Fashion With a Purpose: How a Ghanaian Entrepreneur Is Thriving in a Male Dominated Shoemaking Industry with Edna Frimpong

[00:00:00] You're listening to the Unlocking Africa podcast. Change People's Misconception When It Comes to Ghana Made. People think it's expensive, think it's low quality, but we have quality product. Made in Ghana by Ghanaian Artisans. Stay tuned as we bring you inspiring people who are unlocking Africa's economic potential.

[00:00:47] You're listening to the Unlocking Africa podcast with your host Terser Adamu. Welcome to the Unlocking Africa podcast where we find amazing people who are doing amazing things to unlock Africa's economic potential. Today, we have Edna Frimpong, who is an award-winning

[00:01:10] entrepreneur and author popularly known as the Shoemaker Girl and is thriving in a male-dominated shoemaking industry. Welcome, welcome, welcome to the podcast, Edna. Thank you so much for the opportunity. I'm glad to be here.

[00:01:25] It's fantastic to have you here and I'm looking forward to our conversation because it's a very unique story that you have, so I'm sure our guests will get a lot of value from your

[00:01:36] experience and your journey so far. Exactly. But before we get started, I was hoping you could introduce yourself and tell us a bit more about Edna Frimpong. Thank you once again. My name is Edna Frimpong. I simply could, the Shoemaker Girl,

[00:01:56] I make shoes and sell shoes. The brand name, the company, I was a whole far day where we made Ghanaian products, the shoes, the bag, the jewelry, the smock and we are promoting

[00:02:12] and projecting more of the Ghanaian make good at the same time, we are empowering and promoting the Ghanaian craftsmanship as well. I'm a graduate from the University of Media, Arts and Communication and I was a TEDx speaker and written my first book titled The Shoemaker Girl,

[00:02:30] which summarizes my journey, my experiences in shoemaking, my whole life journey up to where I am and might be common. So basically that's the Shoemaker Girl. Fantastic. Thank you for that. So you've given us great insight into your professional

[00:02:46] and personal life and journey which has brought you to where you are now. So I was hoping you could share with us how you were first introduced to the world of shoemaking. So I entered into shoemaking, first of all my dad is a professional shoemaker for over 20 years

[00:03:06] and he's still in the business and I had a chance to grow up with my dad so I got to learn that from him. So when I was going to secondary school, high school, I remember I bought the shoemaker, the glue,

[00:03:19] the leather, the glue, the hammer just to mange people's sound thousands of them whenever they are sound as cotton on campus and I was thinking I was just playing around or just trying

[00:03:29] to get a means of survival so that I can get some coins for transportation back home when these vacations. I didn't know I'll end up in the industry like this fully but it was just something

[00:03:39] that I was just helping out by dad, just being around like something like a hobby. I didn't know it was something that would tend or bring me mileage, something that will pay bills, something

[00:03:48] that will pay fees, something that will put me on the spotlight. Amazing. So as you said your dad is a shoemaker and you were introduced to the industry via your dad and you saw

[00:04:02] as a means of survival and almost as a hobby. So how did you make the decision to turn this hobby into a career and actually embed yourself into the shoemaking industry, especially being a female

[00:04:19] in a male dominated industry? So the environment I grew up or the area, there were a lot of shoemakers around and so did you really have to look down on you and they're always at a shop,

[00:04:31] you know, they were guys but then we had a shop. So I never had that negative vibe or stigma of me entering into that industry and then again I was working but then when I lost my job, COVID time

[00:04:45] and there was nothing I could do. I said let me go back to this day, let me go and make business out of this professional life because that's the only thing I could rely on at that moment.

[00:04:55] So that was when I resorted dad to pay my then I was still in school so I had to resort to that I go to school on Saturday Sunday and I go to work on Monday's Friday. So Monday defined it

[00:05:06] school to work and the weekend for school so that I could be able to pay fees and all that. Brilliant, so guess during your journey in this industry, what being some of the I guess challenges that you faced from being a shoemaker to actually launching your brand and

[00:05:25] then marketing the brand so it's become quite widely recognized and known. So personal challenges I had that especially from the other gender, I normally get the bars rather instead of the negative vibe maybe they don't tell me personally, maybe they'll say it's

[00:05:43] in their own rooms that what she's doing people normally just buy because of the female attack or the female attack. Oh she's a girl, she's a lady let me try and get close let me try and buy

