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Trailblazer: The woman who found purpose in her roots
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“We are always told what it is that we can’t do, but we must not allow the limitations placed on us to define who we are as women”- Mrs Lynn Osei-Bonsu
For many children raised in diplomatic homes, the world becomes a familiar territory where they easily get accustomed to. Countries change, schools change, friends change and home itself becomes fluid like a traversing stream.
However, for Mrs Lynn Osei Bonsu, one of Ghana’s foremost female communications strategist and philanthropist, life’s most defining lesson would come not from the polished streets of New York, where she spent part of her childhood, but from the quiet town of Jirapa in the Upper West Region.
Today, she leads uNuru Communications Group, a strategic communications firm delivering not just for its clients, but also helping in shaping the brand Ghana.
She also heads Trailblazers, a non-profit organisation committed to supporting women and children.
Yet behind the polished corporate image is a deeply human story of identity, sacrifice, resilience and purpose.
A childhood between worlds
Born to Mr Hilary K. Ziniel, a diplomat father and Mrs Rose Ziniel a teacher mother, from Goziir in the Nandom District of the Upper West Region, she spent much of her early life outside Ghana due to her father’s regular postings with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“My first memories are not growing up in Ghana,” she told The Spectator with utmost fondness.
But while her childhood stretched across countries and cultures, her father remained determined that his children would never lose sight of where they came from, as result when the family returned to Ghana after his postings in New York, he made a decision about Lynn’s education that initially devastated her.
Instead of enrolling her in one of the prestigious schools in Accra, he sent her to St. Francis Girls’ Senior High School in Jirapa. “He said I needed to know where I came from,” she recalls.
Harsh transition
Moving from New York to Ghana and immediately being dispatched to Jirapa for her secondary education came with what she describes as a “huge culture shock.”
There was limited electricity, no running water and a pace of life completely different from anything she had known. “At the time, I thought he was punishing me,” she says with a laugh.
Years later, however, that painful transition would become one of the greatest gifts of her life. “If my father were alive today, I would thank him every single day for that decision,” she says quietly.
The experience, she explains, grounded her. It taught her humility, resilience and gratitude. More importantly, it gave her a deeper appreciation of sacrifice.
“It gave me a different outlook on life and a greater appreciation for my parents and everything they did for us.”
After secondary school and sixth form education, she gained admission to Carleton University in Canada. At the time, studying abroad was considered a major achievement for many Ghanaian families, especially for children from internationally exposed homes. But once again, her father encouraged her to think beyond prestige.
“He told me that if I wanted to live and work in Ghana, then I needed to build my network here,” she says.
Shelving dream of becoming a diplomat
After her first degree, she dreamed of joining Ghana’s Foreign Service and had even written the Public Services Commission examination. Then, unexpectedly, her path changed.
While awaiting for the results from the Public Services Commission, she came across an advertisement in the Daily Graphic announcing admissions into the School of Communication Studies. “It just jumped at me,” she recalls.
She applied and was admitted into the postgraduate communication programme — a decision that would eventually shape the rest of her career. Around the same time, she also came to an important personal realisation.
“Being a foreign service child meant moving every four years,” she says. “I realised I actually wanted stability. I wanted roots.” It was a powerful discovery for someone who had spent most of her life constantly moving.
Building a career, rebuilding self
Her professional journey began in 1999 at Japan Motors where she worked as a Public Relations Officer. Four years later, she moved to Societe Generale Bank following the bank’s acquisition of SSB Bank.
Again, after four years, she joined GTBank Ghanaghana.gtbank.com as Head of Corporate Affairs. Looking back, she now finds humour in the pattern. “It was much later that I realised it reflected how often we moved during my father’s diplomatic postings,” she explains.
Eventually, motherhood changed her priorities and she decided to leave corporate life behind to focus more on family and pursue entrepreneurship.
The decision initially frightened her. Walking away from the security of a monthly salary into the uncertainty of business was not easy. But with savings, planning and the support of her husband, she took the leap.
“He has been very supportive emotionally, financially and professionally,” she says.
In 2010, she established her own communications and advertising agency. The early years tested her patience and resilience. “It wasn’t easy because nobody really knew us at the beginning,” she says.
Her first breakthrough came when Koala Super Market gave her company an opportunity. From there, the business gradually expanded through referrals, relationships and consistency. Over the years, the company weathered economic downturns and survived the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’ve had ups and downs, but by God’s grace, we are still standing,” she says.
Trailblazer is birthed
Even while building her business, one thing remained constant; her desire to help others. Mrs Osei-Bonsu traces that instinct directly to her father. “My father was very big on education and helping females in particular,” she says.
