There are two types of people in the world: those who build and those who talk about building. The first group, the builders, understand that execution is all that matters. The second group, the dreamers, live in the realm of “wouldn’t it be cool if…”

For years, I have been surrounded by both.

A lot of my friends come to me with ideas. Big, ambitious, often brilliant ideas. They want advice on a startup, a project, or a shift they want to make in their lives.

But when I check in months later, nothing has changed. They’re still “thinking about it,” still “waiting for the right moment,” still stuck.

And if I’m being honest, I’ve been there too.

There are ideas I had years ago that should have been built by now. Concepts that lived in my head, that I refined in conversation, but never executed. And now, in 2025, I see them in the market, built by someone else. Not because they were smarter or had better resources, but because they actually took the shot.

The difference between winners and everyone else isn’t intelligence. It’s not talent. It’s a bias toward action.

The Illusion of Progress

One of the biggest traps ambitious people fall into is mistaking thought for progress.

• Writing down ideas feels like progress.
• Talking about them over coffee feels like progress.
• Reading more books, taking more courses, refining the plan, these all feel like progress.

But none of these things build anything.

If you’ve had the same idea for months or years and haven’t executed, the truth is simple: you don’t actually want it. Or at the very least, you don’t want it badly enough to do the work.

The best people I’ve worked with don’t operate on “I’ll try.” They don’t say, “I’ll aim for this.” They say, “This is what I’m building. Watch me execute.”

This is the standard I hold myself to now.

And it’s the standard I’m using as I build out the digital team at Media General.

Why Execution Is the Only Thing That Matters

I’ve spent years building, from platforms at Media General to new ventures like adesa+, mgElectra, Indalis, and Futures Faster. And I’ve also spent years watching people (including myself, at times) get stuck in the wishful thinking stage.

The media landscape is shifting, fast. We’re not in a world where we can afford to wait. We are either going to build new, better ways to engage audiences, or we will become irrelevant.

So the question for anyone joining my team is simple: Are you a builder, or are you just thinking about building?

This is how I hire now.

• I don’t care how well you can articulate a vision if you have no track record of execution.
• I don’t care about ideas. I care about shipped work.
• I don’t want people who “wait for the perfect moment.” I want people who build in imperfect conditions.

This is the fundamental difference between the people who win and the people who watch others win.

Calling My Shots in 2025

The best teams and individuals don’t just set vague goals, they call their shots. They say, “Watch me do X.” And then they execute.

Here’s what calling my shot looks like in real, tangible ways:

1. adesa+ Will Launch Successfully by April 9, 2025

No delays. No excuses. This is not a soft launch, not a test run. It will be a fully functional product, designed to dominate the Ghanaian streaming market.

2. Futures Faster Will Set the Standard for AI & Automation Learning in West Africa

Not a side project, a serious, structured movement. The first research paper, bootcamp, and industry partnerships will be in motion this year.

3. mgElectra Will Evolve into Ghana’s Best Election Chatbot

No half-measures. If it’s not world-class, it’s not launching.

4. Indalis Will Redefine Hotel & Hospitality Marketing

Not just another agency, the agency. The only name that matters in Ghana’s hospitality marketing space.

And these are just a few of the things I’m building.

Every project I touch this year will be executed at the highest level possible. If it doesn’t meet championship standards, it doesn’t happen.

The Trade-Offs of Execution

People don’t build because execution is messy. It forces trade-offs.

• You’ll have to launch before you feel ready.
• You’ll have to make decisions without perfect data.
• You’ll have to put your work in public where it can be criticized.
• You’ll have to accept that not everything will work.

But the alternative is worse: staying stuck in theory mode forever, watching others execute the things you only dreamed about.

I know what that feels like. I refuse to let it happen again.

No More Wishful Thinking

I don’t have the patience for hypothetical builders anymore. If you’re not actively working on something, if you’re not taking real steps, making real bets, shipping real work, then the conversation is over.

And if you’re wondering whether you fall into that category, here’s the test:

• What have you built in the last six months?
• What’s the last hard decision you made to move something forward?
• What are you launching this month?

If you don’t have an answer, you’re still in wishful thinking mode.

In 2025, I am calling my shots. I am surrounding myself with people who do the same. And for those who are still “thinking about it” … time’s up.