[00:05:56] from her so I get that attack than the negative vibe maybe they don't tell me they might say it's in their secret rooms which I don't mind. Some also when they're buying a thing sometimes they feel

[00:06:06] skeptical until they see the finished product then they begin to accept who you are actually but most of the time the challenges come from extended influences system we live in the country the governance the policies today you go to the market there's inflation there's inflation of

[00:06:23] prices of materials and you can increase product prices of products for clients every day but that's that's the reality and so you're always at loss so that's one and then as you could talk

[00:06:35] about now some policies don't really help us like the introduction of the eleventh tax somebody is buying and paying by electronic means and they supposed to have to pay more because of

[00:06:46] the taxes that they're going to take so the person who has to pay more of the product or less and no matter how much they will pay will affect you because imagine sending one key to someone

[00:06:57] and you have to take no extra ten sentences out of it that sentence can buy you porridge breakfast in the morning trust me so the system is not favorable trust me it's not favorable for startups somebody is done with school there's no job and the person just wants

[00:07:10] selling using social media and now we are taxing instead of taxing you or social just using that platform to also sell something and get something to eat so everywhere you find yourself the system

[00:07:22] will fix you out now we have a shop a physical shop show where I finish product we are far like taxes in Nigeria young people trying to set up business to take care of ourselves and

[00:07:35] employ people in the society we need to yeah not come to start paying taxes and that's a huge huge loss and this is some of the things that discourage people from

[00:07:44] entering businesses it's business in Ghana is not in Africa is not a joke trust me yes yes I agree so I guess from your perspective what do you think can be done from a government perspective to

[00:07:56] make the business environment more enabling for startups and SMEs such as yourself I keep telling people that I don't really expect much from the government but I feel like they should just make the system favorable for us if you're not helping me you're not doing anything for me

[00:08:13] I just love my piece but then make the system favorable for some of us so that we can thrive well we done with school there's no job we are only managing on instagram linkedin to survive

[00:08:24] why do you also have to bring in your tax in there so the data now we've been taxed on normal whatever whatever you get taxed you go to the market to go and buy things there's always

[00:08:36] increments of what I don't know if it's from them sometimes it's from the citizens but you don't have any much to say but every day and then and the things do we ship them from outside the

[00:08:45] materials is not written by from here there's no manufacturing in Ghana some of them the glue the leather all are shipped so imagine the cost so they also come and they also put yes

[00:08:56] bunch on it unless you have them in bulk which one it saves you a lot but if you don't have them in bulky and you need to go and buy them every week or day every day that's a whole

[00:09:08] job so I just want the system to be okay for us now the issue of the elevi was to solve a cost and now they couldn't solve the cost and now the elevi they couldn't be achieved it and it's

[00:09:20] still there and it's just taking money and there's nothing up to they're not making use of their money that's there that's one and I mean I'm not talking about garments because it gets me

[00:09:32] irritated but then I just want the system to be favorable for us I mean they're not going to give us tax waivers but they give people tax waivers because you're not there yet they'll tell you

[00:09:42] they are other social intervention programs they bring in to help we the the citizens but trust me when you go in there and it's just for the few you can go in for the formality but when

[00:09:52] you get there it's just a few that benefits from that social intervention policies or the things they brought out about to help the entrepreneurs but you go in there and just for you there are some

[00:10:02] systems where you apply for fellowship or funding it's just open everybody can get it but trust me you know they'll tell you there's a funding somewhere you just apply it you have to go

[00:10:12] through the stress so if we look at the positives one of the things you mentioned is that you use social media to market your products you know in my introduction I think I forgot to

[00:10:22] mention that you have a BA in communication with a focus on public relations so how have you used or leverage this background in public relations and communications to tell your unique story

[00:10:36] and build your brand? So I believe that we don't go to school because of the money you go to school for knowledge base and how you're able to transfer your knowledge to whatever you're doing is

[00:10:50] what is the value of that gives essence of the value of education being able to transfer of knowledge so wherever you find yourself anything that you did in school it's all about transfer of knowledge so yeah I'll find myself an industry making industry the only thing I did

[00:11:05] communication or PR communication there's a lot that goes in there we did marketing did advertising branding a lot how to communicate how to tell story and all that and I have all this knowledge and as a first-class student why would I waste this knowledge we are always downplaying

[00:11:22] first class in this country in our society am I supposed to look for somebody's thinking you're supposed to go to look for a fine PR company and be working there with your first class

