Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Strategic Communication (Stratcomm) Africa, Esther Cobbah, has launched a book titled ‘Dare to Be’.
Dare to Be is a compilation and celebration of the entrepreneurial journeys of six outstanding Ghanaian women in the film, fashion, music, cosmetics and food industries.
They include: Aisha Ayensu, Founder and Creative Director of Christie Brown; Vera Hamenoo-Kpeda, better known by her stage name MzVee – a Ghanaian singer, Afropop, dancehall and R&B artiste; Emi-Beth Quantson is the founder and CEO of Kawa Moka Coffee; Awura Abena Agyeman, co-founder and CEO of WEAR Ghana Ltd.; Freda Obeng-Ampofo founder of KAEME, a cosmetic products manufacturer; and Kafui Danku, a multiple award-winning filmmaker/actress and author.
In the book, they share with readers their experiences, lessons as well as words of advice for people in similar circumstances which will motivate other women to be their most authentic selves – leveraging their resources, no matter how limited, to the best of their capabilities.
Reviewing the book at the launch, Ms. Cobbah explained that there are many women excelling in their field of work; however, the world is silent on them. Therefore, it is necessary for their stories to be told to serve as a source of motivation for other budding entrepreneurs.
“I love to celebrate women. Knowing the odds we face, often in male-dominated environments, we cannot but Dare to Be! In celebrating the stories of these amazing young women, I hope others will be encouraged to step forward in their own authentic selves and be the best they can be.
“Numerous women in Ghana run enterprises that they started. They can be found in their homes, in front of their houses, in our markets, in kiosks and indeed small and large offices. Their stories need to be told. The more we project enterprise through such sharing of stories by entrepreneurs, the more we can expect the development of an entrepreneurship culture in Ghanaian society,” she emphasised.
Ms. Cobbah further explained that: “We need as a country to be more deliberate about documenting the stories of our entrepreneurs, and have our business schools reflect these experiences in their studies on the world of business.
“What is portrayed through the experiences of young female entrepreneurs – their strivings to build their businesses, their resilience in the face of adversity, their joys in success and their unrelenting quest for excellence – I believe resonates with many women. I truly cherish celebrating these and similar women.
She urged well-meaning Ghanaians to grab copies of the book, and expressed confidence that ‘Dare to Be’ will give hope so other women and men follow their dreams, overcome adversity and give expression to the enormous talents they have.
