The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Agrokings, Nana Owusu Achau, has urged founders and CEOs to stop being self-centered and start loving their people truthfully if they want to build businesses that outlive them.
According to him, many businesses fail to survive beyond their founders because employees only work to please the boss rather than being aligned with the vision.
He was speaking on the sidelines of the maiden edition of the Apostolic Business Leadership Summit 2026 held at the TAC Tower, Adenta West, Ritz Junction, under the theme: ‘Equipping Christian Business Leaders For A New Era.’
Nana Owusu Achau said if he were to advise CEOs on two things to stop doing and start doing to grow their businesses, his answer would be simple.
“If you ask me to share just two things, stop doing and start doing to grow the business, I will say love your people truthfully.
“Businesses need people to take care of them. If the business will stay here for long, then you actually need to be able to pass it on. When people don’t align with where you are going, then there’s potential that your business will only stay as long as you are there. Because people will do things to please you. But when people know that you love them truthfully, what it means is they care for what cares for them,” he explained.
He cautioned leaders against seeing themselves as absolute owners of the business, stressing that leadership is stewardship.
“What founders and CEOs need to stop doing is to stop being self-centered. You need to understand that we are only stewards of the business. It is required that a man be found faithful,” he said.
He continued: “Even my body is not for me. Who I am is just a container which I must use to do what God wants me to do. So my responsibility is to ensure that I’m being a good steward of what He gave me.”
He added: “When you walk around thinking that the company is for me, that all of you work for me, you miss it. They don’t work for you.”
Sharing the principles that have guided Agrokings, Nana Owusu Achau listed four: Think big, start small, work hard and work fast.
“Think big, which means have a big vision. Start small, which is about piloting things. Work hard, which means being involved. Then work fast,” he said.