[00:11:33] but I'm not getting that I what I could do is to transfer my knowledge whatever I learned to get that grade so the marketing the branding advertising everything I did that's what I'm

[00:11:44] trying to apply so when you see me or whatever I do on LinkedIn it's because of what I so when people tell me actually what you do I say okay PR coming here so no wonder so they think what I did

[00:11:56] in school is that I was able to transfer that in marketing my business so what I do on LinkedIn is to tell my story I have been authentic with people and so now when you're looking for a shoe to buy

[00:12:08] you don't necessarily have to go to Instagram when you're LinkedIn and you're thinking about shoes my name comes to mind and that's the essence of branding that's how I've been able to couch

[00:12:18] position myself in the minds of people when I'm looking for a shoe that should make hang y'all you only go you think about LinkedIn because there's a lady there who you can get

[00:12:26] and I agree your ability to tell a story and market and brand yourself is why we are having this conversation today as we connected via LinkedIn I've been following your story and your journey

[00:12:44] and I thought you know what this is a fantastic person woman inspiration someone who I think a lot of people can learn a lot from you know your ability to tell a story has also led you to

[00:12:56] writing your book the shoemaker girl which has gained a lot of attention so what was the motivation behind writing the book no motivation so I keep telling people oh it's funny that you don't

[00:13:10] have to get to 60 years ago before you should write that book you don't have to you don't have to be 80 years before you are telling us your experiences for us to learn no matter how young you

[00:13:22] are you have something to share you have a knowledge to share to someone and I keep telling them those who work in the corporate space that bosses that if the young ones are given opportunity in the offices as part of the dominant correlation those who take decision

[00:13:38] they are part of such board I think or even in governance if there are young people who are part who can also contribute their quote I think that there will be a shift in governance or in

[00:13:49] our society because we only know men for tech talk or for instagram and LinkedIn they're also meant to be there so that's the motion the rationale I can have something to share have some experiences

[00:14:00] thriving in my male dominated industry I have something to share at someone born raised in 30 having 30 siblings having been able to go to school myself juggling that with education and still come

[00:14:13] up as a first-class graduate the very good GPA is landed that is not easy somebody can get inspiration from that somebody can learn one or two things for my principal nobody can succeed without having

[00:14:25] values you need to be bounded by values and I have my how did I use my leverage my to my becoming somebody needs to hear that only to see that and I think that I didn't I didn't have

[00:14:36] to get 40 years or 15 before I can let the young ones to also learn now I can so anytime I have an idea and I want to put a cost I'm gonna put it into a book and we'll ease it amazing so what was

[00:14:50] the journey like writing the book you know what was the process how long did it take so I had an idea but I wasn't sure I'm putting it down I'm so strong when it comes to relationship

[00:15:02] the people you saw on the cell phone so I told one of my friends I want to write a book and he said write it so I have it in my I've created a WhatsApp page where I put the

[00:15:12] text information down and I think I had the book on my laptop written it down but wasn't done it has to go back to this my friend said write it you need to so I had it but I didn't know

[00:15:25] and I had the everything writing down and one day I talked to one of my friend and friend pushed me so I sat down and finished up all and I think writing the book was like after a

[00:15:37] beauty moment for me I had to heal a lot from background from experiences I've faced and all that I healed a lot I cried through that process I was okay that's that's I'm done so now I'm done

[00:15:49] I needed someone to fine tune it and edit it to go through to a tight eye to view it and it had forward for mentors and all that and then I didn't want to launch it for security because I was

[00:16:01] maybe a baby because I wasn't having faith or believing myself about this so I talked to I went to a hospital one of my doctor friend and I said I want to write a book I just want

[00:16:10] to launch it online and he was like oh no you have to be physical or the kind of pedigree you are the kind of people who trust you we need to do physical lunch and so the people around me

[00:16:20] but I contacted my sister she's like we need to do physical and she handed the coordination and I had a friend on LinkedIn I mean almost the people that handed the book out from LinkedIn

[00:16:29] the book cover was a lady on LinkedIn the editor was a lady from LinkedIn and everything had to happen in your book was like it was I wasn't having money but people made it happen

[00:16:39] the book and then venue was a friend from LinkedIn free the book cover the editing the coordinating everything was done free from people I I just met and some I just met

[00:16:52] or linked and I haven't met before some I have met them before before the book launch so yeah they all came together planning and all that strategy everything together say

