Ghanaian television personality, brand influencer and former beauty queen Emefa Akosua Adeti has opened up about the challenges she faced while building her business, saying repeated failures did not stop her from pursuing her entrepreneurial ambitions.
Emefa Akosua Adeti, who won the Ghana’s Most Beautiful Pageant in 2012, said her journey into entrepreneurship has been marked by setbacks, financial difficulties and difficult experiences with suppliers and customers.
According to her, she failed several times in her attempt to establish her hair business but continued returning to it because persistence was the only option available to her.
“I failed countless times, gave up countless times but I still went back to it countless times. WHY? Because trying many times was my only option,” she said.
From a car booth to a business
Adeti said her entrepreneurial journey began modestly, with her luxury hair extensions business, Hairs Ala Mode, operating from the trunk of her car.
She recalled how some people mocked her for starting a business from a car booth, particularly because of her background as a former beauty queen.
According to her, some people questioned why she could not afford to begin the business from a physical shop.
Rather than allowing the criticism to discourage her, she treated the car booth as her starting capital and remained focused on building the business.
After four years of operating from her car, she eventually secured an uncompleted store space because she could not afford a fully completed facility.
She said it took another two years to put the space in order, followed by an additional year to establish the salon.
Adeti said the experience taught her the importance of starting from wherever one is and gradually building towards a bigger vision.
Business challenges strengthened her resolve
The former beauty queen said some of her biggest challenges included dealing with fake suppliers and customers who expected preferential treatment because they knew her personally.
She explained that some friends and family members approached the purchase of her hair extensions as though their support for her during the beauty pageant entitled them to special treatment.
Despite these difficulties, she continued learning from her experiences and working to improve the business.
Adeti said she is determined to become better at running a business from the ground up while creating an environment that motivates her employees.
She credits her parents for her success
Adeti also attributed much of her success to the values instilled in her by her parents, particularly her late mother.
Born in Larteh Akuapem in Ghana, she said her father, Togbe Tutu V, the traditional ruler of the Bakpa Community, taught her discipline, hard work, honesty and diligence.
She recalled accompanying her mother to the market as a teenager and helping her sell food.
For Adeti, those early experiences played an important role in shaping her attitude towards work and perseverance.
She described her late mother as the biggest influence in her life, crediting her love and sacrifices for much of what she has achieved.
A career beyond beauty pageants
Beyond entrepreneurship, Adeti has built a career in television, marketing and brand influencing.
She holds both Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Marketing from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA).
As a television personality, she has hosted and co-hosted several programmes, including cooking shows and beauty and fashion-related programmes.
She co-hosted the 2016 and 2017 editions of Ghana’s Most Beautiful and hosted the Secure Girl Talk programme for two seasons in 2018 and 2019.
She has also hosted the GTP Wear Ghana Fashion Show and cooking programmes, including Ongalicious.
Adeti currently co-hosts The AM Club on MX24 TV, a weekday morning programme that airs from 7am to 10am.
A leading brand influencer
Her professional career has also seen her collaborate with several brands in Ghana.
Some of the brands she has worked with include GTP Nustyle, Cindy Rice, Heaven Rice, Keyah Fitness, Arocafe, Hairs Ala Mode, Secure Conceptive, Oh Yes Feminine Wash, TomVita and Onga-Ongalicious Ghana Cooks.
Her experience in marketing, television and brand partnerships has helped establish her as a prominent personality within Ghana’s media and advertising space.
Adeti urges young people to keep trying
Reflecting on her journey, Adeti encouraged young people and emerging talents not to give up when they encounter setbacks.
She said everyone has something unique to contribute and urged young people to understand the requirements of their chosen paths and remain committed to their goals.
According to her, success does not always require following the conventional route, and it is acceptable to be different while pursuing one’s ambitions.
She also encouraged young people to trust God throughout their journey and continue trying until they find the path that works for them.
Adeti is currently reading Boundaries by Dr Henry Cloud and Dr John Townsend, a book she said has helped her understand when to say yes, when to say no and how to take greater control of her life.
For Adeti, the journey from a beauty queen to television personality, marketing professional and entrepreneur demonstrates the importance of resilience, intentionality and the willingness to begin with whatever resources are available.
