MTN Ghana has urged entrepreneurs to adopt stronger financial discipline and smarter money management practices to build sustainable businesses.

The call was made during a virtual financial literacy webinar organised as part of activities marking the company’s 30th anniversary.

Held under the theme “Making Money Moves: Building a Financially Smart and Sustainable Business,” the webinar brought together Yaw Saifah, Senior Manager for BankTech at MobileMoney Fintech Limited; Paul Mante, Managing Director of EDC Investments; and Desmond Bredu, Head of Client Coverage at Stanbic Investment Management Services.

The speakers addressed financial discipline, cash flow management, digital payments, and investment and wealth creation.

Mr Saifah advised entrepreneurs to separate their personal finances from business funds to improve financial visibility and discipline.

He said mixing the two made it difficult for business owners to determine their actual revenue, profit and available working capital.

“Separating personal and business funds gives you visibility and discipline,” he said.

He also encouraged businesses to use digital tools to monitor sales, payments, invoices and cash flows.

According to him, digital platforms can help businesses with multiple branches monitor their operations remotely and maintain verifiable transaction records.

He further advised entrepreneurs to consider Enterprise Resource Planning systems for managing customer records, inventory, and other business activities.

“Your problem may not be limited capital or illiquidity. It may be that you are not managing your inventory properly,” he said.

Mr Mante, meanwhile, warned entrepreneurs against confusing revenue with profit.

He said some businesses collapse because owners begin spending heavily as soon as sales increase without first determining whether the business is profitable.

“Don’t spend before you calculate your profit. You make a profit before you start spending; you don’t spend before you start making a profit,” he advised.

He also cautioned against rapid expansion without sufficient working capital.

“Sales do not mean profitability. You can be making sales and still collapse,” he said.

“Revenue makes the noise, profit creates wealth, and cash keeps an SME alive,” Mr Mante added.

He urged entrepreneurs to be patient with wealth creation and avoid the pressure to become rich quickly.

“Building wealth is not a sprint; it is a marathon. It cannot happen overnight,” he said.

Mr Bredu, for his part, encouraged Ghanaians to start investing regardless of the size of their income.

He said entrepreneurs and individuals could begin with small amounts instead of waiting until they had substantial funds.

“You do not need a huge amount of money to invest. You can start with GH¢50,” he said.

He cautioned against keeping money idle because inflation gradually reduces its purchasing power.

“If you keep GH¢100 under your bed or leave it idle, it may still be GH¢100 after one year, but inflation would have reduced what it can buy,” he explained.

Mr Bredu also stressed the need for discipline after earning money.

“Making money requires taking risks, but managing money requires frugality and discipline,” he said.

He urged business owners to track their expenses, control lifestyle inflation and retain part of their earnings for reinvestment.

“Having the money coming in is not enough. You need to retain it because retaining the money is what enables you to scale up and move to the next level,” Mr Bredu said.