[00:17:03] be sure you pull this book out there and on the 18th of May I said I had to release the book God showed up seeing as young as I am in our part of the country it's difficult to get people

[00:17:15] coming for book launch because people don't like reading people have to show up the plinthos fool people had to stand yes and I was able to hit my sales target for the day and after the book

[00:17:28] launch every day the at least I get to make a sale on the book I've been touring in around schools and I've been sharing some of the books as students there because apart from just selling

[00:17:40] the books or people reading the book to be inspired another thing is that a percentage of the book sale goes into making a shoe for a shoeless child and that's companies too much shoe for the

[00:17:52] shoeless so any copy we have you have a target that in the dash the communities in Ghana that kids don't have good shoes to go to school if you're not having good shoes to go to school that is

[00:18:05] we are we are not we are not working we are not really working the worst day agenda the SDG go off quality education if you don't have good good shoes to wear how do you go to school and

[00:18:16] get get quality education someone so get sicknesses like there's a sickness called neopathia policy which happens affects their feet and I'm trying to make sure I solve this

[00:18:26] tool issue and I can do that by doing the book so you just don't read the book when you get a copy a percentage goes into that it's solving that child's need and it's been amazing journey and trust me

[00:18:39] the next book will come but not now but now it's to make the impact yes I think you can definitely have a plan for the future in terms of the next book because the impact

[00:18:50] of this book is being a huge impact what I would say is this definitely shows the power of the internet and the power of connecting in terms of your journey of putting a book together

[00:19:00] and actually publishing the book what value would you say you have gained from writing the book I think I should mindset I you need to have the right mindset that was anything you are doing

[00:19:15] trust me I remember the day before the book launch and the weeks before that those who have comments to come when they'll call it I'm sorry I can make it and all that my friend would tell me

[00:19:30] imagine that those people call it they are saying they cannot make it they are imagine that the room is full and those people are complaining that they will come they are going out from their seats and those who are standing are occupying the seat

[00:19:42] and so that was the game changer so even that day when I was in the very new auditorium making clean the place someone called I had not have a bad news what's that I can't

[00:19:52] cancel kid and I cut the phone I said somewhere and I had continued arranging the place with my sister and I was just focused okay thank god you've just moved on out from your seat someone's occupying the space so I'm okay and that's exactly that what happened

[00:20:04] everything played out there everything so my anything that happens first the car happens in your mind anything that anything is built twice in your mind and first the car so if you think poverty you'll be poor if you think rich you'll be if you think successful

[00:20:20] it will be successful so I envision that and everything played out there well everything played out the world perfectly and so I believe that anything you are entering in any project you have

[00:20:31] in mind and a business you need to go in the right mindset and the people are out you need to get correct people around I remember I would be during before the book launch I had to pray into

[00:20:43] the book like and I had people joining me pray into the book launch the whole week we pray every single day people some I don't know from anywhere they joined pray into the program so the people

[00:20:54] the one who could need the program had to take in and make sure we get the best program and the best value or the excellence on that day I had people we had to do address where

[00:21:05] heads are because we're not close where our physical environment could even allow us to meet somewhere far from our way we need to do physical meeting to do address where heads are of what will

[00:21:14] happen on that day and getting people who will leave their job will leave whatever they are doing just to be on call to focus on your destiny on your vision it has to be God and so

[00:21:26] I value relationship a lot because the cheapest cars they're on earth as human beings they will they are the cheapest way of making you survive in this world succeeding this world so I don't joke

[00:21:36] with that so relationship was key something I've taken out of it and in my next book I'm going to work on that because imagine after the book launch see what happened that within that week

[00:21:46] anybody was talking about it on LinkedIn and it goes over media big one of the biggest media I was joy multimedia joy FM and one of the lessons bill called me and he told me when he

[00:21:56] called me he said I see your book around people are typing your book on on LinkedIn and that's why my manager asked me to call you so that we have an interview enjoy FM and it got people's attention to

[00:22:07] even get people to people have to buy their book they don't keep want somebody buy your book the person can either give you a review or not people read the book when they get a book they post it

[00:22:16] and when they are done reading it they have to also post it to get you that review and that review will get somebody to also come and buy and I didn't beg them for that review

[00:22:24] they do it from their own willingness and that shows how how people can be the gift of many such a powerful thing and I thank God for granting me gift of me amen and congratulations so you know

[00:22:38] what key messages or themes can readers expect to take away from the book okay one is resilience resilience called Jenny was this book and I know some people with the journey is not easy

