Stock brokering guru Chris Gardner says his visit to Ghana will lend him a rare opportunity to learn from corporate Ghana and other entrepreneurs whom he is eager to meet.
Chris Gardner arrived in Accra Tuesday with a heavy schedule to meet Corporate Ghana and young, aspiring entrepreneurs on his amazing journey to the pinnacle of his profession.
Mr. Gardner who was speaking on Joy FM's Super Morning Show with Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah Wednesday, said as a young man "what I was truly passionate about was a quest to become world class at something I truly loved".
He reminded listeners that his achievements are not as a result of just hard work but he was driven by passion, commitment and love for the career path he had chosen.
On Tuesday, Mr. Gardner made an appearance on Metro TV’s Good Evening Ghana programme and explained that he is on a mission to open up the continent of Africa to “socially conscious investment”. He said the world now requires conscious capitalism to solve the extensive global financial crisis.
Mr. Gardner whose brokerage firm, Gardener Rich LLC, started operations from his home, has grown to be one of the power houses in stock brokerage worldwide.
Mr. Gardner grew up without a father and was brought up by his mother who encouraged and constantly reminded him that he “could be whatever he wanted to be”.
“As a young man I wanted to be a Physician but when I realized I could do it, I wanted something else. I knew I was capable of doing more”.
A Hollywood movie, ‘The Pursuit of Happyness’ which stars Will Smith and his son Jaden Smith, is an adaptation of Mr. Gardner’s life story. He said “I was doing an interview on TV when Will Smith heard my story and started calling me up for a meeting. That man [Will Smith] is powerful. He can make things happen”.
The businessman says investors all over the world see Africa as the new frontier in business which is why he is developing a private equity fund in South Africa.
When asked by the host of Good Evening Ghana, Paul Adom Otchere, whether racism played a role in his inability to get a job without a college degree, he rejected the notion, saying it was more an issue of “placism” than racism.
He says he was at the wrong place as he was not connected politically and socially to get all the nice opportunities that could have propelled him earlier into fulfilling his passion.
Mr. Gardner maintained that everybody has a different definition of what happiness is but he believes happiness should include “health, community and doing things that are bigger than the individual”.
Gardner has been traveling around the world, encouraging professionals to focus less on the economic downturn and more on where and how they can fashion out opportunities. He urges entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs to generate inner inspiration to pursue their dreams.
Mr. Gardner's visit to Ghana is being organized by Amicus Onlus, an Italian development-oriented NGO. He has a session with Corporate Ghana at the National Theatre under the theme: "Attitude, the Game-Changer".
Story by: Derick Romeo Adogla/myjoyonline.com/Ghana
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