Segment: The Three H's of Business Success

Ever wonder what makes some businesses thrive while others falter? This revealing conversation takes you behind the scenes of an educational institution that defied expectations, expanding from Kumasi to Accra when conventional wisdom said it couldn't be done.

At its core, this success story revolves around differentiation – creating something so unique that people will travel 18 kilometers outside Kumasi's city center to experience it. With American architects designing an exceptional campus and strategic investment in teacher quality, the school developed a compelling value proposition that eventually enabled its unprecedented expansion into Accra's competitive educational landscape.

The founder shares the guiding philosophy that made it all possible: the three H's – Humility, Hard work, and Honesty. Particularly striking is the counterintuitive approach to growth: investing four million dollars in campus development before building a personal residence, choosing modest vehicles over luxury cars, and prioritizing reputation over displays of wealth. "Africans have the habit of acting successful before they are actually successful," the founder observes, offering a powerful perspective on sustainable entrepreneurship that views success as a journey rather than a destination.

Whether you're a business owner, educator, or simply fascinated by stories of innovation against the odds, this episode delivers actionable insights on differentiation, integrity in business dealings, and the patience required for lasting success. Ready to rethink your approach to growth? Listen now and discover why waiting to show success might be your most powerful business strategy.

Support the show

Watch the video episode of this on YouTube - https://linktr.ee/konnectedminds

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
We'll go, you know this way and this and that and
that.
The only thing that we had wasthat we had some good friends in
the States that were architectsand engineers who came and
helped, you know, mapped out,you know the land, and then
design a campus for us in sokind of structures here,

(00:22):
structures here, structuresthere that we could develop in
phases, and we're going to do itas we had funds.
But what was important, eventhough we didn't have business
ideas or business experience, wewere committed to making sure

(00:44):
that whatever we did must be agood experience for the children
that came.
In fact, because the school wasway out of to come all the way

(01:13):
18 kilometers from city centerto your school if their other
school is in Kumasi.
So that meant that you had tocreate something that was unique
, that stood out, and thatreally is what propelled ICA.
So if there was anything to sayabout thinking business, you

(01:36):
know, thinking about success itwas more about how can you
differentiate what you deliverfrom what is out there, because
you're already in adisadvantaged position you are
way out of town and you wouldhave to have a product, a
service and a campus that isdifferent from what people are

(01:58):
used to, to allow people to wantto come to you.
That's right, and that is whatwe try to deliver.
So the campus designed by thisamerican renowned architect was
great, right.
And then the training andinvestment in teachers was also

(02:23):
on point, uh.
So when you have a nice campusand the content in the classroom
in terms of teacher delivery isgood, then people are willing
to go all out.
It doesn't matter how far theplace is, you know to be able to
get it.
Of course we had to use busservices so that parents are not
too inconvenienced.
But that was really the thinkingfrom day one, that why would

(02:46):
people travel that far to Pechiif what they have, or what you
have, is same as what is in town, just the differentiation.
There has to be adifferentiation and that has
been the way we have operatedand that, in a lot of, was what

(03:08):
made us also want to come toAccra.
Because coming to Accra andI'll get into that, I'm sure
we'll get into that we knew allalong, everybody knew Kumasi
School and Accra had great andwell-respected international
schools, great and wellrespected international schools.
Talk about the Lincolns, theSOSs, the GIs, the Seoul Clinics
, the Ruman Ridge and all ofthat.

(03:31):
So how dare you, a Kumasischool, to want to come.
I mean.
No school in modern history inGhana had dared to move from one
major city to the other.
now, you want to do that great,but you understand what you are
in for.

(03:51):
You're going to compete withthe best in Accra.
Well, good luck.
But once again, the plan wasit's a differentiation.
If you have done your best todifferentiate your system

(04:12):
delivery from what was known andcommon in Kumasi, then you
probably could do the same inAccra and not only survive but
succeed.
You know, and so that is thatis what I think also undergirds
you know how we have failed inAccra since we came here ten

(04:33):
years ago.

Speaker 2 (04:35):
I can have a feeling that you attribute the success
of this, your business, purelyto a divine being.
And and chance no.

Speaker 1 (04:47):
God is definitely a factor.
I am a Christian, a pastor, butGod works with us.
God doesn't leave all thesuccess to himself.
It doesn't just have to do withonly his blessings.

(05:13):
It is God and peoplepartnership that creates success
.
So God gives us the strength,the wisdom, the understanding
that we applied right and, increating us in his image, he
gives us the power to think andto reason and to create, just

(05:36):
like he does right.
So we need to put our mentalfaculty at work.
To put our mental faculty atwork, and if we can do that and
can create, then we can, youknow, be successful and you can
give the credit to him becausewe are his creation right.

(05:59):
But a human being, christian ornon-Christian, has a huge role
to play in his own success.

Speaker 2 (06:12):
Let me stop you here for a minute.
If you've been watching thisshow, I want you to subscribe
and become part of the family.
We are on a journey of changingthe lives of people on this
channel and we appreciate youfor being here.
But if you haven't become partof the family, connect with us,
hit the subscribe button andlet's carry on the conversation.

