Interviewer: Kindy Introduce yourself and the business idea you are pursuing.
Kwaku: I am Kwaku Osafo, a computer science student at Ashesi University. I love graphic designing, writing, and football. During COVID, I started designing to keep busy and learn more skills on my own. Once I had gained a certain level of confidence in my skills and realized I had a passion for design, I created masterstroke. The initial intention was to offer design services, but soon I realized it could be more. After partaking in a challenging entrepreneurial pitch where I was discouraged and told to take a step back on my business idea, I decided to reinvent masterstroke to focus on building a marketplace to connect student entrepreneurs to their customers.
Interviewer: Why the name masterstroke?
Kwaku: I am passionate about both writing and graphic designing, but graphic designing brought me more job opportunities. However, I still wanted my love for writing to be a part of my new venture. The name “masterstroke” represents the idea that just like a stroke of a pencil, every design is a creative masterpiece. To me, “masterstroke” symbolizes a stroke of genius, making it a name I really like, which is why I have stuck with it till now. Despite suggestions to choose a shorter name, I couldn’t part with “masterstroke” because of its personal significance. As a compromise, I thought of using “masterstroke” as the main business name, with the possibility of having subcategories.
Interviewer: When forming your team, did you prioritize finding people who shared the same vision, or you focused more on selecting individuals with specific expertise and skills?
Kwaku: They were mostly people I had talked to about the idea before the entrepreneurial pitch. I was blessed to have people show interest in the idea and express their desire to join and bring the idea to fruition. After the pitch, I realized I couldn’t do it alone, so I reached out to those I wanted to work with. My main focus was to recruit people who were eager to learn. None of us were experts, but we believed in our potential to grow and improve together. It was more about finding like-minded individuals who were willing to put in the effort and learn along the way than people who already had all the skills.
Interviewer: Did you ever have a moment of doubt where you felt like your venture was not necessary or would not happen?
Kwaku: Yes, I had moments of doubt, especially when the judge from the entrepreneurial pitch showed no interest in my product and suggested I focus on writing instead. I considered giving up and focusing solely on writing. My friend Cyprian, however, encouraged me and provided me with support and hope to continue on this path. This made me think about why I started in the first place, and that’s when I found my motivation. Masterstroke was no longer just a hobby; it became a way to address the needs students face. It was at this moment that masterstroke became more than just designs but a tool to provide students a marketspace where they could connect with customers. This gave me a solid foundation to build upon. Even after this lightbulb moment, there were still moments of doubt. We held interviews with both business owners and non-business owners to find out if they felt our new product would be relevant to them. Some did not see the need for the product. This created room for doubt, but we decided to use the feedback to improve on what we had rather than give it up. I understand there will always be naysayers, but it’s crucial to remind myself why I started and keep pushing forward.
Interviewer: Do you feel that your individual personalities as a team has influenced the path the business is taking?
Kwaku: Yes, I strongly believe in going against the norm of “go to school, get a degree, join a company.” Starting something on your own is also a viable path. Unemployment is a real issue, and not everyone finds a job after school. However, not having a job doesn’t mean you can’t take initiative and start your own business.
Interviewer: Where are you currently in your business planning process? Have you begun application building, considered monetization strategies, and identified your target market?
Kwaku: We are still in the research stage, working on functional requirements, and creating prototypes.
Interviewer: If you could have a conversation with yourself 10 years from now, how would you like the conversation to go?
Kwaku: In the future, I hope to hear that many students are confidently starting their businesses and finding success. I want to know that my help in providing them with a platform to connect to their customers, has made their entrepreneurial journey easier. I would be content to learn that more people have found a way to balance business with school, and I would be proud to have played a role in their achievements.
Interviewer: Any final words?
Kwaku: Think it! Do it! Don’t be afraid. What is the worst that can happen? You just try again. Also, before you do anything, ask God. When you ask Him, expect that He will answer.
Interviewer: Thank you for your time. This was enlightening.
Kwaku: Thank you for having me.