I went with my dad on Saturday to see the club guy. We were on the way to a wedding, well I was emotionally blackmailed into accompanying him to a wedding so in return I asked him to drop me off at the venue. We went over a few ideas I had for increasing the human traffic into the place, and how we could do a re-launch, once all the small things such as staffing, menu, decor had been done (actually there really is a lot to do). I didn’t do anything in detail, just enough to show him that I had a brain and that I was prepared to use it. In turn, I was told, the job was mine, as long as we could come up with remuneration which was beneficial for the both of us. We are looking at part cash, part shares so in effect I will be a junior partner in the business. As long as the part cash is enough to pay the bills and keep me a float, to be honest, at this point, I am getting quite excited.
My dad was there at the time, he didn’t say anything, even when I asked, he didn’t say much, but I can tell he wasn’t into it because on Monday, he went around Accra visiting all his friends, practically begging for a job for his poor unemployed daughter. In other words, he doesn’t want me to do the job.

My dad, bless him, is and always has been a grafter, and one who plays it safe. I have the utmost respect for him, we were never rich, but we never wanted for anything. He worked in the same job for 30 years, and every 10 years he was presented with a clock, or a watch or a pen, and at the end of it all, he got a comfortable pension which he is able to use to come to Ghana and sit comfortably in his house that he built in his hometown and he’s ok. A regular income and a stable job is all he’s ever asked for and it’s sustained him for all these years. If he ever wanted to start his own business, we don’t actually know, but I don’t think he has ever had the desire to have one, because of the risk involved. For him, the little he has to save at the end of the day, is all he needs.
My mum on the other hand, well she like her mother before her, has the entrepreneurial spirit. Before she became smother, she had her own business. It had its peaks and its troughs. When it was good, she had money, but she never let small money sit down. She was always buying things, and we still have a shed full of useless artefacts which she thought were a good buy at the time, but then got bored of it, and it found its way to the garden shed. She didn’t spend all her money on uselessness though, she made some investments (unfortunately the recession didn’t yield the expected results) bought her shop and later on bought the flat upstairs. She also has finished her house here, for her, bricks and mortar is the most valuable asset a person can own. My dad on the other hand, feels that the money should be in the bank and you should watch it grow.

I always say that I got the best and worst of the two. I quite honestly think that I cannot work for an ‘establishment’ anymore. I always think of that rainy day, the reason why I have been able to live without worry up until now is because I had some money tucked away in some corners(although running out soon). At the same time yes, call me arrogant, but it does pain me when I feel that I can do the job better than my boss because he’s an idiot who is able to hide behind my hard work and processes. But, there is nothing I can do about it, it’s not my father’s business, so the only thing I can do is set up on my own. Unfortunately, I don’t have the capital right now, but this opportunity is a step in the right direction.

Smother, doesn’t think it is a good idea, not because of the risk, but because it is a one man show, her fear is that at the end of the month, if business doesn’t do well then the excuses will come but my wages will not. I get her point, but then I have to see it this way, the success of the business will depend on me. So that should give me more of a push to get the place to where decent revenue is coming in. Also, this is a guy who has spent much time abroad, so I don’t think he can give me an offer which he cannot fulfil. So, I’m going to go for it, right now I have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Doing a 8-5 hasn’t really done well for me, and if well if I mess this up, then I really am good for nothing.

I am going to take the risk

So here goes nothing…..