What started as a desire to avoid spending hours waiting for a haircut has evolved into a technology-driven solution. Michael Sarpong, co-founder of BuukMeNow, has turned that everyday challenge into a digital appointment-booking platform designed to help service providers streamline operations, reduce no-shows and improve customer experience.
Micheal was raised by entrepreneurial parents, and has always been fascinated by solving problems. From an early age, he knew the conventional nine-to-five career path was not for him, a mindset that would later shape his entrepreneurial journey.
In an interview with the Business and Financial Times’s (B&FT) Christabel, he shares his entrepreneurial journey, the inspiration behind BuukMeNow, the challenges of building a startup in Ghana and his vision for the future of digital booking platforms.
Take a deep dive into his inspiring journey.
B&FT: Tell us about your childhood and upbringing.
Michael: I come from a big family. I have two sisters and the only boy of my parents.
My childhood was full of experiences. Aside learning a lot from the women, I also had friends, and one of them was very crafty. He could build almost anything from any material he came across—wood, cardboard, cans, or whatever was available. We spent a lot of time together building things. We even went as far as rearing animals like rabbits and fowls. We were always experimenting and creating.
B&FT: How did your parents influence your entrepreneurial journey?
Michael: My mother did her own business; she was a trader. She would go to town, buy items that were in demand, and sell them. My father on the other hand was also a furniture maker who later ventured into décor, selling carpets and other interior items. He was very successful in the industry at the time and owned a furniture factory where several people worked.
B&FT: Was there a defining moment that inspired you to become an entrepreneur?
Michael: I have never been a fan of the traditional nine-to-five lifestyle. The routine of waking up, going to work, and coming back home felt very restrictive and boring to me. Growing up, I have always loved to experiment and build things.
When I was introduced to computers, I realized there were endless possibilities for creating and building. I wanted to continue making things and being creative rather than following a routine that I had no interest in. That desire to build and explore is what pushed me toward entrepreneurship.
B&FT: What values have guided you throughout your personal and professional journey?
Michael: One value I strongly believe in is that the way you do one thing is how you do everything. Paying attention to detail is also very important. The way you approach your work often reflects how you approach other aspects of your life.
Another important value is communication. Whether through speaking, writing, or listening, communication is a skill that cuts across every industry. I learned this during my internship. My manager was very particular about communication and would make us rewrite descriptions and tasks until everyone clearly understood them. If only one person understood, then the communication had failed.
Persistence is also important. Once you set your mind on something, you need to stay committed and continue practicing and improving until you achieve your goal.
B&FT: Outside business, what are your passions and interests?
Michael: Outside of business, it is still mostly business. My co-founder and I are constantly looking at trends, analyzing markets, and exploring opportunities to build new ventures.
I also spend a lot of time on self-development. I take courses outside the tech space and read extensively. Reading has become a major part of my life because there is so much knowledge contained in books. If I do not read a certain number of pages or a chapter each day, I feel like my day has not been productive.
I also enjoy skating. It helps me clear my mind and take a break from work and personal concerns.
B&FT: Who has been the most influential person in your life and why?
Michael: I would say my manager, he is also my mentor. We have many conversations, and he often answers questions I have been thinking about even before I ask them. He is approachable and makes discussions feel more like conversations with a friend than with a boss.
He is also an entrepreneur with a startup, so I learn a lot from him. My co-founder has also been very influential. We complement each other well. Where one of us falls short, the other steps in, and together we work toward our shared goals.
B&FT: If you were not running BuukMeNow today, what do you think you would be doing?
Michael: I would probably still be pursuing entrepreneurial ventures or freelancing. Alternatively, I might have taken a traditional job, although that was never something I envisioned for myself.
B&FT: How did the idea for BuukMeNow originate?
Michael: The idea came about when my co-founder and I attended an event. A friend invited us, and we had to make a reservation and payment through a booking platform. While using it, I was impressed by the concept and discovered that the platform had been built by another entrepreneur.
My co-founder and I had been freelancing together for years, building products for clients. So, we asked ourselves “If we’re capable of building products for others, why haven’t we built something for ourselves?”
I had attempted to build a booking platform before with different people, but those efforts never materialized. The idea remained in my mind because I believed there was still a gap in the market.
B&FT: What gap in the market did you identify?
The problem was personal. I disliked having to wait long hours at barber shops. My haircut would take only 15 to 20 minutes, yet I often spent one or two hours waiting for my turn.
Even when I called ahead, someone else could arrive before me and be attended to first. It felt inefficient and time-consuming.
I began wondering whether there could be a system that allowed people to book appointments in advance, arrive at the agreed time, receive the service, and leave. That simple idea became the foundation for BuukMeNow.
My co-founder shared the same vision, making it easy for us to move forward together.
B&FT: Why the name BuukMeNow?
Micheal: We did not spend much time thinking about the name. The same night we decided to build the product; we started searching for domain names. The name “BuukMeNow” was unavailable, so we modified the spelling and secured a version that was available.
We wanted to move quickly, validate the idea, and avoid getting stuck overthinking things. Looking back, that was one of the best decisions we made.
