An Inspired Chat with Ben Boateng

We recently had the chance to connect with Ben Boateng and have shared our conversation below.

Ben, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What is a normal day like for you right now?
As a fashion journalist, my motivation is internal. I get inspired to do what I do best. Here’s what my typical workday looks like right now. I start my day with some good updates on my social media pages. My online presence is always felt, my experience is nothing short of amazing, Potentially, it works for me, and I like it; so I’m thankful.

When there’s an invitation for me to attend a fashion related event in general, I make plans to be there. Mostly, it happens in the evening. I don’t miss out on the fun, it feels exciting to be a part of it. Cool guy. Got it.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Yeah. Thanks! Much appreciated! My name is Ben Boateng. I’m a self-taught fashion Journalist and the founder of Ben Boateng Official, which is a Ghanaian fashion blog that focuses on creating editorial content and brand blogger collaboration. With over 8 years experience in working at the top level, I self-fund my blog to creatively support designers in Ghana’s fashion industry. I’m quite efficient in collaborating and promoting visibility for clothing and accessories brands.

My responsibilities are mainly editorial, which means that a significant part of the job is actually done for free. In a nutshell, there’s a huge challenge, in trying to promote brand visibility for clothing and accessories brands because of lack of the resources needed to push forward the African luxury and for that matter the affordable luxury brands.

We most often highlight on African luxury and that obviously gives us the ability to redefine luxury from an African perspective. We find the need to enhance the recognition of affordable luxury brands, we promote fashion brands that embrace sustainability and ethical practices. This is an opportunity for the designers to create value and offer high-quality stylish clothing and accessories at a more accessible price point.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
My earliest memory of feeling powerful was way back in December 2016, back in the day, I got to watch a nice movie with my favourite celebrity model named Victoria Michaels. The movie’s title was “Office Christmas Party,” with Jennifer Aniston as one of the actors who played a lead role. It was actually showed at the Silverbird Cinemas, Accra Ghana. For some reason, I arrived at the cinema a little bit later, the movie was already showing.

I thought I might look for a place to sit. Coincidentally, where I found a seat, that was where my beautiful lady friend was sitting. After I sat there, she turned around to see the one by her side, she realised it was me, so she smiled and asked me, “how are you?” And I said “I’m perfectly fine.” We continued to watch the movie until the end, I was so proud of her; it was very inspiring and pretty powerful.

After that experience, she curated an event to celebrate the Valentine’s Day with her fans on 14th February 2017. She asked me to be a part of it and I did it. I actually felt good about it, so I made it through and that night “I won big.” She generously gave me a brand new Samsung Galaxy Tab A 6, which was very useful to me. On that note, I made a choice to use my God-given potential to set up a fashion blog by researching into it and that has been really amazing. I knew I got talent but I just didn’t know what it was, until I got to know I’ve the ability to speak and write effortlessly; that was how everything started with me.

My resolve to develop and use my talent made a difference in my life, it actually created a great impact on me. With my responsibilities as a fashion journalist, I harnessed my talent through research and made it work for me, it happened because I made a right decision. I’m proud of myself and what I’ve achieved. Now I’m myself doing what I do best. I’ve fun with it, because it’s my passion.

What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
Growing up, I had big dreams. Actually, until today; I’m still somebody with potential to be great. For my Senior High School education, I was very brave and brilliant. In essence, I was part of the first six in the Class of 1994; Opoku Ware School, Kumasi. Where I passed successfully with aggregate 17 to enter into the University of Ghana.

After being admitted, within a period of time, I started feeling sick mentally, until I was sacked at level 300; which was in my third year, on grounds of failing to pass the grade. Only a year left to graduate from the University. I actually deferred the course in my second year, at level 200 to take care of my mental health but it was not enough for me to be rehabilitated. In 1999, I had to vacate the premises of the University, after receiving a dismissal letter from the Registry to do so.

For decades, and I was still taking it hard mentally and warring within myself to maintain my dignity. By 2008, I was well recovered, I could be seen as someone who has been doing just fine. I recognised the need to say thank you to God because I knew for sure I was not going to have mental health problems again.

It was not easy for me at all, but my trust was worth it. I kept a right perspective of my supernatural abilities, I didn’t allow the situation to limit me. In a way, I got lucky, I survived that bizarre mental attack and I’m still here with you. It was very difficult to tell exactly what caused it, but then it was made perfect. Incredibly, something showed I made it out, but I didn’t have it all figured out. I always believed in myself and listened to my heart. I knew it would be great again, I’ll get out of this mess, which got created, and I actually did.

This experience is truly wonderful, with a dream inside myself, I keep going alive. Potentially, it’s working for me, so I’m happy and grateful. I hope it continues to work great for me to operate my setup effectively and achieve my business goals.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
The cultural value that I really cherish, and protect at all costs is my ability to be creative. My sense of creativity, which involves storytelling and narrative skills have shaped my thoughts and rejuvenated me in a very tasteful manner. For me, being creative is a way to be intelligent and disciplined on a high level.

It gives you the ability to be yourself, find your voice and carve out a niche for yourself, so yeah I greatly embrace this cultural value and protect it at all costs. When you’re creative, clients can trust the authenticity of your work, because it originates from you. We live in a world where people just copy one another’s work without feeling remorseful but with creativity, if you look on work done by others, it inspires you to create your own.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I really do hope that when I’m gone, my family, friends and loved ones will remember me for who I was. Daring, different, bold and magnetic, attracting people from far and wide. A dreamer who truly believed that a miracle could be achieved. Someone who dared to do the impossible by making good choices and right decisions which paved way for him to follow through.

With resilience, strength and hard work, I made it work for me. I happened to have had a mother who supported my dreams, and that was enough help to receive from a caring mother. I always say that if my dad was still alive, he would have been so proud of me because of how well I’m doing right now. I cherished the love and the support. My family and friends really helped me and that was like some amazing blessings from above.

I hope people remembered me for my fashion journey of resilience, my challenges and triumphs as well. How after years of stagnation due to illness, I managed to rebuild my to be where I am today, owing to my God’s love for me. “It was a blessing to be alive. I was actually blessed to be alive until then.” I concerned myself with what greatly mattered to me, I chose not to be bothered by what people said about me, negatively. I tried to listen and got inspired to do what I had to do.

The story I essentially hope people reminisce and tell about me is that I had respect for everyone, and that made them feel loved and accepted. In other words, I cherished my own. I cared about myself, dignity and pride as a country man. I was a charismatic christian and a national of Ghana. With me praying through, it was always amazing to see how things turned around for my good. I did everything right, to make a difference and created impact on others.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.benboatengofficial.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benboatengofficial?
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-boateng-54a1b1148?
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ben.boateng3?
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@benboatengofficial2508?

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