Invest in Africa (IIA) is a collaboration of private companies, public entities and donor organizations that support local African businesses by creating access to markets, skills and finance. IIA established the Business Linkage Programme (BLP), a capacity-building and mentoring initiative that offers Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) tools needed to improve their entrepreneurial, managerial, and technical proficiencies. It also established the African Partner Pool (APP), an online marketplace that bridges the gap between large companies with procurement needs and SMEs who have products and services to sell (suppliers).

In 2014, Kweku Hayford established KH3 Inc., a rising Accra-based construction project management firm specialized in commercial and residential interior decoration and fit-out. In 2015, KH3 became interested in attracting a new category of clients setting a new challenge to appeal high profile and high-value corporate clients.

It was the moment that the KH3 strategic team saw that although the business was doing well, they needed to work on their efficiency and cut out the excess. That was when they enlisted for the BLP.

Through the BLP, KH3 has learned that leadership success is not automatic but deliberately nurtured. Additionally, they have learned the importance of goal setting, planning and forecasting. They also reveal that the programme has helped them understand their areas of strength and weakness.

Since joining the BLP, the team noticed that things have improved. Kweku says, “Applying what we have learned we changed the way we work; scrutinizing expenses more effectively to ensure we get value for monies spent has helped reduce leakages in our revenue pipeline.” As a result, salaries have increased by 50%, staff strength has increased from twelve to eighteen, and they even acquired property to serve as their new office and showroom.