Doing a Startup, Are you a Bull or a Bear?

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When i was in school, i took a banking and financial markets course where i was taught the concept of bulls and bears when it comes to investing. The bull is the optimistic one who takes chances when it comes to investing because there is hope that stock and bond prices will continue to rise. The risk lover, the risk taker the one who is not afraid to make the bold decisions and that is the bull for you. Whereas the bear is the one who is risk averse and would take a minimum level of risk. Since the bear is quite the pessimist and does not believe stocks and bonds will rise there is 'safe' investment on his part. So i asked my lecturer is it good to be a bull or a bear? He said both has its advantages and disadvantages. 

You can easily liken the bull and bear situation to entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship is about taking risk which lies more on the 'bull' side of the spectrum. But even if you are a 'bear' you can gradually teach yourself to take some calculated level of risk. Because though bulls often crash and burn, they are also the ones who reach icon status. Even if you do not want to be an icon or multi-billionaire or whatever. You still have plans to be a successful entrepreneur who does not have to worry about money anymore and is making a real impact in society. Therefore it is imperative to get your bull instinct right even if you are a bear.

To develop your bull instinct you don't have to discard any crazy/silly idea that comes to mind that you feel can help people. Our minds have been trained to immediately discard certain thoughts as garbage and not right therefore we easily forget it even if it can help people.  But guess what, all the great businesses and startups you see all around started as an idea. I imagine how insane the twitter idea was when the founder was telling his friends and family about it. A social  media platform that allows you to communicate in 140 characters or less. I know pre-twitter, many people who were pitched the idea would have said it won't work because people need more than 140 characters to have a meaningful conversation. Ideas are very important, never discard any idea that you have as stupid (especially the ones that can help people and solve a societal problem).

Therefore if you have toss certain ideas off your friends and family and you receive comments like. "I don't think it will work" or "Is there something like that? Or "this looks like a waste of time". By all means seriously consider it because the fact that someone is asking 'whether there is something like that' means your idea is genuine and novel. This is a simple way to tell whether your idea is great because you're investing your time, money and energy you could have used for other things into working on the project. Interesting enough, ideas that everybody hales as great and feasible usually don't work.

 Here are some ways to protect your bear instincts whiles diving into the bull (risk) pool.

• As much as possible try and see whether your idea would solve a social problem. If your idea or startup solves a problem there is a higher chance of sucess
• Bears can also decide to have a plan B in case everything does not go as planned. therefore it would be good to specialise in a field or go the other route of being a professional or an expert. An experts opinion will always in demand. I strongly believe you can be an expert in anything as long as you are willing to do the hardwork
• You can partner with like minded people if you are afraid to go into a venture alone. I recommend partnerships for first timers. Take a cue from tech entrepreneurs on how they are able to come together and create awesome products. Ask your spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend to help you with some of the mundane task and rally your family and friends around your startup/idea.
• Don't give up if the first attempt at a business or a startup fails. Believe it or not a startup that fails is actually normal. If your startup succeeds at the first attempt and becomes a huge success, that is rather abnormal. Worry more about your startup making an impact and find creative ways that your business can help people. With entrepreneurship, failure is a steep learning curve which will serve you well as you grow.

So here is an idea i thought of, even though i really enjoy travelling, i hate packing for a trip. Is there a business that specializes in packing your suitcase whiles you're getting ready to travel?

Tamale: My Brief Stopover

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After visiting my friend in Garu, it was time to go back to Lassia, yeah!!1 my same old boring village life after an awesome time backpacking through Tumu Navrongo Paga  Bawku and Garu. Yet there was one place i haven't visited and that was Tamale. But there was a problem. I had run out of money and it was a Sunday whiles school was reopening on Monday (i teach). So i figured i could pass through Tamale en route to Wa. If i get to spend a few hours at Tamale, i can't really say i have stayed there but at least i would have a fair idea of what Tamale looks like. Besides i didn't want to go back the route i came therefore i decided to do a brief stopover at Tamale.

Barrier after Pawlugu where there is fresh farm produce for sale

First there was the taxi ride from Garu to Bawku. At Bawku i sat in a bus enroute to Tamale. Some of the towns worthy of note on the Bolgatanga to Tamale highway are Savelugu, Pawlugu, Wulugu, Wale Wale etc. After a bus ride that took about 2 hours and 30 minutes we made our way to Tamale. 