(06:33):
You know I've spoken to a lotof entrepreneurs, including
myself.
My first business failed manyof them, their first businesses
will fail.

Speaker 1 (06:45):
Yours has been a tremendous success let me tell
you what I attribute our successto.
Three things that I always talkabout humility, hard work.
Our success too.
Three things that I always talkabout Humility, hard work,

(07:08):
honesty.
I call it.
Call them the three H'sHumility, hard work and honesty.
Why humility?
Now I see it started veryhumbly, but humility tells me
all the time that I can dobetter.
I am not there yet.

(07:30):
I should recognize thecontribution of people that I'm
working with.
The success is not just mycreation.
I may be the one doing all thethinking and dreaming, but I can
do all of that If the peoplearound me are not supporting.

(07:51):
Forget you will not get towhere you want to be.
So humility helps you to sit upand recognize that your success
has come about because of thecontribution of others.
So take people seriously,people that work with you
seriously, and I think when youdo that and people see that you

(08:12):
respect them and respect theircontribution, they do their best
.
So over the years, people thathave come to ICS, they have
worked very hard.
They have contributed to thesuccess you know of the school
because they know they arerespected.
When you are humble and youthink it doesn't all revolve

(08:36):
around you.
It helps your business to getsome mileage.
That is helpful.
Humanity also tells you that youhaven't arrived yet.
You know, sometimes we startsomething small and it's gaining
momentum.
Everybody is talking about itand it gets into our head right.
And when we get to that point,you know, sometimes people are

(08:58):
beginning to invest in too manythings in cars, in houses, in
lifestyle.
That really seems to suggest,oh, we've arrived.
Look at me, dr Ebwa, I've juststarted this school and then, as
you bump, you are down.
Humility also says success canbe patient also says success can

(09:28):
be patient.
Humility says you know you canwait to show success.
You know, derek, one of thethings that I I talked about
often is that guineans andafricans in general, maybe black
people in general have thehabit of acting successful
before they are actuallysuccessful, and that we see
success as a destination insteadof seeing success as a journey.

(09:53):
You need to give yourself timeand not be quick to show success
, and that usually contributesin many ways to the downfall of
many businesses.
So that's about humility.
There's so much I do and thatpeople are important, important

(10:42):
and that let me illustrate.
You know.
So, for example, in Kumasi, weinvested over four million
dollars in the school before weever built our house wow we
lived in four different homes in10 years and people come to the
campus and say, hey, you'vesunk so much money here and you
don't have a house.

Speaker 2 (11:00):
I said that can't wait.

Speaker 1 (11:02):
Because we're not prepared and ready to just show
here's a beautiful house that wehave created out of whatever
capital that we're using for thebusiness.
Right, we could wait.
Showing success could wait.
We could wait.
Showing success could wait,Even though the school borrowed

(11:23):
and raised quite a bit ofcapital.
We didn't even buy ourselves abrand new car for the school.
We could have done that, but wedidn't want to be comfortable
too early.
We needed to wait, Because themoment you are comfortable early
, it can affect.
So it's all about.

(11:44):
You can be humble, you can wait.
You can wait to show success,and I think a lot of African
entrepreneurs and businesses arenot ready to do that.
And that's the thing abouthonesty.
I think we have a tendency andthis is not just in Ghana ready
to do that.
The next thing is about honesty.
I think we have a tendency andthis is not just in Ghana or
Africa people always think theycan cut corners and be

(12:10):
successful quickly.
Now, Dishonesty can pay and payssometimes, but usually it is
short-lived.
If you really want to havesustainable success, you have to

(12:32):
be honest in all your dealings.
If you borrow money from thebank, pay it back.
If you invite investors orpartners into your business,
don't take advantage of them.
You know, don't act in a way.
You know that you're trying todeceive people so that you can

(12:55):
get ahead, because it will catchup on you.
You know the banks will notgive you money any longer.
The partners will telleverybody about you.
You know people do all sorts ofdeals and then they start this
and tomorrow they go and startthat and everything now just
catch up on them.
Today, every bank that we dealwith ICS will be willing to do

(13:21):
business with ICS because theyhave seen that after ICS you
give them loan, they will pay itback, and consistently, whether
the dollar is up here or downthere.
It is our commitment to fiscaldiscipline to ensure what you

(13:43):
say you will do.
You do it and what you say youare going to use the money for.
You use the money for it.
You know, and that is important.
Building a reputation ofintegrity is important for
business success and I thinksometimes because people see
success in short terms.
That is why people want tocompromise and cut down corners.

(14:07):
But if you think long term, yourealize that those short-term
tactics to get ahead of peoplewill not work.
You know so.
Humility, honesty, just behonest.
Just when you say, yes, I willdo this, just mean it.
Now, we are human beings.
Things could stand in your wayand you may not be able to do

(14:31):
Connected Minds.

Speaker 2 (14:32):
Podcast.