Konnected Minds Podcast with Derrick Abaitey
Konnected Minds Podcast with Derrick Abaitey
Konnected House
From Employee to Business Owner: He Bought a McDonald’s Franchise for £250,000 - Here’s How It Really Works
1 hour 1 minutes Posted Oct 9, 2026 at 6:00 am.
Introduction: Passion vs Business Reality
Joey's Background and Journey to the UK
The Mindset of Success and Self-Belief
Ghana's System: Challenges vs Opportunities
Four Business Ideas You Can Start Today
The Reality of Entrepreneurship: Waiting and Sacrifice
From McDonald's Employee to Franchisee
The McDonald's Franchise Process
Understanding the McDonald's Business Model
The Sacrifice: Making Less Than Your Manager
Traveling Abroad: Golden Ticket or Misconception?
Advice for Young Ghanaians with Capital
Bringing McDonald's to Ghana and West Africa
What Young Ghanaians Need to Unlearn
The Truth About Hard Work and Getting Noticed
Confronting Ghana's Problems with Honesty
Would Success Have Been Possible in Ghana?
Final Thoughts: Believing in Ghana's Future
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Show notes
If You Can't Succeed Here, You Won't Succeed Abroad
Can you build real wealth without leaving Ghana? And how much does it actually cost to own a McDonald’s franchise?
On this episode of Konnected Minds Podcast, Derrick Abaitey sits down with Joey Antwi-Kusi, a Ghanaian entrepreneur who moved to the UK at 22, worked as a McDonald’s customer care assistant, built businesses and eventually became a McDonald’s franchisee.
Joey shares the reality behind his journey, including the £250,000 investment required to enter McDonald’s franchising, the sacrifices involved in building a business, and how his three restaurants are projected to generate approximately £15 million in combined annual turnover.
Chapters
But this conversation goes far beyond McDonald’s.
In this episode, we discuss:
Whether moving abroad is really a golden ticket to success
Three practical business ideas young people in Ghana can start with little or no capital
How to turn a salary into business capital
The realities of building wealth through entrepreneurship
Why working hard is not always enough to advance your career
How much McDonald’s franchisees pay in rent, marketing and service charges
The Ghanaian business environment: systemic barriers versus personal responsibility
What aspiring entrepreneurs should consider before returning to Ghana to start a business
Is the system holding Ghanaians back, or are we overlooking opportunities? Can someone build wealth without migrating? Watch the full conversation and tell us what you think in the comments.
Guest: Joey Antwi-Kusi
IG: https://www.instagram.com/myjoey/
Web: https://joey-antwi-kusi.kit.com/
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🎙️ ABOUT THE HOST
Derrick Abaitey is a Ghanaian entrepreneur, podcast host, and personal development advocate.
IG: https://www.instagram.com/derrick.abaitey
Web: https://www.abaitey.com/