Vincent
Agyei Yeboah is a 27 year old Software developer and the Chief Executive
Officer (CEO) of an Internet Startup Company - O.R. Systems. O.R Systems are experts
in web and mobile applications. Although it started out as a freelance
organization, the company is now a registered company that employs young
Ghanaians, and has the potential to employ much more.
With
a poor WASSCE performance and a little chance at a University Degree, Vincent
and his startup, O.R. Systems have come a long way through its fair potion of
challenges.
The
young achiever’s life was characterized by failure in most aspect. “I have
failed a lot so I am no longer afraid of failure.” the critical failure that
imparted his career was debt and a broken heart. “Before I started my business,
I went into some ventures and I ended up incurring a lot of debt. It was
frightening at first. The debt were very huge. But what it did for me was that
it made me lose fear of failure.”
The
debt he explained motivated him to be creative, find creative means to raise
money and come out of the debt. “When
you are in debt, there is no one to foot the bill for you so you have to find a
way to come out of that debt. The debt failure pushed me into different business.
It made me know that, look, I could
succeed or I could fail but there is no point in being afraid to fail because
if you should fail you would definitely bounce back.
Coupled
with a terrible first relationship he vowed, like all vengeful partners, to
become so successful. “It actually pushed me to force harder and say, look, I
am not going to allow anybody to intimidate me again or tell me that I am not
good enough. Those are the two main reasons that really pushed me into business
and say if I could overcome broken heartedness or if I could overcome debt,
then what next?”
Vincent
completed his basic and Junior High School at Datus Complex in Dansoman, Accra.
He enrolled at the Tema Secondary School where he hoped to offer Science.
However he was offered General Arts instead. “I didn't think I was cut out to
do General Arts. So in SHS One, I stopped going for classes. I was virtually a
dropout.” He would rather spend his time in the Computer lab. That was where he was introduced to computing.
Eventually
he had an opportunity to study Management Information System at IMIS in London,
the only tertiary education he has gotten involved in. “I got in there and I
was told no one has actually passed all subject in the first attempt, by the
grace of God, I passed with the first sitting”
Through
it all, his draws source of inspiration are in God and the strong conviction to
prove his Grandmother right. Through all his challenges both with debt and
troubled youth his grandmother has been his greatest support. “I can't afford
to fail her”
Currently,
O.R. Systems attracts local and international clients: “We are getting bigger
contracts each and every week from the US and UK, and some from Liberia.” This
development, the CEO believes, would make the company its first million dollar
by the close of the year, and a million dollar company by the following year.
“By next year I dream we would become a million dollar company not because we
are making a lot of money but because we are reaching a lot of people and
solving a lot of problems.”
This
startup is unique, particularly in the sense that it has strategic partnership
with other IT startups in providing services, making it a potential franchise
in the near future possibly if things go right for the young CEO.
Through
his experience, he had learn the basic human character of Confidence, Courage,
Respect and the devotion to the thing of God. “I am not a perfect Christian but
I know who God is in my life.”
To
the youth, he advised that they start small. In his account, everything he has
done, he had 'started from scratch'.
Start small, do what you can with what you have and grow with it. “The
mistake I did was that I didn't start saving from the start” So it took quite a
bit for me to build a company.
What is your story?
#MotivateGhana
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