For the first time ever we will hear from an entrepreneur from another business already featured. Last time we spoke with Eric and this time we speak with Andrew Gyawu-Mensah, founder of Lights & Action Productions. I hope you enjoy it.

Could you kindly introduce yourself?

My name is Andrew Kalypso Gyawu-Mensah and I founded Lights and Action Productions.

Tell us all about Lights & Action Productions?

Lights and Action, in a nutshell, is a film and television production company based in Ghana.

How long have you been running this business?

L&A has been in operation since 2015.

What gave you the idea for your business?

Well, I have always wanted to run a media related business so when I got a job within television, it was a bit of a no brainer as I enjoyed the creative process of TV.

Did you tell people about your idea? How did they receive it?

To be honest the idea is and was quite daunting and I told very few people, but the reception was quite encouraging so it boosted my confidence.

What kind of market did you have in mind for Lights & Action Productions?

I intended to start off by making corporate info-ads so the direction was to enter the corporate space. The eventual idea is to make documentaries. (You can see an info ad we created for Kua Accessories and a documentary I wrote and directed-The Magnificent Emperor, both on Youtube).

How difficult was it to start?

Luckily, I had some savings which came in very handy.  The actual start is not that difficult because technically once registered, you have ‘started’. It’s the bumps along the way that hurt, but its like a baby learning to crawl and eventually walk – you have to hit some bumps.

What challenges do you face on a day-to-day basis?

My main challenges are currently funding and peoples lack of punctuality.

What has been the worst experience of running your business?

Having to part ways with my creative partner.

What has been the best experience?

Working with an international firm on an episode of a television programme.

What has the response to Lights & Action Productions been so far?

Its been quite good and can only get better.

Do you have any employees? What does someone have to do to work with you?

Not employees in the traditional sense of the word but I have some people who believe in the L&A vision and are working with me to bring it to fruition.

How does entrepreneurship compare to a regular job?

The obvious difference is that you ‘call the shots’ but its definitely not as enjoyable as it sounds. The enjoyment is when a project comes together and you have a finished product.

What have you learnt about running a business that no one could have told you before you started?

That’s a good question and quite difficult to answer. The truth is when you are so dead sure about something, you tend to ‘not see’ some red flags. No one could have told me that; me and my business partner would not be able to iron out differences in opinions (we still work on some projects so I guess it could have been worse).

What can government do to help young entrepreneurs?

Every starter in business thinks money, which is natural but I think young entrepreneurs should be empowered with experience – exposing them to the business world through work with state owned organisations. If one wants to run a business, let them intern with companies in essential positions. This way the government can be more confident when releasing funds.

Any advice to other entrepreneurs or would-be entrepreneurs?

The best line I was ever given goes like this. I was told by a friend that ‘90% of start-ups fail’ and being concerned, I told my brother who said to me “well, he didn’t say 100%”. My advice would therefore be to keep working and remember, mistakes and failures are part of the game.

How can someone get your services?

Call me on 0543557557 or email me agyawumensah@gmail.com.

Anything else you’d like to share?

Try and smile as much as you can, it makes the job (whichever one) much easier and please be on time!!!

Thank you!