think 800k on TikTok, I mean, you know how it was. A lot of people did not believe you. How did that make you feel?

[A]

I did not care. I think I've passed the stage why I care about what someone says. If you're going to be on the Internet and promote your business, you don't have to care about what people say. You have to know that one thing I always say is so far as I know my product works, I'm giving value. I don't care about what you say. I said I made 800k from what do you call it? Tick tock. If you think I didn't make that, that is okay. The money is in my account, not in your account. I would feel bad if I was lying, but I made more than that. I was just saying, you know, just to as a hook. But I made more than that from just tick tock. Because I keep pushing, I don't stop, I keep pushing making videos. When I travel, I'm making videos and I'm here, I'm making videos. So I'm always working, trying to put some something good out there, you know. So if you say I didn't make it, that is okay.

[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. There's a young lady watching you right now and she's thinking of starting a business. I want you to take me through steps of how I can get my products from China to Ghana, including what to register in terms of fda.

[A]

Okay? So I think first of all you have to scout for the products you want to sell what product you want to sell. And then you search for the value of the. I mean, the importance of what you are selling. Which type of people are you selling this to? Who is your audience? Who do you want to sell this product to? That's the first. And what problem. I think that's one thing we forget. If you are selling anything, think about the problem you can solve. I am solving so many ladies products and that is why, you know, they come to me. So you have to know the problem that product can solve. Once you've been able to identify that, you think about where you're going to get it from. So now we have China, we have. I've been to China, I've been to Turkey. And you know, you have to search the Internet where you think you can get it from. But I think China will be best. If you want to use China, China will be best. Go to Alibaba. Alibaba is so easy to use. So just go to Alibaba, learn how to. I mean this. I know how to ship. I ship my containers from China. No one taught me. People want to be taught before they take a step. Sometimes you need to start, get the idea, play on the apps. I was just playing on Alibaba. I ordered some stuff. You know, people say they're going to you. I mean, right now we have YouTube, we have TikTok. People teach these things. You don't need someone to sit you down and say, learn this before you learn, if you're ready to learn. There are so many materials on the Internet, so I just watched one or two videos of how to order from Alibaba. And that was around even before I started my business, 2021. And then I ordered from some. I ordered for some stuff and then they came and I was like, okay, so anytime I'm free, I'll go to the app and play around. And you know that. So when I started my business, it was so easy for me to know how to order from there. So since you're now starting play on the apps, go to YouTube, learn. Go to TikTok, learn how to do this stuff. Don't wait for someone to say I'm selling a course before you buy the course. Huh? Don't wait for someone to come and sit you down. No one has your time. You should have your own time. So you go and learn those stuff. Then you learn. I mean, you go to Alibaba, you look for who you want to buy it from, compare prices, ask different suppliers, compare prices, and then make sure they are legit. When you go to Alibaba, they have verified suppliers. Since you are a beginner, make sure you are buying from a verified supplier. Then you know, you start from there. So first of all, identify the problem. The problem you want to solve, the problem your product is going to solve or whatever you are bringing. What problem is it going to solve then? If it's a product that people are going to take in, insert and those things, look at the ingredients. Is it okay for you or I mean not for you, but is it something people can take in? Learn. That's one thing I do. I learn about the ingredients that are in everything that I sell because I use my own product. If I wouldn't want to die, I wouldn't want you to die. So you start from there and then you start looking for suppliers, talk to your suppliers and that, I mean that's it. Once you're able to find your supplier and then they're able to ship to you. They want to ship to you. Now you find a shipping company you can. I mean there are so many. I've been using AKT for years. They are reliable. So you just look for. I think I've shipped with Bengai once or twice. Yeah, but then you also go to you. There are so many things on the Internet I always say, I always tell people, use your phones. Well, I don't care about gossip. I don't go on the Internet. I'm looking for gist. I don't care about anyone's business. The same way I don't want anyone to care about my business. So when I go there, I'm ready to learn about something. I don't, I don't go there to look for gossip. So they should go there and use it to learn instead of looking for gossip, you know? So yeah, anything you. I feel like anything you want is on the Internet right now. People make it for free. I learned everything I know from YouTube those times. It was YouTube. I even started a YouTube channel. And so much work. So I stopped. I think everything you need is on the Internet. So first you're ready to learn and understand. Is there.

[B]

Now the product gets to Ghana. Let's say it's a product you insert or a product you take in as a pill. Now what are the steps here?

[A]

Okay, so first you go to fda. They will let you do lab analysis. So you send it for lab analysis first before you send it to FDA for registration. So I think that is just how

[B]

much roughly does the lab analysis cost for one product?

[A]

Lab analysis I think it was okay. I sent a lot of products and I don't know the pricing. Between thousand to three thousand days, something like that.

[B]

So you've got your lab analysis. Now let's go to fda. How much would they charge you to register the product?

[A]

I think it depends. If it's an imported product, they charge differently. If it's locally made, they charge differently.

[B]

Okay, so imported products in this case, what would it be?

[A]

I think the one I did, I paid about 5, $500. They charge in dollars if it's imported.

[B]

Okay. And if it's locally?

[A]

It depends on the products. Actually. It depends. Yeah.

[B]

Okay, so in this case as you have described, then that young lady would need some money to do that. But your way was the smartest way,

[A]

which is you need to start some audience. Yeah, right.

[B]

And then you find a product and then you advertise to the audience. And the product does not need to belong to you.

[A]

No.

[B]

You sell somebody's products, whether it's online,

[A]

drop shipping, just make sure you know, you know a lot about what you are selling, you have the knowledge about it. If you don't know, you learn. Don't just bring something you can't explain. It's like opening a saloon and you don't know how to even wash hair. That saloon is going to collapse because you don't know anything about saloons. You just needed money or you had the support so you went to open it. So if you want to bring your product, you have to have a knowledge about it. And I think when it comes to even products, you don't need to do your own production from the start. I mean, you get from somewhere to sell, but you need to know something about what you are selling. Because there are a lot of things that can come with. You know, there are people who go and swallow when it's supposed to be inserted. There are people who insert when it's supposed to be swallowed. You should know what you are doing enough that when they come to you, you should know the solution. If you don't have any idea of what you are doing, I think you're not in for a long term.

[B]

You think people are. They're usually more focused on the money than the value they give to people.

[A]

Yes. And that is where I picked mine from. The person I bought from the first time who was selling it for like 350. She was just posting when I went to her page. She doesn't tell people what it does. You know, she assumed that everyone knew what the product does, but people didn't know but when I came in, when I started, a lot of points. I mean I think I was even the first person to sell such a product. And then I started learning about it from university because it's, it's ladies problem and I went through it and I needed a solution. I wish someone was there to help me understand how to do things better, how to take care of myself, how to do that, how to do that. I wasn't getting it. So when I saw that, okay, this helped me, I started teaching ladies how to take care of themselves. And then whilst doing taking care of yourself, you can use this product in addition. So that is how it started. So you have to give certain kind of, you know, value for people to. You can't just go into it and be like, I want to sell this and that is all. It doesn't work that way.

[B]

Charity. What is the biggest challenge you've had in this business?

[A]

FDA approval.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Yeah, because you know, sometimes a product comes and the name, how to change the name and I'm like, I've marketed with this name going to change it would be a problem and sometimes to it involves a whole lot of, you know, back and forth. So I think that is it. Connected Minds Podcast.