Networking key to starting businesses - Inna Patty

Ms Mariam Inna Patty, Chief Executive Officer of Exclusive Events Ghana, has encouraged young and upcoming graduates to make good use of networking since it contributes to the stability and growth of businesses.

“It is critical as potential entrepreneur to establish rapport with people and how you utilise those relationship effectively to build your business venture, because everyone around you may contribute immensely to the success of your business plan”, she added.

Ms Patty, winner of Miss Ghana 2004, made the call on Sunday at a Career Development and Entrepreneurship training programme for youth of Church of Pentecost, Ashaley Botwe in Accra on the theme: “Finding Your Fit”.

Ms Patty admonished the youth to be assertive and take opportunities of social media to build their business plan through facebook, twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram to network with friends and sell their business concepts.

“There is key thing you need to develop in networking that is never looked down on anybody, respect everybody irrespective of the person’s status, because that person might be the turning point to your business life”.

Speaking on the topic: Starting a Business, What You Need to Know”, Ms Patty noted that businesses do not come by itself, but rather it is start by people and it is imperative to envisage the type of business plan to embark upon and the people to involve.

She explained that businesses are a natural extension of the people who build and manage those businesses and that potential entrepreneurs must first plan and identify who they are, what business strategy to explore either partnership or sole proprietorship to reposition themselves.

“There are no bad or good businesses, we only have businesses managed by good or bad, experienced or inexperienced people, and that every business venture must serve the needs of the society.

She urged the youth to do more research about their field of businesses to be abreast of information on marketing strategies to use, since reading is the bane of most people in the country.

“Never be in rush to start a business, be in rush to read more about your business plan, because starting a business is a journey and you need more information to be guided and succeed”.

Ms Patty challenged the youth never to be afraid to fail, but to be motivated to know their weaknesses and strength and work towards overcoming the obstacles.

Rev Dr Stephen Nyarkotey Quao, Resident Pastor of Church of Pentecost, Ashaley Botwe, English Assembly said the training programme was develop to empower the youth with entrepreneurial skills to start their own businesses.

Rev Quao, who is also a Meteorologist noted that, some churches focus on the spiritual programmes, leaving the physical ones, hence the need to combine the two to boost their future and career growth.

He said the timing for the programme is necessary because most of the youth are on holidays, and that the programme reshapes their business thinking and choice of course, because the future of the youth is dependent on their earlier choice.

“There are a lot of graduate students with degrees who are not marketable because some could not get the opportunity for career development conference that would help focus and strategies their business proposal “he added.

He said the expectation of the training is for the youth to grow both spiritually and physically and explore business opportunities and strategies that would guide their career development and see improvement in their lives.

Elder Paul Asante, Lead Team for the programme said the Month of August was dedicated for youth programmes and that there is the need re-orient and self-empower, as well as equip them with employable skills to meet emerging challenges.

He said the programme was the first of its kind and would institute it as an annual programme for the church calendar.

He said the church as part of its health week organised screening exercises for the youth and registered 190 members on the National Health Insurance Scheme.

Ms Monica Lucile Agyena, member of the church commended the organisers of the programme, saying it has helped her to make good use of networking and empowered to overcome any bottlenecks on a field of business.

“The session was lively and met my expectation of establishing my own businesses, my spirit were energised by the speaker to think outside the box and start something, not in rush since there are many opportunities there,” she added.