For years, she quietly supported people through payment of school fees and personal assistance. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, after volunteering with several organisations, she felt compelled to formalise her efforts.
This decision she explained led to the birth of Trailblazers in 2020. The organisation focuses on supporting women and children through education, skills development and empowerment initiatives. It has worked with schools, orphanages and vulnerable women, while also supporting organisations such as Street Girls Aid.
For her, philanthropy is not charity. It is responsibility even though she admits the work comes with challenges. “One of the biggest difficulties is funding,” she explains. “Many organisations are all trying to access limited resources.”
Yet despite the obstacles, she remains deeply committed to the mission and this is because for her, success was not measured only by titles or professional accomplishments, but by impact.
Coming full circle
Today, she looks back on her journey with gratitude.
The young girl who once arrived in Jirapa angry, uncomfortable and homesick now understands that those difficult years shaped the woman she would become.
Her story is ultimately one of rediscovery — a journey back to identity, purpose and service. “I now understand why my father insisted so much on where we came from,” she says.
And perhaps that is the most powerful lesson of all: sometimes the roots we resist the most are the very ones that anchor our lives.
By Cliff Ekuful
From humble beginnings to building an enterprise with global ambitions, Michael L. Bartlett-Vanderpuye’s journey is a story of discipline, independence, resilience and the belief that businesses should be built to outlive their founders.
Long before he became the Group Chairman of M&C Group, Michael L. Bartlett-Vanderpuye was building from modest beginnings.
His entrepreneurial journey did not start in a sophisticated corporate office or with a large team behind him.
At one stage, he was working from his room with limited resources, focused on turning an idea into a viable business.
That beginning became an important part of his philosophy: build the business first, then let the infrastructure grow with it.
Michael’s early experiences shaped his determination to become an entrepreneur. After university and periods of professional employment, including banking, accounting, marketing, packaging and logistics, he developed a deeper understanding of how businesses operate and how different industries connect.
His exposure to mining advisory work, property and other commercial opportunities broadened his perspective and helped him identify opportunities beyond a single sector.
But the journey was far from easy.
He recalls the uncertainty of sending proposal after proposal without knowing which one would eventually open a door.
Even after establishing an office in East Legon, some people assumed he was working for someone else because they could not imagine that the business belonged to him.
The confidence and corporate presence associated with success today were built through years of uncertainty, rejection, experimentation and persistence.
His evolution from working out of a room to leading M&C Group reflects a broader philosophy that has guided his business life: do not build an image before you build the substance.
For Michael, entrepreneurship is not simply about owning a company. It is about learning how to turn knowledge, relationships, opportunities and resources into sustainable value.
He believes professionals in every field can develop an entrepreneurial mindset by creating assets, building networks, investing in opportunities and developing additional sources of value alongside their careers.
That philosophy has influenced the way he approaches business expansion. Rather than viewing companies as isolated entities, Michael sees opportunities to create connections between industries, people and services.
Strategic partnerships, in his view, can create greater value than treating every other business as a competitor.
His approach has also been shaped by research and international exposure. He argues that entrepreneurs must understand the markets they enter rather than simply copy businesses they see succeeding elsewhere.
Behind every successful enterprise, he believes, are structures, regulations, relationships, research and decisions that may not be immediately visible from the outside.
As his business interests have grown, so has his ambition. M&C Group represents a significant chapter in that evolution, reflecting his drive to build an enterprise that extends beyond a single venture.
His vision is rooted not merely in personal wealth, but in creating businesses capable of generating employment, developing people, building partnerships and contributing to the wider economy.
Michael is particularly concerned about the role of the private sector in addressing unemployment and creating sustainable opportunities. For him, a successful business should ultimately do more than enrich its owner. It should employ people, develop skills, support suppliers and create opportunities that extend beyond the founder.
That long-term perspective is central to his understanding of success.
He is cautious about equating visibility with achievement. In an age where social media can make a business appear larger than it is, Michael believes the real measure of an enterprise lies in its systems, customers, assets, operations and results. The brand should be supported by substance.
His personal journey has therefore become a lesson in patience and discipline. The man who once had to convince people that the business was actually his now speaks about building systems, protecting capital, understanding markets and thinking beyond the immediate reward.
And his ambitions do not stop with the present generation.
Michael describes legacy as something that should extend beyond his children to future generations. His objective is to build something sustainable-something that can continue creating value after he is no longer at the centre of it.
From a modest room and limited resources to the boardroom and the development of a growing business group, Michael L. Bartlett-Vanderpuye’s story is ultimately about building before displaying, learning before expanding and creating something designed to last.
