WHY SMALL COMPANIES BUY BIG DESKS
(And Why Billion-Dollar CEOs Sit on Chairs Older Than Zimbabweās Independence) As a business consultant, I move around a lot. I enter small companies, medium companies, and big companies making...
Practical wisdom on sales, business growth, and entrepreneurship from The Chartered Vendor.
(And Why Billion-Dollar CEOs Sit on Chairs Older Than Zimbabweās Independence) As a business consultant, I move around a lot. I enter small companies, medium companies, and big companies making...
Youāve read those American motivational books where the author proudly says,āI was so broke I lived in my car⦠my boot was my wardrobeā¦ā My friend, in Zimbabwe owning a car is already a sign of...
(And why your company is losing because you are still hiring āGalĆ”cticosā with attitude problems) When I look at Pep Guardiola, I donāt just see a football coach I see a full MBA program walking on...
On 31 December 2025, Zimbabwe will stop breathing for a few hours.Two of the most talked-about artists Winky D and Jah Prayzah are stepping on one stage, same day, same venue: Hockey Stadium,...
One thing we must all agree on quietly, without fighting is that Jah Prayzah has built something bigger than a music career. He has built an institution, a creative ecosystem, and a brand that...
In Zimbabwe, some people build businessesā¦But Tinashe āNashā Mutarisi?This man built an entire ecosystem paints, furniture, TV, music, content creation, talent grooming all branded under one...
The other day I was just driving around Harare, minding my own business, when something caught my attention three massive church billboards, all on the same stretch of...
My brothers and sisters, letās talk.Last week I wrote, āIf schools donāt teach AI, they are preparing students for a world that no longer exists.āWithin minutes, the comment section caught fire. One...
When I say people can learn skills outside the classroom, some people react as if Iāve insulted their ancestors. The looks I get! If Zimbabwe still allowed stoning, I would have needed bodyguards....
As the sun sets over Zimbabwe, the nation finds itself wrapped in both sorrow and reflection. Archbishop Mudzidzi Paul Mamvura Mwazha, the iconic leader and founder of the African Apostolic Church,...
Life has a funny way of teaching us. Sometimes lessons come from books, mentors, or billionaires⦠And sometimes they come from a random Facebook comment at 10pm. Iāve realised that whether you grow...
Letās be honest most people donāt actually know why they open their business at 8am and close at 5pm.They just found everyone doing it and said,āAhh, okay, this must be the correct adulting...
Yesterday, I had the privilege of meeting with my sister, the ever-glowing, ever-smiling, Feli Nandi. And listen I didnāt just meet a musician. I met a whole MBA. A whole entrepreneurship module...
(A Grant Cardone Lesson That Changed My Life) During Covid-19, while most people were busy baking banana bread, I was busy reading Grant Cardone like he was a diagnostic tool for African...
PEOPLE DONāT FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS THEY FOLLOW SYSTEMS Let me tell you something dangerous:If you donāt create a system in your organisation, your employees will create their own.And trust me you wonāt...
Who said law firms and auditing firms donāt need salespeople? Yes, I know these industries love to hide behind their āprofessional ethics.ā āWe donāt advertise,ā they say, as if thatās a badge of...
A funny, painful and eye-opening look at why African companies get disrupted by technology In 2023, I had a fascinating conversation with one of the executives at a major Zimbabwean radio station. I...
We are officially back in strategy season that time of the year when companies pack their bags, book a lodge, and go āplan the future.ā Some travel with laptops. Some travel with flip charts. Some...
(A Funny but Very Serious Lesson Before ZIMRA Gives You High Blood Pressure) Recently, I read an article saying ZIMRA is now auditing doctors. Within hours, my phone lit up like a Christmas tree....
Today I was interviewing candidates for an accounting position in Zambia. One had the shiniest CV I mean, the kind that looks like it was designed by an angel in Microsoft Word. But the moment the...
I have been checking something on Facebook lately⦠most of the people making real money from content creation NEVER studied Digital Marketing or Social Media Marketing. Not even a short course. Not...
(The Price of Hiring Without Doing Background Checks Lessons from the Kupakwashe Dumba Fraud Case) Letās talk about trust that sweet word every entrepreneur loves until it breaks their business like...
Last week, something happened that reminded me why consistency online matters. One of the companies I recently trained called my manager to confirm a few details about our training programs. As part...
Thereās been a lot of noise lately about the new Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux 2026 model beautiful cars, no doubt. Zimbabweans love their cars. For many people here, a car isnāt just transport itās a...
Love him or hate him Sir Wicknell Chivhayo trends more often than ZESA load-shedding updates. Every time he sneezes, someone receives a car. Every time he blinks, another personās dreams come true....
(A Business Lesson Hidden in a Scandal) Lately, everyone has been talking about Prophet Walter Magaya. Some say heās guilty, others say heās innocent. Iām not here to play judge Iāll leave that to...
In entrepreneurship, you learn every single day. Sometimes through books, sometimes through mistakes and sometimes through HR. Recently, I shared a reel and TikTok video about HR, and woow! The...
(Why Poverty Was My First Business Mentor) When I was young, I was painfully introverted. You know those quiet boys who greet teachers like theyāre saluting the President? That was me. I went to some...
(A Strange Marketing Idea That Works Like Magic) When I launched my social media campaign, I used to post like a disciplined soldier perfect grammar, clean layout, and serious tone. Zero likes. Zero...
Recently, I received messages from two of my former workmates. They both had one request: āBoss, can I come back?ā Now, if youāve been in business in Zimbabwe or Zambia, you probably know this...
In The Millionaire Next Door, the authors said something that hit me hard: āThey marry financially disciplined partners.ā Now, that principle sounds simple until you see how many men in Harare have...
