A Company Conceived-Uncertainties: In the last installment, Yawa-Attah returned to Ghana after spending five years in the USA. After several months of job searching, she was employed at the Tourism Authority, where her expertise was recognized, and she was assigned to design training programs for the industry. Despite having a limited budget in the department specifically set up for her, she remained dedicated and often used her own resources. Her hard work drew mixed reactions from colleagues, leading her to reflect on her efforts and dedication.
After four months, Yawa-Attah faced growing frustration with bureaucratic inefficiencies that contrasted sharply with the streamlined processes she had experienced in the U.S. While she appreciated the relaxed work environment in Ghana, navigating approval processes made her job both difficult and stressful. Nevertheless, her unwavering perseverance and commitment to excellence made her work meaningful, enjoyable and fulfilling.
Yawa-Attah began contemplating starting her own business, reflecting on her experience in the U.S. with its well-established systems. Doubts about the effectiveness and success of her dream business led her to question whether she could overcome potential setbacks.
A Company Conceived-The Reunion
Yawa-Attah prayed over her resignation letter before submitting it. In the days that followed, she attended back-to-back meetings as her employers tried to persuade her to stay. Meanwhile, the Tourism Authority had been preparing for its first trade exhibition and assigned Yawa-Attah a booth to showcase the achievements of the training department she had worked so hard to establish. She embraced the idea enthusiastically and took on the challenge, but remained resolute in her decision to leave, confident in the wealth of knowledge and experience she had gained in hotel management, as well as her deep understanding of the local environment.
By the end of the 5-day inter-tourism exhibition, Yawa-Attah began to see her path forward after interacting with several participants who visited her booth. She was surprised to meet Mr. Aanani, her former boss and mentor from when she first entered the hotel industry. He had also left the Continental hotel to Italy on a scholarship, where he further honed his skills.
After several meetings where Yawa-Attah and Mr. Aanani shared their experiences and aspirations, they realized their individual journeys had prepared them for something greater. Upon discovering that they shared similar ambitions—Yawa-Attah focusing on consultancy and training in the hospitality industry, and Mr. Aanani specializing in hotel management—the idea of starting a hotel management and consultancy company reignited their passion and excitement. Inspired by this shared vision and the lessons they had learned, they decided to join forces and establish the company together.
Yawa-Attah’s patience with her employer and her decision to take on the booth challenge was paying off, she observed. She anticipated new opportunities opening up for her, and her meeting Mr. Aanani became an important step in pursuing her dreams.
As Yawa-Attah became more involved in planning her hotel management company with Mr. Aanani, Kofi, her husband, began to feel left out. He observed their frequent meetings and passionate discussions about the business, which led him to question Mr. Aanani’s intentions. Was this partnership purely professional, or did it risk overshadowing Yawa-Attah’s personal goals?
Unaware of Kofi’s growing concerns, Yawa-Attah grew increasingly excited about the partnership with her previous boss and a mentor. She admired Mr. Aanani’s integrity and expertise, and their shared vision seemed to be paving the way for a successful venture. Meanwhile, Kofi found himself torn between trusting his wife’s judgment and expressing his reservations. While he admired her dedication, he yearned to be a more meaningful part of her journey.
One evening, as they shared dinner, Kofi presented his own idea—a proposal to open and run a restaurant together. “I’ve been thinking about it,” he said, his tone enthusiastic yet measured. “With your background in hospitality and my interest in culinary arts, we could make a great team. Imagine a restaurant that blends local flavors with world-class service. It could be something we build together—a family legacy.”
Yawa-Attah was caught off guard. She knew her husband often talked about the food and beverage service industry, but he was an electrical engineer by profession. ‘Where is this coming from?’ she wondered. She doubted the seriousness of Kofi’s new ambition and couldn’t ignore her own focus on the hotel management and consultancy venture she was building with Mr. Aanani. Nevertheless, she assured Kofi that his idea had merit and even suggested ways it could complement the hotel management company. Perhaps their restaurant could operate as part of the hotels they managed in the future. Still, she sensed Kofi’s eagerness to start immediately and his hope that she might shift her priorities.
Yawa-Attah noticed that her lack of interest in Kofi’s restaurant idea was straining their relationship. While she was passionate about her hotel management company with Mr. Aanani, she valued her marriage and wanted to rebuild trust with Kofi. Tensions grew as Kofi pushed for the restaurant idea, questioning if her partnership with Mr. Aanani allowed her true independence. Balancing her husband’s concerns and her career goals, Yawa-Attah decided to discuss Kofi’s idea in detail while reassuring him of her dedication to their marriage.
She took the first step by acknowledging his feelings. One day, she sat down with Kofi and admitted that, although she didn’t share his passion for the restaurant idea, she respected his ambition. Yawa-Attah made a genuine effort to support Kofi’s dream in meaningful ways. She offered to connect him with her network in the hospitality industry and assisted in refining his business plan.
By dedicating her time and resources to his goals, she showed that his success mattered to her, even if it wasn’t something she was personally passionate about.
Kofi began to realize that Yawa-Attah’s dedication to her own dreams did not mean she valued his any less. He started feeling more secure in their partnership, knowing they could pursue separate paths while still wholeheartedly supporting each other.
Kofi never initiated further discussions with Yawa-Attah or continued pursuing his idea of operating a restaurant.
Disclaimer: This story is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
