Home Region
Bibiani, Ghana
Undergrad Education
Pomona College
Previous Experience
Ernst & Young Global Limited (EY)
HBS Activities
VP Continental Advisory Projects, Africa Business Club, Member of Food & Agriculture Club and Entrepreneurship Club
“I saw HBS as an opportunity to fully embrace my purpose and build the toolkits and confidence needed to take the chance on my dreams to effect tangible change in the food space of my country.”
Coming to HBS is like...
Entering a journey of self-reflection on and immersion in your purpose. It is a courageous leap of faith—a deliberate choice to forgo a “safer” path and confront passion head-on.
Before HBS, I balanced a role in strategy consulting with a commitment to a burgeoning social enterprise in my country focused on tackling food insecurity and sustainability. While I enjoyed working in consulting, I harbored the vision of transforming the very fabric of the circumstances I grew up in, where access to basic needs—food, water, education etc.—was lacking. I saw HBS as an opportunity to fully embrace my purpose and build the toolkits and confidence needed to take the chance on my dreams to effect tangible change in the food space of my country. It's like a quest for a catalyst that would ignite a transformative journey of empowerment and impact.
What is your most memorable classroom moment?
We had just finished a strategy case on an agriculture company in Nigeria. My friend Shahaan turned to me and asserted, “This is so you!” This comment sparked hours of conversation and changed how I approached my passion. Like me, the case protagonist, an HBS alumnus, had championed a grand vision of solving poverty and insurgency in Nigeria. Shahaan talked to me about how this was a clear example of why I needed to focus on my company in Ghana and why he believed I was the right person to create such an impact. He helped me navigate fears of returning to Ghana after eight years in the US, offering valuable strategies for transitioning. Ultimately, this moment after class with Shahaan, coupled with seeing myself in the case protagonist, reignited a passion I had been hesitant to fully embrace. It was a transformative experience that empowered me to immerse myself completely in what I love to do and care about the most.
What is one thing you brought with you to campus, and one thing you'll be leaving with?
I brought a significant amount of uncertainty and questions about the future. I would say 70% fear and 30% excitement. I wanted to flip those numbers. This journey feels like a project with potential to transform my world. However, alongside its grandeur, there's lingering fear of important tradeoffs. After a few weeks of crunching through cases, I quickly realized that the fears that bothered me were akin to typical challenging decisions in HBS cases, and HBS was preparing me to make those decisions effectively. I will be leaving with a renewed Me—transformed with knowledge, strength, and the commitment to give my dreams my all. While I can't control every outcome, I have classmates, alumni, and incredible faculty who have impacted my life at HBS and will continue to be a resource.
How have diverse perspectives in your section contributed to your understanding of business concepts, leadership, and/or problem-solving?
I would borrow wisdom from my Finance professor: “IT'S NOT ONLY ABOUT YOU.” It's about your investors, family, community, friends, etc. Said differently, it's about the other 99% of perspectives that you need to listen to, be aware of, and consider when making decisions. I feel the power of diverse experiences when I go into a class with strong opinions. However, I find I usually leave with a completely different birds-eye view after listening to my section mates debate and share their experiences. During my time at HBS, I have grown to embrace others' opinions even when it's uncomfortable, and I hope to build my teams on this cornerstone.
If you could give one piece of advice to prospective students, what would it be?
I would encourage you to tell the unique stories that make you who you are (your wildest dreams, backgrounds including being first generation, low income, underrepresented minority, etc.) and, when you are here at HBS, don't forget to live and own those stories. The HBS experience is yours to shape, and it's much more impactful if your classmates and professors hear your voice and for what it stands.