B&FT: What were the early days of the business like?
Micheal: Resources were limited. Building software normally requires a team, but because we had years of experience developing products for clients, we handled most of the work ourselves.
We wore multiple hats and focused on launching quickly instead of striving for perfection.
Acquiring users was one of the biggest challenges. After launching, almost nobody used the platform for about three months. We had one potential client who agreed to try it, but even she was not actively using it at first.
B&FT: How did that feel?
Michael: It was disappointing, but we did not take it too personally because we had not invested enormous resources into the project at that stage.
Instead of giving up, we continued improving the platform and engaging with users of other platforms to understand their challenges. We kept building until we finally received our first booking.
B&FT: What was that moment like?
Michael: It felt amazing. What surprised us most was that the booking came from someone in the diaspora rather than from Ghana.
That experience made us rethink our target audience and raised many questions about user behavior. The service provider who used the platform was very open with feedback, which helped us improve the product significantly.
B&FT: What is BuukMeNow and how does it work?
Michael: BuukMeNow is an appointment management platform designed for service providers, small businesses, and professionals.
A service provider creates an account, lists services, and shares a booking link with clients. Clients can then schedule appointments online.
The platform helps reduce no-shows by allowing service providers to request deposits or payments before appointments are confirmed. It also provides valuable business insights and data that help users make better decisions and improve operations.
B&FT: What makes the platform unique?
Michael: One of our biggest strengths is that we are engineers building our own product. We interact directly with our users and understand their challenges firsthand.
This allows us to move quickly. Instead of spending months discussing new features, we can build and deploy solutions rapidly.
Another advantage is our payment functionality. Some competing platforms allow customers to make bookings without payment, which can lead to no-shows. We enable service providers to collect payments or deposits upfront, creating greater commitment from customers.
B&FT: How has customer feedback influenced the growth of the business?
Michael: The product has been shaped almost entirely by customer feedback.
Our first user helped us identify several gaps. For example, she explained that while her services were available, she was not always physically present to serve clients at all times.
This led us to develop advanced availability settings that allow service providers to define exactly when they or their staff are available.
Many of our most valuable features came directly from real-world challenges raised by users.
B&FT: What has been the most rewarding moment since launching the company?
Michael: One of the most rewarding moments was when a user processed more than GH¢300,000 in transactions within just 30 minutes using the platform.
She used the product in a way we had never anticipated, and seeing her succeed demonstrated the platform’s potential. Watching businesses manage their operations more effectively through our product continues to be deeply rewarding.
B&FT: How is BuukMeNow contributing to Ghana’s digital economy?
Michael: BuukMeNow contributes by helping businesses digitize their operations, generate revenue, and improve efficiency.
As businesses grow through the platform, they contribute to economic activity and tax revenue. We have also created employment opportunities and continue to support businesses through technology.
B&FT: What challenges does the business face today?
Michael: Funding remains one of our biggest challenges.
My co-founder and I both have full-time jobs and use our salaries to support the business. Because we are technical founders, we perform much of the engineering work ourselves, but we are not currently paying ourselves.
Limited funding slows our ability to hire talent and achieve milestones as quickly as we would like.
User adoption is another challenge. Many people still do not know platforms like BuukMeNow exist, and large-scale marketing requires resources that startups often lack.
B&FT: What opportunities do you see in Ghana’s technology ecosystem?
Michael: There are countless opportunities because many systems and services remain manual.
Whether it is government services, agriculture, or other sectors, there is significant room for innovation and digitization.
The challenge is that entrepreneurs often face regulatory barriers and bureaucratic hurdles that make implementation difficult. Despite that, the opportunities remain enormous.
B&FT: What trends will shape the future of digital booking platforms?
Michael: The future is about reducing friction and saving time.
Tasks that currently take several minutes should eventually take seconds. Booking services should become integrated into people’s everyday digital experiences.
For example, someone should be able to discover a service provider on Instagram or TikTok and book an appointment instantly without leaving the platform.
Artificial intelligence and automation will play a major role in making these experiences faster and more seamless.
B&FT: What is your vision for BuukMeNow over the next five years?
Michael: We want BuukMeNow to become a profitable and widely recognized brand.
We aim to expand into multiple countries, support international payment systems, and make the platform accessible to users around the world.
We want to become the first name people think of when booking appointments, while helping businesses operate more efficiently and helping customers book services effortlessly.
Ultimately, we want our growth to create more revenue, larger teams, and greater impact.
B&FT: Are there any exciting projects or expansions on the horizon?
Michael: We are currently developing Version 2 of BuukMeNow based on extensive user feedback.
Like many startups, we are constantly learning, adapting, and improving. While the journey is challenging, we remain focused on innovation and creating better experiences for our users.
B&FT: What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs who seek to build successful businesses
Michael: Just do whatever comes in mind. Don’t think too much
Michael Sarpong, the Co-founder, Product Designer and Product Manager of BuukMeNow, is a resident of Teshie-Nungua
He can be contacted on: Email: [email protected]
The post Meet Michael: The young man who turned his frustration into an innovation appeared first on The Business & Financial Times.
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