[00:22:52] no matter how you saw yourself there Jenny will not be that easy but there's something called resilience you need to have that spirit that keeps you going even when things looks like going down

[00:23:02] because it was tough at certain point but the thing that kept me going was resilience I was just resilient I mean I like I have that resilient mentality hustle I had to hustle I mean I

[00:23:13] have nobody I know where I was coming from so what I was coming from was just pushing me shimmy and pushing me there so that was one that's one and I talk about really finding your own path

[00:23:25] or your own success we live in a society where we are being given a template of what to do or what to go by do this unless you have a car you have a house you are married and not successful

[00:23:37] that's the mentality of being successful here in this part of the world but I think success differs from everybody if we are able to view it that way if you if you are you have your

[00:23:47] own template of success maybe your template is go to school do this my template is to do this job and all blah blah blah when you or you see me progress and you will not envy me because

[00:23:57] you know your template and I have my template but because society gives us a template that's where the pressure comes in on young girls pressure comes in when everybody's wearing their Brazilian hair they're the bolstering hair and it also gets on because that's how the society

[00:24:11] has projected successful to me but it shouldn't be their case when you read the book you get to redefine your own success that you can become wherever you want to come I listen I keep telling

[00:24:21] people I've seen a shoemaker who is a telex speaker a shoemaker who is a first-class student a shoemaker who's a graduate in that of course and a shoemaker who is going global a shoemaker who who is now

[00:24:33] I do a lot of public speaking engagement get to speak with people or schools churches and all that just to share to inspire and motivate them that it's possible they can also do that it's not

[00:24:46] easy to get people there so then because I've couch my part so you the reader you can also couch your part whatever you are doing just focus on and do it well great great insight so you

[00:24:57] mentioned one of the key themes that readers can take from the book is resilience so if we look your work outside of writing the book what have been some of the most pivotal experiences or moments

[00:25:14] during your journey as an entrepreneur I mean when you get to do a lot of contracts sometimes that work you don't get much sales coming in every day but sometimes you get a lot

[00:25:26] and one of my biggest contracts I got last year I mean it was so huge produce a lot of like 230 pieces of shoes for me and it's a very big academy you know some people when you buy

[00:25:39] something and it's in bulk they will ask for reduction but this is what to pay like I mean the price we just give them that's what they get paid some people do have to bargain I know you don't

[00:25:48] even have to get anyone sitting out of it but they understand what we are doing and maybe because they also want to protect project and also to support but then it was a good cause and

[00:25:58] it has become a ritual that every year they're going to produce for them and that's something I'm always happy and it was because of the power of LinkedIn so I don't joke with LinkedIn it has

[00:26:07] been a blessing and one of the defining moment is me being on LinkedIn has shaped my entrepreneurship journey connecting to a lot of great people my mentor in Germany who's a shoemaker and all that

[00:26:19] so I am doing so well and I'm thriving well and I'm becoming a better person because of my exposure or my me finding myself on LinkedIn be really from expect reading from people for my industry connecting with people for my industry and not from my industry

[00:26:36] being able to project myself unashamedly to sell what I have and to get people from buying thank you for sharing that you mentioned one of the most pivotal moments was making this huge

[00:26:49] sale so I'm assuming you made this sales through a whole far day which is the e-commerce fashion marketplace that you sell the designs from god name fashion designers and also your shoes through yeah yeah so how did the idea for this e-commerce fashion marketplace come about

[00:27:09] okay professor it's not only about e-commerce because we have physical shop and we do want to expand more to African countries and even in US as well in UK so it's not just e-commerce the e-commerce is just there for those who are not able to

[00:27:23] work to purchase from outside the country and even those year ones who we also just leverage on the digitaira yes but the other is it's a keyword look how it which means like things wearable so you're

[00:27:36] from head to toe the dresses your shoes so when you come to the shop or even on our website alphany.com we have shoes we have smocks made by Ghanian artisan we have jewellery we have bags and

[00:27:51] all these are things we use to dress ourselves that's where the name came from our whole far day our whole far day and we have people who make all these Ghanian products which we showcase because

[00:28:02] we want to project more of the Ghanian people and also we also want to change people's misconception when it comes to Ghanian meat people think it's expensive but they buy more specific things people think it's low quality but we have quality product so when you see our product

[00:28:16] you'll be like is this a Ghanian product yes made in Ghania by Ghanian artisans so we want to change that called misconception people have about made in Ghania product it been expensive it been low quality and all that so as you mentioned you want to change people's perception

