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.

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)

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)

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 |

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.

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.