Ghana: From side hustle to 16 stores – a retail entrepreneur’s story
This article is an excerpt from our latest book ‘How we made it in Africa II: Real stories of entrepreneurs turning opportunity into profit‘
Interview with Charles Antwi-Boahen
FOUNDER and CEO, KAB-FAM
Lives in: Ghana
In 2012, Charles Antwi-Boahen was working as a salesman for an air-conditioning company in Ghana’s capital, Accra. It was not an easy job. The company specialised in central air-conditioning systems for large developments such as hotels, office blocks and hospitals. But these contracts were hard to secure. Antwi-Boahen did not receive a fixed salary – he relied almost entirely on commissions for his income, with only a small allowance provided. Often, he struggled to cover his own transport costs.
While in the industry, he came across many people seeking to buy split air conditioners – smaller systems with indoor and outdoor units, commonly found in homes and small businesses. However, his employer did not sell these products.
Seeing an opportunity, Antwi-Boahen began looking for local suppliers of split air conditioners. His search led him to an appliance distributor called Electroland, which dealt in brands like Samsung. He struck a deal with the company under which he would send buyers their way and receive a commission on each sale. He was not only selling air conditioners, but Electroland’s full catalogue of products, including televisions, washing machines, fridges and even mobile phones.