Founder Series: Joseph Kuvor
Founder Series: Joseph Kuvor
Showcasing the incredible people driving the direction of Boost. Meet Jospeh Kuvor, the co-founder and CEO of Boost Ghana.
We recently caught up with Joseph Kuvor, the Co-founder and CEO of Boost-Ghana.
Joseph is a passionate leader with more than 17 years of experience across fintech, telecoms, banking and market research. He has worked in and consulted for various companies in Anglophone West, East and Southern Africa. These include Zoona, Airtel, Millicom (Tigo) and Fidelity Bank where he has grown his expertise in the use of data, customer insights and inclusive technology to create commercial value and achieve sustainable impact.
Joseph also serves as an advisor on Bank of Ghana’s External Stakeholder Advisory Group for the Central Bank Digital Currency pilot.
What stood out in our conversation was his passion for building solutions that bring structure and efficiency to the vibrant informal sector to improve livelihoods and resilience for the millions who depend on it.
Here’s a summary of what he had to say. Enjoy!
How would you describe yourself in a few words?
It’s an interesting question because, having worked in customer-facing roles, I like people to experience me and playback what they observed. So far, what I’ve gathered in my interactions with others is that I am an impact-driven person and I always look to improve everything that I get involved in; this includes my work, social settings, the church, and everything else in my life.
What three phrases can you use to describe the accomplishments you’ve amounted in your career so far?
A change agent: When I was leaving Airtel, the Managing Director used this phrase to describe my time working with the company.
A data-driven professional: At Millicom / Tigo, my reputation was structured around my evidence-driven approach to my work.
A passionate professional: This has been played back to me by colleagues and many other people that I have interacted with.
What would you like to achieve in Ghana that you’ve not accomplished yet?
Besides people, the two things I find very important everywhere I work are technology and data. More importantly, how to leverage them to bring structure and efficiency in the informal sector in order to improve business outcomes for our partners, customers, and the country at large. I would also like to see more females in leadership across all sectors of our national life.
What is your earliest/fondest memory of interacting with a local business or retailer that may have fueled your passion for using data to improve lives?
I come from a small town in the Volta Region of Ghana. My father was a teacher and my mother was a housewife who occasionally sold produce from our farm in the open market and had no way of knowing the fair value of their produce. This problem fueled my desire to support entrepreneurs in the informal sector.
When the idea of Boost popped up while talking to Isaac and Mike, what drove you to back the idea and eventually work on it?
In late 2019, Isaac and I were testing a product to generate data that we could sell to distributors and marketers. This led us to discover the constant challenges retailers face with restocking their shops.
We had both worked with Mike previously, so when he shared his first pitch deck for Boost we immediately saw the synergies and decided to launch a pilot together.
On those hard days when you are in the mud, what drives you to persevere?
What keeps me going is the impact we have on all or our stakeholders. These include our customers, delivery agents, staff, partners, and investors. When I think about the people whose jobs and livelihoods are dependent on our success, it gives me hope and belief in our company.
What do you like most about your customers and partners, and the businesses they run?
I like their honesty; sharing core business information about their businesses is a massive jump for them, but they are willing to do this to grow their businesses.
These entrepreneurs have a culture created around their businesses that determines their sustainability and growth. Some may not know the technical aspects, but the effort toward long-term success is evident.
Could you share a great customer/distributor moment with us?
A distributor by the name Jesus Cares 23 (JC23) from the Eastern Region of Ghana initially did not have any technology, system, or database of their inventory and customers. They only had a spreadsheet to track expenses and the amount of money they made.
After showing interest in our solution, they were very cautious while trying to confirm our legitimacy as a company to ensure that their information was in good hands.
After establishing trust, we were able to set them up on our platform and they could instantly see how much easier it was to manage their inventory, orders, and customers. What gives me joy is now seeing JC23 actively marketing Boost to others.
What is your five or ten-year vision for Boost Ghana?
I would like for us to be the go-to tech solution for distributors and retailers across Ghana, bringing them into the digital economy and helping them to improve and grow their businesses.