Starting the Business
While still teaching at the University he began his first pharmacy shop. Teaching full time didn’t last too long. After five years he left the campus to concentrate on building Kinapharma.
As he says, “I didn’t start small… I started tiny.” The first shop was a very small store in Kejetia Lorry Park in Kumasi, Ghana.
Nsiah-Poku began growing his business with a series of retail pharmacies as well as continuing to grow the list of self-made preparations and syrups. He also became a distributor for popular imported essential brands including Janseen and Ayrton Saunders.
Long before he ever heard the term entrepreneur, he decided his life would embody the very definition of the word. His course has been demarcated by stages that include teaching, learning, creating, selling, growing, risking, losing, leading, prospering and impacting.
The result has been success, significance, one thousand direct employees and counting, several different businesses, awards, recognition and joy. Nevertheless he is still pressing on.
Kofi Nsiah-Poku is an entrepreneur who has grown his Ghana-based companies into successful enterprises on an international level. Kinapharma is a leading producer and seller of a variety of over the counter pharmaceuticals in Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Liberia. Healthilife Beverages is a celebrated brand among Ghanians for its juices and milk products that are popular with children and adults. Nsiah-Poku annually supports numerous charities especially relating to sports, health, education and Christian outreach.