[00:28:31] of made in Ghania product so what are some of the unique talents and creativity of Ghanian fashion designers that I guess our whole far day aims to highlight yeah that that's one is quality

[00:28:46] so when you come to our shop and you pick a shoe or you pick any of our product you would see how quality it is you will get you have no complaints to make recently one of

[00:28:56] our writers when they deliver a shoe to someone who was a very good company and the man when we see that shoe the writer I mean the man loved the shoe because it was such a short time frame

[00:29:08] and I was like the writer told the man that since he started working with us nobody has received a shoe in complaint before and that was a big testimony to the man

[00:29:18] the delivery guy just said that he has never had a complaint that so when it comes to quality somebody came to the shop and he heard that she was like this shoe is good it's a very quality

[00:29:26] he wants to buy for their wife but he was complaining of the price it wasn't an expensive but he was complaining because he thinks that Ghania may should be that cheap you expect to

[00:29:36] be cheap and to be that quality you know we have that mentality but we don't buy outside things and complain that much so I think it's the man is a perception so the quality stands out

[00:29:47] and then comfortability I don't want you to get you something that you wear you know feel comfortable in it you need to wear shoes and feel confident and feel comfortable in that you need to wear a

[00:29:59] smocks feel comfortable and feel stylish and feel big confidence in that and that's something we try to strive to make especially we don't want to compromise on the quality if it's not good

[00:30:11] we don't give it to you we'll put it down that it will be at our own but that's okay then you take it out so through our holiday and what you do in terms of selling the products of Ghanian fashion

[00:30:26] designers how else do you support local entrepreneurs in the fashion industry okay so one is there some of the products in the shop are made by people Ghanian fashion designers we pay them for that

[00:30:42] when they make it and one or the other that's a way of just of leaving so you don't just become a dependent on someone you become several lands or your own you don't become a cost to the society

[00:30:52] and the country you become self-dependent so yeah we pay them for making those the bags the smocks and all that and that's a way of on a sovereign employment issue easing the

[00:31:04] country and even the individual as well we also employ people i mean being employed there i get paid even though it's not that much because we are good to us a startup i get paid all the people that

[00:31:16] work on that the graphic designer is really important and all that everybody gets something paid for that every month and that's the way it's better done doing national service in Ghanian

[00:31:27] getting paid here so you get something to just take care of yourself at the end of the month and yeah we are open more to Ghanians who have the skill in doing amazing stuff

[00:31:39] to put your product on the website and that shops and self-doubt so it's clear that you're doing amazing work through our holiday i know when you're not making shoes or involved in business activities you also love to share your experience to help build the next generation

[00:31:57] so i guess from your perspective or from your opinion what do you believe mentorship and coaching what role do they play in empowering the next generation of african entrepreneurs well i think they have their way role to play you know the basis of everything stuff on their

[00:32:15] family but sometimes some people don't come from that family that gives them all we are not fortunate to come from that so you need someone to guide you my pastor would say you look for

[00:32:25] somebody and you model that person you don't want to merge your experience in the family your parents marriage you look for a marriage that you want to model you don't want the kind of life

[00:32:34] your family are living you look for somewhere in muddle and that's how mentorship comes in well i didn't get that growing up just like lucky that i was a train for my father i stayed with

[00:32:44] him but it's not even all of my father's car that i picked i just picked the shumai impact because i think that will help me but even in terms of business i didn't pick that because

[00:32:54] if i had to pick that i wouldn't get into where i'm getting to because 20 good years and we had nothing to show off people want to look down as anyhow but he had a skill so skills is never enough you need

[00:33:05] to have the attitude towards work business when it's busy you don't mix family with that you need to learn the class and all that and i believe that's where the mentorship comes in

[00:33:16] getting somebody to guide you finances and all that so fortunately what i was growing i had to look for people to model i mean i know i might not be directly in contact with you but i can look

[00:33:26] from you from afar and learn from you until recently that we are we're also getting someone to mentor us well to be on a good path to still trade and even now i look for people so wherever i fall

[00:33:37] short from i get people that can help me my finances i have a sister who is so good and is a investor and she comes in and she helped me do this and all that and i'm so good in that area

[00:33:48] in terms of moral and all that it get people to help you which is very important same way it's good for our young people you know essentially our community that we grew up when i came out from

