Ghanaian entrepreneur and educationist, Mary Anane Awuku, has revealed that her book Entrepreneurial Success was developed from academic research she conducted during her postgraduate studies at the University of Ghana.

Speaking on The Career Trail Season 4 aired on Joy Learning TV and Joy News, she explained that the work originated from an MPhil research project in the Department of Psychology.

“The book is entitled Entrepreneurial Success, and it came as a result of my academic research I did during my MPhil studies in the University of Ghana Psychology Department,” she said.

Mary disclosed that her research involved studying 27 successful business owners in Ghana to understand the strategies behind their achievements.

“I investigated the lives of 27 top business owners in this country to learn from them,” she noted.

She explained that the study focused on the competencies and practical skills entrepreneurs apply to succeed in business, including the opportunities they leverage and the challenges they overcome.

“What did you apply to running your business that made you successful? In the book, you have the opportunities they took advantage of and the challenges they faced,” she added.

Mary further explained that she was intentional about turning her thesis into a practical resource rather than leaving it in academic archives.

“I didn’t want to leave that thesis on the University of Ghana shelves, but to bring it out into the public for others to learn from,” she said.

She noted that the aim of the book is to share practical strategies that can guide both aspiring and established entrepreneurs.

The author also disclosed that she is currently pursuing a PhD, focusing on how businesses can be sustained beyond their founders.

She explained that her upcoming research will explore how businesses can be structured to last across generations, with plans to develop another book from the study.

“Most of the time, we want to become successful as entrepreneurs, but how do you sustain the business even when you are not there? I will write a book in that area too,” she revealed.

Beyond writing, Mary said she also runs an entrepreneurial psychology masterclass aimed at helping business owners understand leadership and human behaviour in organisations.

“You need to understand people to know how to motivate them to give off their best. A leader is no leader if you don’t have followers,” she explained.

Mary encouraged interested participants to register for her masterclass, noting that it is open to anyone willing to learn practical business and leadership skills.

She added that copies of her book are available at Brain Hill International School and Facility Pro Management Services, with plans to distribute it in bookshops nationwide.