The Chairman of the McDan Group, Dr. Daniel McKorley, has urged students to strive to become entrepreneurs and contribute toward economic growth.
Speaking at the recently held ‘McDanYouthConnect’ event at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), the renowned business mogul said the youths must take advantage of the opportunities available within the entrepreneurship space. “It is important for the youths to work hard and create jobs instead of becoming job seekers after school, which sometimes could be frustrating,” he said.
He added that acquiring skills in entrepreneurship would help students to acquire self-sustaining jobs and contribute to economic growth. He emphasised the value of hard work, resilience, and learning from failure to become successful businessowners.
Dr. McKorley shared his personal journey, highlighting the numerous rejections and challenges he faced; but he also emphasised the importance of persistence and having a focused mindset to achieve success. He emphasised the importance of perseverance and hard work in achieving entrepreneurial success. “Never let anyone convince you that your dream and vision to be an entrepreneur is something that you should not pursue. Just know that nothing comes easy in business or life, and you must work for it daily.”
Drawing from his personal experiences, Dr. McKorley shared the reality of facing failures and setbacks along the entrepreneurial journey. He encouraged the students to embrace failure as a valuable learning curve, reminding them that failures were a stepping stone to greater achievements.
He took the opportunity to listen to the students’ business ideas and shared his personal experiences, while highlighting the importance of resilience and ability to create more efficient solutions. He expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to interact with the students and witness their entrepreneurial enthusiasm. He was hopeful that his success story would inspire young entrepreneurs to pursue their passions.
Eventually, 10 budding businesses pitched in the UCC edition of the McDan Entrepreneurial Challenge with Irene Commey, CEO of ‘Mother’s Kitchen’, emerging winner and booking a slot in the grand finale to contest for a whopping US$100,000 start-up prize.
Dr. McKorley, who was acknowledged by traditional leaders in the area, expressed his gratitude for the warm reception and the privilege to engage and share ideas with the leaders and students. He emphasised the importance of collaboration between the business sector, educational institutions, and traditional leadership in driving sustainable development and nurturing the potential of young people.
While in Cape Coast, Dr. McKorley visited very renowned chiefs and leaders of the town, including the Zongo Chief and the Omanhene of Cape Coast, Osabarima Kwesi Atta II, as well as other sub-chiefs, political figureheads and opinion leaders to pay homage.
Osabarima Kwesi Atta II acknowledged Dr. McKorley’s role as an inspiration for the youths and emphasised the importance of education and entrepreneurship in shaping a brighter future. He also requested that the McDan Youth Connect event should become a constant programme on the UCC campus to empower the youth. The Omanhene praised Dr. McKorley for his commitment to nation-building and his unwavering dedication to fostering positive change.
