Meet Paulus Ackah | Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Paulus Ackah and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Paulus, what do you think makes you most happy? Why?
Happiness is a state of mind and we have to strive to make ourselves happy. I was raised to learn how to entertain myself and always bring my personality into whatever I do. Happiness is accepting who you are, where you come from, how you were raised , what you have been through (struggles and successes). When you know who you are, what you stand for and believe in, you are not afraid to lose and gain friends. Friendship do not define happiness, but we need network to succeed.

Happiness is who you are when alone, the first thing you think of when you wake up and the last thing you think of when you sleep. Being happy in life is fulfilling my purpose. I believe in making the world a better place than how I met it when I was born. I believe in creating employment opportunities. There is nothing more satisfying than finding a problem that challenges society and being able to solve them.

Building a formidable brand is something that makes me happy. Something that when you’re gone, the next generation after you will be able to use and will always remember you for your input. Others have labored and we share in their glory. Ours is to exploits and add to their gains.

I see myself as a sacrifice to my generation and always aspire be a blessing. Making Africa and the world a better place is what I live for.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
During the time where people felt most divided and excluded from one another, and people could not travel to the motherland to enjoy quality food and music, MAKAY reminded people that they could be part of the “African culture” by providing them hot food. This is how MAKAY Catering LLC was born.

MAKAY is the #1 stop for indigenous dishes in America. We take the stress of cooking off your hectic schedules, while we cook and deliver sumptuous meals to your doorstep at affordable prices. Even you, a good cook, deserves a day to sit back, relax and unwind. We cook and ship variety of African dishes. http://makay-african-restaurant-we-deliver-too.business.site/ and ig: @makaychopbar

MAKAY has one of the finest hot sauce; MAKAY African Hot Sauce. This is the perfect blend of African Heat & Flavor. Taste so good that you have no choice than to eat it with everything. Not your regular hot sauce, made with the finest selection of organic ingredients from the motherland and here in U.S and every 1% of sales goes to support local farmers and traders. MAKAY offers Regular and Premium Homemade Shito in hot or mild flavors. To the meat lover’s, the Premium Shito contains meat to add extra burst of flavor. Ready to order??? We ship to all 50 states in U.S and provide free delivery to customers in the Metro Atlanta area. Our sauce is the perfect condiment for all your dishes, whether fried rice, banku, pizza, kenkey, waakye, gari, wings, bbqs, suya, brochette, and others. Grab this delicious tasty, lasting, and affordable MAKAY Shito and thank us later. Add a touch of MAKAY African Hot Sauce to transform simple meals into a gourmet delight! A must have in every household. Dip, Spread, Top and Sauce with MAKAY African Hot Sauce to enjoy the African flavorful Taste and Heat. Shito is the mother of all condiment in Ghana and MAKAY got the best shito in U.S. https://www.etsy.com/your/shops/MAKAYCHOPBAR/tools/listings and ig: @makayshito

MAKAY is the new standard for African restaurants with new advanced technology, innovative ideas, and business models aimed at reducing the wait time and long queues at drive-thru and establishing the first African restaurant with a drive thru.

Our mission is to introduce African Americans, Caucasians, Asians, and other race, especially those who have not visited the motherland before to the “African culture” through quality food and music (live band). Keeping those who have visited the motherland before excited and encouraging them to patronize our business. We believe authenticity is the key and as such we are keeping the culture of serving food in the “local style.”

Majority of our employees are international students who understand the culture of how indigenous African restaurants (chop bar) operates. Our employees are committed to our vision and mission statements. The whole team ready to bring the “chop bar” vibe to America. This makes us unique from other African restaurants.

Ghana has managed to hold to its culture for centuries, making it one of the most culturally rich places in the world which reflects the most of its local cuisine. We cannot talk about Ghanaian food culture without mentioning Chopbar. Chopbar is a traditional eatery in Ghana. The term “chop” is derived from eat in Ghanaian pidgin or cut into pieces in a local context and a bar is the place for gathering to eat. Hence Chop Bar. Chopbar sell indigenous variety of Ghanaian foods like Fufu, Banku, Konkonte, Tuo Zaafi, Kenkey, and Omo Tuo (Rice balls) with different kinds of soup. The Euphoria in these places is warm and inviting and there’s a feeling of home and a sense of belonging.

There is 6140 miles between Ghana and America. This distance should not deny Ghanaians and other Africans in diaspora quality food. Therefore, MAKAY always make you feel “African in America” by serving the community with indigenous African dishes in the “local style” at affordable prices.

People are disconnected by language barrier, MAKAY believes we should be connected through food. MAKAY bringing Africa to your workplace. Whether working a corporate job, a warehouse job, construction job, or your own skilled job within the metro Atlanta area and its immediate surroundings and craving delicious authentic African dishes, then MAKAY got you!

We are looking for opportunity to engage with an inspiring community, have access to business coaching and grants, and participate in rigorous experiential processes to transform our business vision and mission statement of being the #1 stop for indigenous Africa dishes in America into a reality. This would enable our business to survive and flourish in the current and future market. We are seeking highly motivated and reliable people to join our team.

Some of the greatest challenges we currently have and working towards are;
1. An opportunity to have our product (MAKAY African Hot Sauce) in retail stores like Target, Whole Foods, Walmart, and etc.
2. Access to funding opportunities to undertake innovative projects like designing and building the first African restaurant with a drive-thru that would minimize the wait time and long lines at most restaurants in U.S

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I like hiking and biking. So will go to Stone Mountain early morning to watch the sun rise at the top of the mountain and head to Silver Comet Trail to ride bikes afterwards.

In the afternoon, we order authentic African dishes like kenkey and spicy charcoal grilled tilapia and suya or brochette from @makaychopbar. Take a quick nap afterwards and head to The painted pin for bowling in the evening.

Get dressed up and go to St. James Live to enjoy quality music and food. Go to Skyview Atlanta afterwards and end the night with a movie at Starlight Drive-In.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The MAKAY Abusua (family) which consists of customers who have patronized my catering business so far. Also, not forgetting my business partners who are fully committed to the vision of bringing the “chop bar” vibe from Ghana, West-Africa to America and the world at large and staying focused on becoming the #1 stop for all indigenous dishes in America.

I am forever indebted to my dad who sacrificed everything to ensure my transition from Ghana to U.S

I really appreciate everybody who believes in my dreams, vision and aspirations.

Website: http://makay-african-restaurant-we-deliver-too.business.site/ and https://www.etsy.com/your/shops/MAKAYCHOPBAR/tools/listings

Instagram: @makayshito and @makaychopbar

Facebook: MAKAY Catering & Food Services and MAKAY AFRICAN HOT SAUCE

Yelp: MAKAY Restaurant

Image Credits
@toffeyversace
@bridge_boat_