[00:33:59] where i grew up if i tell you where i grew up you'll not believe it because my environment never shaped who i am never played in majority matter in my life but let me tell you people you you

[00:34:11] are you become who you are influence based on your environment but i was so careful i was very careful on that my environment never influences me and you grew up in environments

[00:34:21] chocolate chocolate that we claim to be uneducated you know going to go for a good pregnancy give birth and that's all and that's the environment i grew up and when i told people i went to school

[00:34:32] out there they don't believe that and that's called transformation transformation you don't born with it you learn you can tell it for that and so when you get to speak with people you realize that how people are lacking sometimes they didn't get that they're not getting that

[00:34:46] so when you hear your story okay you came from this environment you grew up here it gives them hope that they can also become a better version of themselves a better person you know they cannot

[00:34:56] do not just end up like their parents or their siblings they can also become better people somebody's there's just looking for that one word to push them out of your comfort zone somebody's doing something doesn't doing it bad but the person is always looking down on him or

[00:35:12] herself because she think it's just for the male people it's just for the female until you hear your story oh if she's able to do that she'll make her girl be able to go to school with that finish

[00:35:24] and even want to go to school again doing TEDx speaker climate studies and talking to people how then it's possible that i can also become whoever i want to become and that's just that

[00:35:36] we i know that people say that talking is too much yeah but some or someone they just need a little voice be able to get out from that comfort zone and do something of your life so it's good

[00:35:48] it's it's important now that we need to share because if you don't do that a generation or a generation coming will be doomed they need people to guide them to guide their path it's really

[00:36:00] important great advice so if we look specifically at say young people young women who would want to enter the shoemaking or say the broad fashion industry what advice would you give to them

[00:36:16] well i keep telling people start anyway you can't forget it all in the journey when you're becoming a joy just learn through the process so don't wait to forget everything don't get to

[00:36:26] get a million before you start you have to scale now we are so much fortunate we have social media to our disposal start with that you can make the shoe start with your social media create that account

[00:36:37] and start building your personal brand from there you don't need money don't need anything there to create social media account just show up show up me i showed up without having a shop i just

[00:36:47] showed up on social media and told the people the world what i do what i stand for and when i got the money i got the small like mileage and leverage on that and we are making an empire from

[00:36:59] a little lemon that we had so you don't need to have it all forget it all before you start start what showed how do you have get people in your industry that you can't murder you can learn

[00:37:09] from learn from there is no competition just learn from the admit your short comments and learn from people and just leverage on their learning and all that and move on and do be

[00:37:19] who you are let God be your guide don't just jump into a business and just just ask God is that your path if it's your path you will flourish you can sell you can sell pink it's still becoming

[00:37:30] billionaire you know people who just sell supply paints and get billionaires it's not about the job you do it's about a grace that is backing you so ask God for that and it's what you're

[00:37:39] doing is in line with your purpose trust me you will flourish there you can be hidden but you still be a billionaire you touched on the key point there which is show up and do what you do

[00:37:51] and show what you stand for learn from others don't follow trends but i guess speaking of trends are there any trends in garner's fashion industry that you're seeing right now that you're currently excited about yeah we have to we need to change is important anybody any business

[00:38:10] that does no accept change or no last you need to be innovative to stay in the system for long and the change also comes based on the preference of the audience and so you need to consider all that

[00:38:25] in our decision making in our products in everything that we take where do you see garner or african fashion industry in five years time in terms of the impact small or independent designers as yourself will have on the industry we should be going global but then global

[00:38:47] but we still maintain our route i believe in that we don't have to just go global and drop our route we have to go global our product has to be seen all over

[00:38:59] designs our product has to be so the way we talk about certain brands and we're just all over you know that's how we're supposed to mention our whole funding and the whole word has to

[00:39:08] know about that and that's it would take time but trust me we will get there that's why we have the technology at our advantage we can leverage on that you can i know people who are just in their

[00:39:18] rooms and their brands are all over why because they're leveraging on technology we can leverage on it as well we have AI now doing amazing stuff and you you have no excuse to feel in this

[00:39:30] generation as a fashion somebody in a fashion industry well um my shoe for the shoe let's bring um I have i'm coming up with the issue for the case and I want that shoe to be the shoe that

[00:39:41] it has a nobody's design and but then we are using AI to help us create that come up with that design and my design my work my work given designer is doing that see the kind of designs we can come

[00:39:52] up with and it's amazing some of the designs we've come up with if you can we just have to make a little piece to where we're making bring it to life and all that when we are done

