This episode demonstrates that when confronted with supplier negligence and the risk of losing her first international client, Esthy chose integrity over convenience—reassuring the buyer, personally financing a replacement shipment, and forging direct partnerships with rural women producers in Tamale.

In 2015, while still employed at a multinational company, Esthy Ama Asante stumbled into global trade through a simple inquiry about shea butter, cocoa butter, and griffonia. With no prior knowledge of these products, she relied on research, persistence, and faith to respond, “Yes, we can.” That bold step led to her first international order and eventually the birth of OTI—a journey of resilience, ethics, and promoting Ghana’s heritage through trade.