Elisée KANGNI

Did anyone ever oppose your career plans when you were young or push you in a direction you did not want to go?

I’ve always been a fast learner. My parents envisioned a stable career for me in public administration. But deep inside, I knew my true calling was freedom—freedom of movement, freedom of thought, freedom to build something of my own. And the only path that could give me that freedom was entrepreneurship. Even as a teenager, I was already teaching private lessons to support myself, all the way from middle school through my sophomore year at university. After graduation, I spent five years searching for direction—trying every opportunity I could find. Then in 2015, something shifted. A choir friend handed me a Kindle copy of “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill. I didn’t even finish the book before an idea struck me: to produce and market a traditional local drink that my parents had once served at my master’s defense celebration. I was broke. My parents didn’t believe in the idea. Even my wife at the time doubted me. But my conviction was stronger than their doubts. One early morning, I knocked on a friend’s door and told him I needed just $9. Without hesitation, he gave it to me. That $9 became the seed of my entrepreneurial journey. In my very first month, I made nearly $900 in sales. It might sound unbelievable, but it was real. People were curious to taste this product—what I called “Corn Wine”—something almost unknown to the wider public. That curiosity turned into my breakthrough. Since then, I’ve started four companies. Two didn’t survive, but two are still growing strong. And I’m preparing new projects to expand and diversify even more. I don’t claim to have “arrived,” because I keep learning every day—deepening my knowledge, acquiring new skills, and sharpening my vision. Here’s what I want you to take away from my story: find your path, believe in yourself, and never underestimate the strength that already lives within you. Only you can achieve what lies deep in your heart—your highest desire. Don’t fear failure. Failure is proof that you’re moving forward. Each time you fall, rise again—more disciplined, more determined. When you do that, nothing can stop you. KANGNI Quanceue Élisée CEO, MAGNUM OPERATIC SARL