These pictures were taken whiles the bus was in motion.

Upon arriving at Tamale, it was a little late in the afternoon around 3pm  and i had to continue my journey the same day. The ride from Tamale to Wa my final destination is another 6 hour bus ride therefore i had to get on the Wa bound bus immediately. I got really sad i couldn't explore Tamale the capital of the northern region of Ghana like i wanted to. But i know i would definitely visit another time. Although sad, i was also happy at the same time because in a single day i have been to three different cities in Ghana because my bus passed through Bolgatanga (capital of the upper east) en route to Tamale (capital of the northern region) and i was headed for Wa (capital of the upper west) so that make 3 different cities. I deserve an award...

Tourist site: Nania-Pikworo slave camp

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Pikworo Slave Camp

Pikworo slave camp is located in the upper east region of Ghana near a little village called Nania. The village Nania where the slave camp is located is very close to the town of Paga which is the district capital of the Kassena Nankana west district of Ghana. Nania was a slave camp during the era when the slave trade and slavery was at its height in Ghana. Nania means "a place of cows or cattle" whiles Pikworo means a place surrounded by rocks. The slave camp was started in 1704 by a slave master whom the people called "Baggaw" which literally translates as 'bush man'

Get There 

Pikworo slave camp is near Paga. Upon reaching Paga, there are motorbikes, taxis and mini buses that can be hired to the slave camp. The camp is about 9 kilometres away from Paga.  Paga is quite a developed town therefore it is fairly easy to get there from which ever part of  Ghana one is coming from. Popular towns close to Paga are Bolgatanga and Navrongo. The most popular mode of transport to get to paga is by car/bus. 

Activities

• The main activity at Pikworo is going round the camp with a tour guide whiles he tells you the storied history of slavery and slave trade in the past. There is guided tour of various sections of the camp. That is the kitchen, sleeping areas, punishment rock, cemetary etc.
• For a little tip, the tour guides can perform to you the way slaves of the past used to sing and entertain themselves. A link is provided here for you to preview how it looks like.

Accommodation/Lodging & Dinning 

Pikworo has no hotel/guest house as well as a restaurant. But since it's quite close to Paga, you can get meals and lodging at there. Paga can be toured in a few hours therefore you can decide to go back to Navrongo or Bolgatanga where there there is a wide variety of hotels and guest houses.

Pictures of the slave camp

Prices

A guided tour around the slave camp cost 5 cedis for Ghanaian nationals and 10 cedis for non-nationals. Kids and students pay different prices. 

NB: All the prices stated are 2014 prices and are subject to change.

Contact

The slave camp has a close connection with the Chief crocodile pond at Paga. You can therefore contact these lines for more information.

+233-244-691-525

+233-244-189-338

No dedicated website yet

Tourist Site: Paga Crocodile Pond

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Paga Crocodile Pond

Paga is located in the upper east region of Ghana and the last major town on the north eastern corridor. It shares a border with Burkina Faso Ghana's neighbour to the north. Paga is the district capital of Kassena Nankana west district of Ghana.

Get There

Paga is quite a developed town therefore it is fairly easy to get there from which ever part of the country one is coming from. Popular towns close to Paga are Bolgatanga and Navrongo. The most popular mode of transport to get to paga is by car/bus. There are buses which move from other major cities in Ghana such as Kumasi and Accra to Navrongo or Bolgatanga and from there you can board a taxi to Paga. There are two main crocodile ponds in Paga but the most popular one is the Chief Crocodile Pond which is located right in the centre of town. A Paga bound taxi drives past the pond therefore its easy to locate it.

Information board and reception area

Front entrance

Activities

The prime activity at Paga is crocodile watching and the interesting nature in which crocodile and humans coexist in a peaceful way. At the pond, you will be allowed to touch the crocodile fave a feel of it scale and hold it tail as well as take pictures with them from different angles.

The pond

 Crocodiles

Another interesting thing you can indulge in at Paga is go to the Ghana-Burkina Faso border which is not very far from the Chief crocodile pond. Even though the official language of Ghana is English, at the border you will here an interesting mix of English, French and the local Kassen dialect which is quite delightful. 