His journey is a reminder that global ambition does not necessarily begin with global resources. Sometimes, it begins with little more than an idea, discipline, persistence and the willingness to start where you are. – MyStoryMagazine
Profile
Stitching Technical, Vocational skills to greatness …The inspiring story of Mrs Joyce Neenekwor Pechi-Anim
For many years, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) was perceived as an option for people who were not academically inclined.
However, as society evolves, vocational skills have become an important driver of economic growth, creating jobs and empowering people to build successful enterprises.
One woman demonstrating the power of vocational skills is Mrs Joyce Neenekwor Pechi-Anim, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Joycelyn Fit Fashion, Cake and Décor, popularly known as JFit, in Koforidua.
With more than 26 years’ experience in fashion design, cake artistry, catering, event decoration, planning and vocational training, Mrs Pechi-Anim has built a thriving enterprise serving government institutions, corporate organisations and individuals across the Eastern Region and beyond.
Her journey began at age 18 after she completed her training at St Annie’s Vocational Institute at Nuaso.
Encouraged by Mr Alfred Yaw Kissi, then Eastern Regional Secretary of the Ghana National Tailors and Dressmakers Association (GNTDA), she moved to Koforidua at age 21 to pursue her dream.
But success did not come wrapped in a ribbon.
She first operated from the porch of her rented apartment at Koforidua-Ada. As customers increased, she began searching for a shop. A grateful client promised to provide one but Joyce had to wait and repeatedly follow up for seven months before the promise was fulfilled.
The shop she eventually received was small, but her ambition was not.
She continued sewing, took on apprentices and built a reputation for creativity, discipline and, above all, keeping her word.
“If I tell you to come for your dress at 7 a.m. on Thursday, I mean it. By the time clients come, it is ready,” she told The Spectator in an interview.
That simple principle of punctuality became one of the hallmarks of her business.
Her passion for empowering others also grew.
Through her vocational school, Mrs Pechi-Anim has trained more than 300 apprentices, about 100 of whom are now established in fashion, hospitality and the creative industries in Koforidua, Accra, Nkawkaw, Krobo Odumase and beyond.
Never content to remain in one lane, she ventured into cake artistry in 2016, enrolling at Flora Cakes and Décor for nine months. She later expanded into event decoration, planning and catering.
She later pursued other vocational courses in Ghana and Lagos.
Her portfolio included major assignments such as the decoration of the late Dr Omane Boamah’s one-week celebration in Koforidua, Eastern Expo 2026 and the Eastern Regional Hospital’s centenary celebration.
Her work has earned her more than 30 awards and certificates of honour, including Outstanding Woman CEO of the Year, 2025, presented to her by the Ghana Art Choice and Business Industry in June 2026,
Beyond business, Mrs Pechi-Anim has held leadership positions, including National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI) Examiner, Secretary for the Ghana National Tailors and Dressmakers Association (GNTDA) from 2000 to 2010, and currently, Treasurer. She is also a Council Member of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
She attributed her success to discipline, hard work, creativity and excellent customer service, while encouraging young people to acquire skills and use social media to market their talents.
Yet, behind the accolades was a woman who knows the difficult side of entrepreneurship.
She recalled apprentices stealing work materials, customers refusing to pay outstanding balances after events and others attempting to damage her reputation by portraying her services as too expensive.
Through all these challenges, she said discipline, hard work, integrity and excellent customer service have kept her moving.
For Mrs Pechi-Anim, vocational education is no longer a second choice.
“I have nurses and other salaried workers coming to learn skills to build careers and support themselves financially,” she said.
She revealed that she has a dream to build a much bigger vocational school, where she would train young children from age three upwards to enable them acquire vocational skills at a tender age.
She believes that would help them to use the skill to support themselves financially throughout their lives to supplement their academic goals.
She, therefore urged parents to support children who show interest in vocational training rather than forcing them into careers they do not enjoy.
She also advised young people to acquire a skill and use technology to their advantage.
In an era dominated by social media, she encouraged the youth to showcase their work online instead of using the platforms solely for entertainment.
She revealed that she used social media to market JFit and has embraced Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to improve her work.
Married to Mr Richard Pechi-Anim since 2009 and a mother of three, Mrs Pechi-Anim believed her story demonstrated that success can be stitched together, one skill, one client and one determined step at a time.
She called on the government to create platforms for successful people in the TVET sector to share their stories and inspire others.
For her, the sewing machine that once sat on a humble porch has become more than a tool. It has been an instrument of enterprise, empowerment and hope.
From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman, Koforidua
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