Anthony Kollie - Determiner Medical Clinic

Hmm, 'Culture, part 3' needs some work before it gets posted, but I'm on a roll today and at a good internet connection so I figure I'll start on this. Over the next few weeks I'll be posting a number of brief profiles on some of LEAD's entrepreneurs, part of another project that I'm working on. Many of them are in LEAD's mentoring program, which is how I've gotten to know them, but not all of them are. In any case, these are all business entrepreneurs who have really impressed me and it is Liberian business owners like these that give me such hope for the country's future.

Name: Anthony Kollie

Business name: Determiner Medical Clinic

“We started, I would say, from scratch, meaning that we had to put our own energy to work to get started. After the war we returned to Gbarnga, our original home, and my wife and I, both nurses by profession, had a dream to establish our own business.”

Anthony and his wife Rose began by opening a pharmacy, but soon found themselves giving medical advice to their customers. They applied for government accreditation and used loan capital to build a clinic around their pharmacy, complete with a screening room, two admission rooms, an obstetrics room, a laboratory, and an office.

In January of 2009, Anthony joined LEAD’s newly launched domestic business mentoring program and was matched with Dr. Emmanuel Ekyinabah from Monrovia.

Business location: Far East Junction, Gbarbea Street, Gbarnga

Mission: “To serve the community of Gbarnga with good quality medicine, sound medical advice and clinical services.”

Number of employees: 7

Established: April 27, 2007 as a pharmacy; expanded to medical clinic August 24, 2009

Services offered: Screening and treatments, obstetrics, pharmaceutics, vaccinations and laboratory services

Startup capital: $2500 USD

Opportunity for growth: A motorcycle to make deliveries and home visits

How has being mentored affected your business? “Dr. Ekyinabah has taught me how to encourage my employees. He has also taught me about customer service and we are looking into way of providing more vaccinations in my clinic.

He relates to me like we are family. He just called me last week to wish me a good day and he is planning on coming up soon to visit me in person and see what I am doing for himself.”

Contact: +231 (0) 6477033

determinerar@yahoo.com