Founder of the Africa University College of Communication and a former Minister of State Mr. Kojo Yankah has venerated Black Stars captain, Asamoah Gyan for his entrepreneurial shrewdness.
Gyan, despite actively playing football has several business entities running in the country.
The 31 year old Kayserispor forward recently attained a license to operate an airline service, in addition to his other businesses.
He also outdoored his sachet water business, named Paradise Pac weeks ago. The former Liberty striker has been named the brand ambassador for an energy drink called Run.
“You must think outside the box and do things differently from your competitors, and this requires that you observe your business environment, be inquisitive, ask questions, read books, meet different people, challenge yourself and should not fear to take a risk,” he emphasised.
Mr Yankah gave the admonition at the Sam Jonah School of Business Monthly Open Lecture Series at the African University College of Communication (AUCC) in Accra on Friday.
The event was held under the theme ‘Perseverance in Entrepreneurship and Founder of the AUCC’. He said the aforementioned qualities were tried and tested principles which successful people and entrepreneurs had applied over the years, and made a difference in life.
Mr Yankah, who is the founder of the AUCC and public relations and communication company, Yankah and Associates, noted that he took a big gamble in life when he decided to use his retirement benefits to set up an education institution.
“I have never neglected taking that risk to establish a school although my wife was against it, but in life you need to take risk in order to break through certain barriers,” he said.
Mr Yankah, who is also a former editor of the state-owned Daily Graphic newspaper and Director of the Ghana Institute of Journalism, said every individual must have a clear career path, and expressed optimism that with key principles like perseverance, self-discipline, creativity and innovation, one would accomplish great things in life.
“I admire Asamoah Gyan, the Black Stars captain, because he can do so many things apart from playing football. He can play music, and since he realised that he is getting to his 40s and can’t play football any longer, he has decided to establish ‘Babe Jet Airlines’ to take care of his future,” he noted.
He also cited some huddles he overcame before making headway in life, and, therefore, entreated the students of AUCC and other participants at the public lecture to take inspiration from it in order to succeed.