From school dropout to owning three fuel stations: Young Dee Group CEO shares his story of grit and persistence

From helping his mother roast plantain by the roadside to trying his hand at hunting, shoemaking, construction and food vending, Young Dee Group Chief Executive Officer Desmond Darko says he learnt early in life to make the most of every opportunity. His path to becoming a fuel retailer was far from straightforward. After struggling with a science course and deciding not to continue his formal education, he took on different jobs, including running a popular local food joint, before entering the fuel retail business as a pump attendant. Today, Mr Darko owns three fuel stations, a journey he attributes to persistence and a willingness to take advantage of opportunities as they arose. Speaking on Joy FM’s Personality Profile with Lexis Bill on Thursday, October 29, he recalled supporting his mother’s roadside plantain business while he was in junior high school.

“She wasn’t doing any, you know, active business,” he said, explaining that roasting plantain was the work she did at the time and that he helped her until she stopped. A succession of odd jobs When it became clear that continuing his formal education would be difficult, Mr Darko decided to look beyond the classroom for a livelihood. “If I’m not going to continue the formal education, then whatever comes my way I should be able to take advantage of that and then move on with my life,” he said. He put that approach into practice, trying several occupations in search of a sustainable source of income. He ventured into hunting, although the attempt did not work out. The experience took him into unfamiliar surroundings, including a cave where he said he once spent an entire week. “I’ve slept in a cave before. A whole week slept in a cave,” he recalled. He also worked as a shoemaker and took up various construction…