[00:40:00] and we show the people this is the design we make for them and this is the shoe they are wearing it's something that people are going to love it as we need to just embrace technology leverage on that

[00:40:10] and show up and in years to come I I expect that more brands and I know there are a lot of people fashion brands doing it doing so much well in the system globally african brands and I wish that

[00:40:21] we would get more mileage and show up and do whatever I want to do and just conquer the world because we are contributing a lot the development of a country when we go to tourism we find ourselves

[00:40:32] there in entertainment we are there because the dress that you would need to wear on stage you it's it's our industry well the musician need need as the actresses need as when you're on

[00:40:42] tv and just you are wearing need to present projects that your your country and we are everywhere you can't take us out so yeah I agree I agree so if we look closer to home

[00:40:55] where do you see yourself and Ahu Fade in five years time what role or impact do you hope to have on the Ghanaian fashion industry? Ahu Fade we will train more people who have a shoe academy

[00:41:12] because we don't really have any shoe academy in Ghana so we had to have that train more people and to expand to other african countries and even beyond african and personally the shoemaker girl

[00:41:25] like I always say school locally but globally minded I to share climb more biggest pages to share my experiences so the younger ones and the people to let them know that it is possible whatever

[00:41:37] they can do they can still shine they can still go global and again I mean locally school globally minded I want to go global so in everything that I need to do my subtle act of going

[00:41:49] intentional act of going global I am on it and I'm still on it and I'm definitely going to go global with all my activities my small steps my intentional subtle act will take me there

[00:41:59] one day and it will become a household name so when you take Ahu Fade it's a business on its own but when it's a shoemaker girl it's a personal brand on its own. Amen and I look forward

[00:42:10] to seeing that happen. Thank you. Quote of the week. As people we often have quotes mantras, proverbs or affirmations that keep us going when times are challenging or when times are good

[00:42:24] do you have one that you can share with us today? So at any time I feel overwhelmed things are not going as I want and all that there's one that I keep telling myself and now relax relax relax

[00:42:37] you see there's it's a season everything will pass everything will pass nothing is that taking the thought everything will pass through so you're current today you're not right tomorrow

[00:42:48] so if something happened huh this thing will pass let me let me leave it asleep I mean it will pass so just when there's a situation don't be overwhelmed and just take decision don't rush in decision

[00:42:59] making it's something anything that is any important decision you need to take in life do not ever rush through it just calm down relax and take time your decision if you rush you be doomed so

[00:43:11] anytime you're overwhelmed the things are going astray I just leave it all right I know it will pass it's just a season it will just pass by so when you have that mentality it will it will just keeps you going anything you are so overwhelmed things are happening

[00:43:25] you know that it's just a season it will pass by the good times will pass the bad times all you have to do is what you do in that season will determine either you sound strong or not and so when there's sadness comes you just go

[00:43:37] manoeuvre through you just enjoy yourself through that but a good time comes you enjoy yourself through that that's how life's supposed to be you don't have to kill yourself cry yourself out just let the season pass and just enjoy the moment every moment comes fantastic extremely

[00:43:54] profound and meaningful words and pieces of advice we've come to the end of this great conversation I've thoroughly enjoyed it and I was wondering do you have any closing remarks final cause to action

[00:44:08] for people who might be interested in the shoemaking industry or just interested in the work that you're doing at Aho Fadei thank you thank you for everyone my company and I open for any

[00:44:22] partner in shape investment and all that we just sit down if it will benefit us why not if you want to just go our way yeah open up for any business opportunities or anything that is that is of good

[00:44:34] that will help benefit all of that and yes my book is still selling if you want to be empowered you want to support a good cause why not you get a book and also redefine your own success

[00:44:47] if the shoemaker is able to make it if the shoemaker is a TEDx speaker the first class student is doing so well in her industry it's possible that you too you can also achieve whatever you

[00:44:57] want to do any industry for yourself if possible you can also become you can go globally that thank you. Edna thank you for joining us today and sharing your amazing inspiring journey as they shoemaker go you know you can feel your dedication in terms of empowering the youth

[00:45:16] supporting local talent in Ghana and we wish you continued success you too thank you so much. Thank you to everyone who has listened and stayed tuned to the podcast if you've enjoyed this

[00:45:29] episode please subscribe share or tell a friend about it you can also rate review us in Apple podcast or wherever you download your podcast thank you and see you next week for the Unlocking Africa podcast