During a fireside chat with Thelma Tackie at the 9th edition of the “What I Wish I Knew” (WIWIK) Conference, Dr. Daniel Mckorley, the CEO of the McDan Group of Companies, offered valuable advice to entrepreneurs. 

He emphasized the significance of prioritizing attitude over certificates when hiring employees for his businesses.

He said, “I don’t employ degrees, I employ attitudes. My biggest problem is HR. At the organic level you see growth but what will bring you down is your HR”.

According to Dr. Mckorley, HR can be a significant challenge, and focusing on the right attitudes is crucial for sustainable growth.

In addition, he expressed concern about the extravagant lifestyle prevalent among the youth and young entrepreneurs today.

Drawing from his own early entrepreneurial days, he shared the importance of simplicity and avoiding unnecessary show-offs.

Sharing part of his entrepreneurial journey, he said “In my early years as an entrepreneur, I had a lot of money, but I was simple. The problem we have today is show off”.

Furthermore, Dr. Mckorley advised entrepreneurs not to prioritize personal recognition over their companies. He highlighted his 20-year journey with the McDan company, where he remained behind the scenes, allowing the brand to speak for itself and garner recognition.

As an annual event, the WIWIK Conference has become one of the largest personal development conferences on university campuses. 

Its primary aim is to educate, advise, and inspire final year undergraduate students.

The conference also featured Capt Rtd. Kofi Amoabeng (President, UT Holdings) who also shared his entrepreneurial journey with participants.

Distinguished panelists for this year’s edition included Dr. Dennis Oteng (CEO, Ravens Consulting Gh), Prof. Carol Javis (Professor in Knowledge Exchange and Innovation, Bristol Business School – UK), Sammy Gyamfi (Politician), Audrey Naa Dei Kotey, Esq, FCCA (Managing Partner, Audrey Grey & Chairperson, ACCA Ghana Network Panel) and Doris Ahiati (CEO, Crescendo Consult).

This year’s conference was on the theme “Thriving in uncertainty; a conversation on intrapreneurship and entrepreneurship.”

Speaking to the media on the side, the convener of the WIWIK conference, Dr. Bernard Tawiah mentioned that “These past years have been marked by shifting narratives and unexpected outcomes.”

“These year’s conference has equipped our participants with a toolkit of simple, practical, evidence-based techniques that can apply in their intrapreneurship or entrepreneurship journey in these challenging times”.

Delivering the keynote address, Hannah Ashiokai Akrong, Vodafone Ghana’s Human Resources Director highlighted the importance of fostering an entrepreneurial spirit within organisations, a concept she referred to as “intrapreneurship.”

She also emphasised the need for organisations to create an environment that encourages innovation and does not punish failure. 

Dr. Dennis Oteng, CEO of Ravens Consult Gh, urged participants to prioritize growing their family businesses instead of solely seeking employment opportunities, especially considering the challenges of the current business climate.

The WIWIK Conference was organized by the WIWIK Foundation, a non-profit organization, in collaboration with the University of Ghana Business School, the Graduate Students Association of Ghana (GRASAG), and Crescendo Consult.