For young Ghanaians aspiring to build successful businesses, Seth Adjei Baah believes success is rooted in discipline, integrity, and a deep connection with your team. Drawing from decades of experience in construction, retail, hospitality, and tourism, Baah shared lessons that highlight the practical and personal qualities needed to thrive as an entrepreneur.
“Discipline, hardwork, and honesty are the first things you must cultivate,” Baah said. He explained that young entrepreneurs cannot expect to lead effectively without first mastering their own habits and behaviors. “You’ve got to discipline yourself to be able to discipline others,” he noted, recalling his early days running a supermarket in Nkawkaw, where learning to manage his own spending and routines became critical to managing a team.
Baah also emphasized respect and teamwork as central to leadership. “When you start employing people, know that they are not your laborers. They are part of the success of the business. It’s just by the grace of God that you are leading them,” he said. He stressed that identifying with employees,sharing their daily work and understanding their challenges,is key to earning respect and loyalty. “When you come and I’m working with them, you wouldn’t know the difference between the worker, the labourer, and the owner. If you don’t identify with them, they don’t give you the best of results,” he explained.
Baah illustrated this philosophy with a personal anecdote: “I remember once, I was eating yam, fried yam with my staff in their office. And one manager, who is my friend, came and said, ‘But what is wrong with you? You don’t have to eat with them.’ I said, when I do things with them, whatever happens in the business, I’ll be the first person to get to know, because they know we are working together as a team, as a family, to make money, to create wealth, to share.” He described simple practices, like eating boiled eggs with Kenkey in the morning to save money, as ways to model discipline and lead by example.
Hands-on engagement is another quality Baah champions. He argued that entrepreneurs must immerse themselves in all aspects of their business,from production and sales to customer service. This approach strengthens skills, builds confidence, and ensures that leaders are intimately aware of the operational realities their teams face.
Baah also highlighted the importance of ethical practices, integrity, and consistency. “Doing the right thing, even when it seems hard, sets a foundation for trust with clients, partners, and regulators,” he said. Consistency, diligence, and attention to detail, he emphasized, are non-negotiable traits for building sustainable businesses. “If you are going to operate a business, you must be thorough, consistent, and attentive to every detail. You cannot expect success by cutting corners or doing things halfway.”
Mentorship and networking round out Baah’s advice. Young entrepreneurs, he said, should learn from experienced business leaders, collaborate with peers, and treat employees as partners in creating shared success. “No business thrives in isolation. Partnerships and mentorship accelerate growth and create new opportunities,” he said.
Baah’s advice shows that building a successful business isn’t just about having money or resources; it’s about how you lead, how you treat your team, and how committed you are to learning and growing every day. By staying disciplined, acting with integrity, rolling up your sleeves alongside your employees, and seeking guidance from mentors, young entrepreneurs can turn ideas into thriving businesses and help shape Ghana’s next generation of leaders.
