Christian Ngan is an entrepreneur, businessman and financier in Cameroon who owns Goldsky Partners and Madlyn Cazalis Group, which has interests in the bio-cosmetic industry. The company designs, manufactures, transports natural beauty products and operates in Central Africa with more than 50 distributors. In 2014, Mr. Ngan was listed in Forbes magazine as one of the Most Promising Entrepreneur in Africa. He was listed in The Choiseul 100 Africa: Economic Leaders for Tomorrow, listed by Young People in International Affairs (YPIA) in the “Top 35 Africans under 35 in 2014 and nominated Young Business Leader of The Year West Africa by CNBC Africa.
The Difference Between Good And Great | Good people do exactly what they have to do, what is expected by the world. Good people want to realize people expectations. Great people do more, they do what is not expected, they are not followers, great people are game changers.
A Key Talent | Everybody has a potential to achieve great things, you just have to identify your talent and develop your skills. I’m just human; I’m not coming from another planet. What are my best qualities? I’m curious, I always want to learn from others and from my mistakes, I’m a hard worker, I have a vision and I had this chance to have strategic and financial skills. I had the chance to “go to school”. I have a Master’s degree in Financial Engineering from a Top 3 French Business School and a Master’s degree in International Relations from La Sorbonne, which is a prestigious and world recognized University. I don’t say, studying in Top Universities is necessary to succeed. People just have to identify their talents and work everyday, learn from other people, practice again and again. I only used all the materials I learn to pursue my dream, building a prosperous African leading company.
Principles I Live By | We manufacture responsible products in Africa and try to distribute well-adapted quality products to Africans. We want Africans not having complexes toward foreign brands. We want to show that Africans can do big things with international standards. Ethic, honesty and humility are very important in business. We can make a lot of money being responsible, trying to provide great products and answer to consumer needs. Being honest and humble are also essential keys to success.
Critical Skills I Develop | In a nutshell, I would say patience, perseverance, humility, thirst for knowledge and eagerness to learn, interpersonal skills (it is essential to know how to communicate and how develop your network), organization and discipline.
Resources I Use To Stay Inspired | I read a lot and learn from well-established CEOs and Entrepreneurs. I love reading biographies, I’m really inspired by the path of businesses such as Apple, LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy), Kering (ex-Pinault Printemps Redoute Group), Virgin etc…I also listen to a lot of music and the development of the Hip Hop industry in U.S. really inspired me (Def Jam Recordings, Bad Boy Entertainment, Cash Money Records etc.). It was a passion and my first business as a teenager was Chris Music, I was recording latest U.S. songs on CDs and sold it in high school.
My Future Dreams And Ambitions | In the next 5 to 10 years, I see Madlyn Cazais Group accessible to a larger number of African household (in the west, the center, the east, the north and the south). I see the company growing and creating thousands of jobs. But I also see myself working on other projects as stimulating as Madlyn Cazalis in other sectors of the economy since; there is still a lot to do for our continent.
The Meaning Of Life | Release our full potential, do something better to live in a better world.
Advice On Building Wealth | I would ask them to take their time to think about their project and to keep learning everyday from others and from their environment. When you start a project, it is good to ask yourself, “Why am I doing this?”, “Do I want to change the world?” Changing the world does not mean reinventing the wheel. Changing the world it is sometimes bringing a breath of fresh air to solve simple problems. The farmer that creates 5 new jobs is changing the world, a volunteer for an non-profit organization fighting hunger is changing the world and a young man that builds a start-up with a different approach is also changing the world. The main difficulty is still the resistance of a world with a unique view or the fear of being judged when you innovate for example. We should just go beyond our apprehensions and break the current models to innovate. At the end, it is the entrepreneur with his heart and vision that carries the project.
Think big, start small! Young people always think that they need a lot of money. I started with 3000 $, that is nothing! We might need cash to accelerate but: we have started! Cash does not make the product. What you need is: Passion and humility. Learn from other people everyday, listen to customers, managers. Listen to the Market!
The Best Advice I’ve Received | The best advice I have ever received came from my parents and particularly my mother who always encouraged me to keep praying and to be grateful to God in all circumstances. It taught me gratitude and humility. I believe in God and I am amazed by all the things He gives me daily and feel blessed. It is my faith that gives me my confidence and the determination to achieve and pursue all my projects. At every stage of the evolution of Madlyn Cazalis, I thank God for all that he did for me.
The Legacy I Would Like To Leave | A leading African consumer good group.
