Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of B. C. Bencyn Pharmacy, Anyanah Achelisewine Benjamin has revealed how the sale of 2 newspapers on the street of Accra changed his story from a poor boy with bleak future to a business magnate today.
Mr. Anyanah Benjamin disclosed that he had struggled, for a very long time, to get a job without success until he met a newspaper retailer whose name he gave as Michael Agbenyo in Accra in 1987. He approached the said Agbenyo and sought to be engaged in the newspaper retail business. But the newspaper retailer declined his request for employment, explaining that he did not know him very well hence, could not entrust his business in his hands.
He, however, persisted and eventually convinced Mr. Agbenyo to start him off with just two newspapers as he (Mr. Agbenyo) was still doubtful of him. He sold the 2 newspapers in no time and went back for more.
“You know how I started selling graphics, after combing the whole town, that was 1987, I combed the whole of Accra but couldn’t get a job. Even sometimes when I applied, by the time I get the letter inviting me for the interview, the interview would’ve finished already. It is not like this technological era. Then, they would post it to an uncle who is a watchman somewhere, he would pick it then you would wait for a funeral day somewhere before you get it and when you open it, the interview is gone. But all the same, I still followed up and they would say ‘oh, we’re sorry but we would put you on our next list’” he narrated in interview on Dreamz FM’s State of Our Nation.
He continued, “So after struggling, I met one Michael Agbenyo who was selling graphics. I went to him and told him that I wanted him to allow me help him sell his graphics but he said he didn’t know me and that was not possible. So I told him I’m from Navrongo and just want to get a job doing, I’m tired looking for jobs so he should engage me. It took one whole day. It didn’t work, I went home but I was poised to do the job. So the following day, I went there and informed him that I still go by my stance. (But he was hesitant to give me the job) so I asked him to give 2 papers to go and sell. After all, if I run away with 2 papers, what would happen to him? And he gave me the two papers, I sold and brought the money back. That is how I started”.
He said he made a lot of sales and saved enough money working for Mr. Agbenyo and subsequently, started his own newspaper retail business which flourished within a short period of time.
He revealed that his passion and marketing skills plying his newspaper retail business caught the attention of many companies which offered him numerous job opportunities out of which he settled on one.
“I started with no money. I saved money to have enough money to go buy my own Graphic and Times to sell. Then after sometime, I even went beyond him. I was selling the London Times, the Economics, News Week Times, Reader’s Digest, exotic magazines. I actually made a big business that actually opened me to other companies who saw the creativity, the marketing energy in me and that is how I got 4 jobs and I made a choice” he said.
Mr. Anyanah Benjamin, who now owns one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in the country, made this revelation in support of his assertion that one does not necessarily need money to start-up a business.
He argued that, although he did not have money, his passion and determination to succeed in life propel him to where he is today hence, one requires the right skills and determination rather than money as start-up capital to set up a business and succeed as an entrepreneur.
