Starting Avance Media in 2015, Prince Akpah, set up the business as a PR company after realising that he had the ability to put his writing and PR skills to use. In 2014, Mr Akpah volunteered on the team of an award scheme and being the youngest member on the team, he gained a lot of experience to help him begin his new found idea.

Speaking in an interview, Mr Apkah said, ‘There are a lot of companies in Ghana that are into award schemes but I think ours is a little bit different because we are into ranking our list of nominees than giving out awards. We mostly do not organize events to give out awards.’’

Mentorship

Narrating how mentors have guided his career path, the Executive Director of Avance Media told us how he underwent several trainings under specific mentors in order to acquire all the relevant skills that he uses to run his business till this day.

Low moments

According to him, there have been several moments when he wanted to give up. These were instances where he couldn’t reach certain targets and when he was faced with the unexpected. Such moments, he said, made him feel like giving up and focusing on other things. However, he learnt to gain motivation in the fact that every little step will develop into something greater than is expected.

‘’I look at the big results but I always have the belief that little steps would take me there,’’ the businessman revealed. He also believes that his innate values, such as honesty and integrity would get him closer to bigger results.

Motivation

”I remember receiving a message which read: ‘If for this whole week when the Government just increased fuel prices but your ranking list is what is trending, then I think you’re doing incredible,'” Mr Apkah recounted. That, he said, made him realise how impactful his work was.

He expressed hope in the fact that in years to come, he sees government supporting budding startups like his which will encourage more young people to be innovative and entrepreneurial.

Challenges

People are always skeptical about the integrity of Avance Media, and for the young business owner, that worries him a little. As a local brand, people tend to question what they have been doing right to get all the media buzz and attention they get when their organisation publishes a list of honorees. He is of the notion that most Ghanaians do not value others because they do not see them in the big offices, an attitude which he believes must change. For Avance Media, doing the work to the best of their ability has helped to clear some of the doubts about the organisation from the public domain.

Final words

‘’People do not see my company as big as the Forbes Magazine and co. but they should understand that we are a local business with not enough resources as Forbes,’’ Mr Akpah reiterated.

However, he believes that they are on the verge of building a global brand which is already making waves on the continental front because of the solid partnerships and support received from other local brands.

The Thriving in Ghana Series is an initiative by http://www.justicaanima.com that features Ghanaian business owners who have successfully built and maintained a career, business, or developmental project in Ghana.