My dad always had pens in his pocket, not money – TT Brothers

CEO and Managing Director of TT Brothers, Isaac Tetteh, has revealed that he entered into business as an entrepreneur because his dad always had pens in his pocket but not money.

He explained that though his dad was well educated, it was his uneducated business mother who was taking care of his family's finances.

Due to that, he concluded that school was not his passion but rather to be a businessman.

Telling his story about how he started his business at the Joy Business Master Class Forum Wednesday morning, Mr Tetteh said when he started his business in 1983, his family thought he was a ‘bad’ boy because they didn’t comprehend why a boy in the second cycle institution will just drop out and start doing business but his mum was the one that stood by him.

He said his dad had always wanted him to become a chemical engineer in future but he never agreed to it so he had to discuss his vision with his mum who was already doing business.

He said when he always look at his graduate father and his uneducated mum, his mum always had money in the house.

“My dad speaks big English but he doesn’t have money. My dad always has pens in his pocket about four to five pens. My mum doesn’t have a pen, she doesn’t know how to hold a pencil but she was able to provide for the family. So I looked at it and chose my mum.” he narrated.

“I bet you, I didn’t regret choosing my mum as my mentor” he stressed.

Mr Tetteh further warned young business entrepreneurs not to borrow because they will not grow in business.

The Joy Business Master Class Forum which came off at the Best Western Premier Hotel was on the theme; Transforming Start-ups and SMEs: Think Local, act Global.