Accommodation/Lodging and Dinning

The Chief crocodile pond has an eatery nearby therefore finding a place for a meal will be no hassle likewise, there are a number of hotels and guest houses in Paga though they are not associated with the crocodile pond. Paga can be toured in a few hours therefore you can decide to go back to Navrongo or Bolgatanga where there there is a wide variety of hotels and guest houses.

Crocodile pond restaurant

Prices

10 cedis for Ghanaian nationals ( prices vary for school kids and non-nationals)

NB: These are 2014 prices and are subject to change

Contact

+233-244-691-525

+233-244-189-338

No dedicated website yet

Dear Spouse (A Letter to the Partner of an Entrepreneur)

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Dear spouse/partner 

Welcome to the crazy, adventurous and the roller coaster startup life. When someone starts a business, it means she feels strongly that she can make a difference and create something of value because that's what businesses do, they solve problems. And great entrepreneurs are the ones who solve great societal problems therefore your partner is on the way to solve a societal problem. If he succeeds, society will greatly reward his effort. But remember nothing good comes easy. Therefore in the course to solve problems and affect society in a good way, your dear partner (entrepreneur) may seem concerned about the business more than any other thing. All thoughts and emotions go to the business and therefore this person you've known for a while all of a sudden becomes distant and always deep in thought. But don't worry too much and it's a normal 'teething' process for any entrepreneur because that is what happens when one desires to change the world.
 Therefore as a partner you'll have two feelings about the whole startup situation. Its either you're extremely supportive and helpful or you secretly wish that the startup will not do too well so that your partner will give up and you'll return to your  'normal life' where you both have dead end jobs and work till 65. But the thing with entrepreneurship and starting a business is, even if the startup fails, there is no normal life afterwards because money, time, energy and a lot of emotions have already been invested which you can never get back. Though your partners startup might look to be going no where today, i can assure you that when you hold on a little bit longer and that moment of profitability, stability and/or acquisition comes, nobody would have to tell you deciding to be an entrepreneur is one of the best decision you partner has made.
Because first of all, successful entrepreneurs make lots of profit which leads to financial freedom. When there is financial freedom then there is piece of mind because money is not one of the things a successful couple would have to think and argue about. Money is the reason why a lot of us go to school for many years, get advanced degrees and even work overtime. Just to make a little bit more therefore think about how all your financial problems would be solved. Then there is the time factor. Successful entrepreneurs who have built successful businesses do not have to work as much. They can hire a competent team to do daily task and even manage the business whiles they enjoy their lives. More money for a spouse means, there is time to travel, explore the world and do all the things that interest you as a couple. You get to donate to charities and causes that are dear to your heart and make a real difference in your society or country.
Does all this sound like a dream and unreachable? well it is achievable and here are someways to  quicken the success process for your spouse.

• Allow your entrepreneur spouse to complain: By saying allow them to complain i mean give a listening ear when they are venting their frustration with a employee, supplier, a business partner, their fears, anger and all the varied tantrums that can be found in the entrepreneurship spectrum. The thing with entrepreneurs is they think everyone is incompetent and they are the salt of the earth therefore they tend to complain a lot. The best you can help is give a listening ear. Please don't tell your partner (entrepreneur) 'You're too whinny'.
• You can help with some of the work your partner is doing. There are certain mundane jobs with a startup that does not require a phD to do. You can devote an amount  time of say a few hours a week to help with your partner at work. Doing this can give you sometime together and can be another point of alone time for the two of you.
• Sometimes prior to starting the business, your partner had certain household chores that she/he would normally do at home. During the 'make or break' phase of the startup, you can add these simple chores to your own chores. You can put it on your to do list as one of your task now. To give your partner a little bit more time to work on the startup.
• If your spouse is doing the startup with other partners you should try and establish contacts with the spouses of the other partners. Try and maintain some level of friendship with them. This can serve as a support group. Your group can serve as evangelists for the startups product and services. 
• Occasionally, genuinely ask your partner how the venture is going and be ready to celebrate or sympathise with your spouse when things are going great or not so great. And be prepared to listen if your partner is frustruated like the first point above. Please don't ask like it's a chore you have to do show genuine interest and concern. Because not asking is better than asking in a corny way.

