Esther A. N. Cobbah, the Chief Executive Officer of Strategic Communications Africa Limited (Stratcomm Africa), has urged female entrepreneurs to build brand presence and trust as essential elements of sustainable business success.

She emphasised that credibility, relevance, and excellence are the true currencies of leadership.

Ms Cobbah was speaking at the Africa Women’s Entrepreneurship & Business Innovation Programme 2026 in Accra on Tuesday.

The Programme, organised by the Africa Women’s Leadership Academy, brought together close to 200 women entrepreneurs, business leaders, and professionals from different sectors to explore practical strategies for growth, leadership, and innovation.

It was on the theme: “The Woman Founder – Brand Presence, Perception and Trust as a Skill.”

Ms Cobbah urged the participants to take time to know themselves, their strengths and weaknesses, stakeholders and their needs, as well as the contexts in which they operated for impactful businesses.

“You cannot determine your relevance from your perspective alone. Your enterprise must solve problems that matter to others, not just one that only excites you,” she noted.

Ms Cobbah said brand trust was built through sustained excellence and ethical conduct, including delivering the organisation’s brand promise, ensuring consistency between internal and external actions.

She urged entrepreneurs to anticipate challenges, invest in crisis preparedness, and not compromise their integrity.

“Your reputation is shaped not only by what you achieve, but also by how you behave in crisis situations,” she added.

Emphasising the importance of strategic thinking, she encouraged women entrepreneurs to resist shortcuts and focus on steady growth, strong systems, and capable people.

There was the need for continuous learning, self-renewal, and disciplined leadership, she said, noting that founders must evolve as their organisations grew.

“As your business expands, you must renew your thinking, your skills, and your capacity to develop others.”

Ms Cobbah called on women founders to invest intentionally in their teams, organisational culture, and governance structures.

She explained that strong institutions outlived individuals, and that true leadership was reflected in the ability to build systems that functioned effectively even in the founder’s absence.

Ms paid tribute to Ms Barbara Sika Baeta, the late founder of Flair Catering, an entrepreneur, who had been an inspiration to her in many ways.

Ms Baeta has built a business that has grown from small beginnings to cater to Heads of State and royalty with distinction for decades.

She was also able to project Ghanaian cuisine onto an introductory stage, through excellence and building brand trust.