Ghanaian-UK entrepreneur and host of Konnected Minds, Derrick Abaitey, has credited his then-girlfriend, now wife, for helping him purchase his first home at a time when he was focused on building his pharmacy business.

Speaking on The Career Trail Season 4 on Joy Learning TV and Joy News, he recounted how an unexpected conversation with a fellow entrepreneur prompted him to rethink his financial priorities.

According to him, while working at his pharmacy one day, he met a Nigerian entrepreneur named Chike after connecting with him online. During their conversation, Chike asked him a series of questions about the business and the people behind it.

“He asked me, ‘How many people are running this business?’ I told him there were five of us. Then he asked, ‘Do those people have houses? ’” Abaitey recounted.

After learning that some of the business partners already owned homes, Chike questioned why Abaitey had invested in a business without first securing a place of his own.

“He said, ‘You've been able to put these people together to start this pharmacy, and you don't have a house yet? If the business doesn't go well, you're going to struggle. Why don't you buy a house?’” he recalled.

The conversation stayed with him.

“At the time, I was still living with my parents, even though we had already started the business,” he noted.

Determined to act on the advice, Abaitey approached his girlfriend with a proposal.

“I called Steph and said, ‘I want us to buy a house. Are you with me?’ She said, ‘Let's do it,’” he shared.

 “I had done all the calculations. We needed £12,000. I had some money saved, so I asked her how much she had and she said she had X amount. We put our money together and bought a flat,” he continued.

The purchase marked a significant milestone in his life.

“I remember sleeping at my father's house one night and saying to myself, ‘Charlie, I have a house. Why am I still here?’ So I packed my suitcase and moved into my own place,” he recalled with a smile.

“That night I slept,” he highlighted.

Reflecting on the experience, Abaitey said the journey reinforced the importance of surrounding oneself with people who genuinely believe in one's vision.

“As human beings, we need other people to survive,” he observed.

According to him, trust is built long before help is needed.

“When I meet people, I first want to prove that I'm worthy of their trust. I offer my skills and my value first, so that if I ever need their support, they already know who I am,” he explained.

He encouraged young people not to isolate themselves or take relationships for granted, stressing that the people around them could play a defining role in their future.

“Don't be an island. The destiny helper you're looking for could be right next to you. Sometimes, all it takes is one phone call for your life to change,” he concluded.