Entrepreneurship is no doubt full of ups and downs and can really be a stressful ride but if you're willing to hold on one more moment and persevere. Your partner and yourself will enjoy the rewarding benefits of having your own business. Hoping to hear about you doing great things and donating a ton of you country's currency to a charity... Good luck

                                                                                                                     Your Faithfully

                                                                                                                       Ntikumah

In Garu: Everything is Round

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From Bawku and all the blabbing about donkey travel  and how they can help reduce Co2 emission and global warming. I made my way to my friends place at Garu which is a small town about 35 kilometres from Bawku in the upper east region of Ghana. At this time all the travelling i've done during the week from statue watching in Bolgatanga to squatting on top of a crocodile for a pose at Paga was beginning to take its toll on me and i was dying for a proper bed and some good home made meal.

At Garu, all picture picture taking and interesting topics for blog posts derailed as i met my friend Joeseph. Everything then degenerated into conversations and chit chatting and our obsession with the latest movies (our shared passion). We also visited mutual friends who were also doing their national service in the area. But one thing that really took my interest was the round nature of the mud houses. Mud houses in the upper west where i was coming from are usually rectangular or square shaped therefore it was a pleasure seeing new ways of how people build houses.

I wished i lived in one of these 'bad boys' ha!

But i also wondered how furniture and other house hold equipment will fit into a round hut but it turns out people who live in mud houses do not have much anyway therefore there was nothing to worry about. Inside a mud house you will usually find a mat spread on the floor, a radio set, a plastic chair and the individuals clothes and a few cooking utensils. The lifestyle is quite minimalistic.

Picture of the town 'Garu'

After two days in Garu, my backpacking trip had come to an end officially as in the places i wanted to visit because in Garu i crossed every destination off my bucket list except Tamale. But then i wanted to go back to Wa through Tamale so that i could have a feel of what the northern region of Ghana looks like since i have not been there yet and besides i didn't want to go back the same way i came that is through Upper east region.

Bye Joe but before i leave let's take a selfie!!!

Tourist Site: Wechiau Hippopotamus Sanctuary-Ghana

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Wechiau Hippopotamus Sanctuary

Wechiau hippopotamus sanctuary is a wild hippopotamus habitat located in the Upper west region of Ghana. Wechiau is the last town and district capital of the wa-west district.

Get There

 Wechiau is approximately 34 kilometres from Wa which is the capital city of the Upper west region. There is public transport going to Wechiaw from Wa everyday of the week. Private car rentals are hard to come by. Therefore it is advisable to rent a mini bus from Wa when travelling in groups. But on a solo expedition you can join the public vehicles going there.

Accommodation/Lodging and Dinning  

Accommodation: The hippo sanctuary has guest house accommodation for tourist who want to spend the night. There are clean basic rooms with fans (no air conditioning). There is no restaurant therefore there is a kitchen on site. You can buy fresh farm produce from the market and cook your own meals. Cooked food is also available in town but be careful.

Activities

The office of the hippopotamus sanctuary is located not very far from the town square. The office is where you book the tour to see the hippopotamus.  After booking the tour there is then the 18 kilometre ride to a village called Talewona, this is the nearest village to the river (black volta) where the hippopotamus reside.

Hippopotamus sanctuary office

Hippopotamus skull

Crafts store

Reception area

Activities available are 

The River Safari

You tour the black volta river in a canoe where you get to see the hippopotamus in their natural surroundings. The hippopotamus swim during the day and hunt for food at night. The river also serves as a boundary between Ghana and Burkina Faso. These hippopotamus are wild and not caged therefore it is interesting to watch them in their natural habitat and observe the way they react to people.

Bird Watching

You can also see varieties of birds especially early in the morning. You can go along with binoculars for better viewing opportunities. There are cattle egrets, grey herons and kingfishers

Camping

There are designated spaces meant for camping as well as opportunity to visit the three main families who live close to the river. This offers you the opportunity to see the way of life of a traditional West African family in a village dwelling 

Prices

• Booking for the tour cost 10 cedis for non-nationals and 8 cedis for Ghanaian nationals and students. Students must present their ID cards (tour fee include the tour guide and life  jacket for canoe ride)
• The river safari cost 8 cedis per hour
• The guest house accommodation cost 15 cedis for the night

NB: All the prices stated are 2014 prices

Contact

You can contact this tourist site at http://www.ghanahippos.com/

or the following numbers

+233-024-280-590-8

+233-026-577-311-7