This is that crazy season when almost every company is doing its strategic plan for 2026 and guess whatās trending in every boardroom? āWe need to invest in digital marketing!ā Suddenly, every...
Iām privileged to meet many company owners, managers, and directors every week. But recently, I had the privilege to meet the management team of a certain school somewhere in Africa. We were...
Iāve been following with great interest the recent case involving Prophet Magaya and his wife Tendayi, as reported by The Herald. According to the state, they are being jointly charged along with one...
Why African Entrepreneurs Must Stop Winging It and Start Dreaming Big The Man Who Wants to Go to Mars Thereās a man on this planet Elon Musk who wakes up every day thinking about another planet....
When you visit an ECD school in Zimbabwe today, itās a beautiful sight. Youāll see tiny kids running around in colorful uniforms black and white children, same classrooms, same toys, same lunchboxes....
If your business still handles cash like itās 1998, this one is for you. So, Greystone Nursery Schoolās director and headmistress, Candice Cherry Prinsloo, allegedly decided to do her own curriculum...
Once upon a time, Telecel Zimbabwe was the peopleās network the SIM card you bought when Econet felt too proud and NetOne too sleepy. But today, the only thing louder than their silence is the sound...
A few years ago, my friend Simon was doing exceptionally well in business. He was that typical African entrepreneur who had built something from sweat, prayer, and sleepless nights. His hardware...
For the first eight years of running my business, I was the most broke CEO in town. I donāt mean ātight budget broke.ā I mean real broke. Every end of month, Iād pay rent, pay salaries, pay ZESA, pay...
The other day I had a conversation with Mr. Moyo. āJerry, Iām sending my child to study in India. Maybe even the UK or China. I canāt have my kids learning at our local universities.ā I asked, āWhat...
ZIFA has done it again! After a series of heartbreaking defeats that had fans chewing plastic bottles in the stands, the Zimbabwe Football Association finally decided to part ways with Warriors...
One day I was on the road, doing what serious businesspeople do taking calls while travelling. I was mid-sentence, passionately explaining something to one of my team members, when suddenly silence....
Itās that time of the year again tuxedos are being dry-cleaned, banners printed, hashtags rehearsed, and PR teams sharpening their āWeāre humbled and honoredā captions. Yes, ladies and gentlemen,...
When I read the story of Abigail the businesswoman whose property is now being sold after a $600,000 divorce debt my heart sank. Here was a woman who once had everything together: love, business, and...
(A funny but painfully true story about why most companies keep losing in sales) Last week, I visited a company letās call them GoalGetters Pvt Ltd.The CEO called me, sounding frustrated: āJerry, I...
How Dressing Right Can Save Your Brand (and Your Sanity) The Day the Shop Looked Like a Music Video It was a bright Monday morning in Harare when customers walked into a small boutique and froze. The...
The Day the Boss Nearly Lost His Mind At a growing company in Harare, the CEO letās call him Mr. Chikwama was stressed. Not because sales were bad, but because his team was behaving like a confused...
Ah, love sweet in the beginning, bitter in the courtroom. This week, social media lit up after reports that Akonās wife, Tomeka Thiam, is demanding ā¬100 million (about US$108 million) in a divorce...
In Zimbabweās corporate jungle, scandals come and go but few are as wild (and painfully embarrassing) as the case of Stanford Sithole, the ZIMRA officer who learned the hard way that email is not...
Why Zambiaās Bold Move on FAZ Is a Business Lesson for Every Entrepreneur and Government Department When the Whistle Blows but Thereās No Goal Zambiaās government just did what many business owners...
The Awkward First Meeting Imagine this: You walk into an office for a meeting. The client is seated behind a big desk, poker-faced, like theyāre about to judge you at The Hague. You sit down...
I meet an average of five CEOs or business owners a day. And lately, they all start their conversations the same way: āBoss, Iām rushing to the farmā¦ā Now, let me confess I almost started thinking...
(A funny but true lesson from Mutale) The Mutale Chronicles: From Star Performer to Serial Resigner In 2023, I had two brilliant young ladies working under me. One of them letās call her Mutale was...
(Because Sometimes Football and Business Are the Same Game! The Slap Heard Across Zimbabwe Ah, Zimbabwe never disappoints when it comes to drama whether itās politics, potholes, or Premier Soccer...
In life and in business the difference between success and embarrassment often comes down to one thing: Preparation. Let me tell you a story. Unlike my sister Sharlene, who booked a beautiful venue,...
When Love Turned Into āNo Showā Zimbabwean TikToker Sharlene Kachere shook the internet when she revealed that her groom didnāt show up for their planned Roora (lobola) ceremony on 27 September 2025....
Thereās a video doing rounds on social media Iām sure youāve seen it. Madzibaba, sitting comfortably, eating his chicken and chips, smiling like someone who just got paid in USD. With a loud crunch...
On Saturday, one of my favourite musicians, Tocky Vibes, launched his new album. The lineup was big names, dancers, even my sister Madam Boss was there promoting the show like it was a national...
Tawanda thought he was a good husband. He really did. He paid school fees on time, brought home cooking oil during the shortages, and even fixed the Wi-Fi when it misbehaved. Every time Rudo...
When I first started running businesses, I used to wonder: Why would all the decision makers, including salespeople, be locked in a Monday morning meeting from 9am to 1pm? Thatās four solid hours the...
Lately, Iāve been on a crusade to help business owners register family trusts. Itās a brilliant move, trusts are designed to protect your assets, ensure smooth succession, and keep your wealth safe...
(The WhatsApp blunder every salesperson must avoid) The WhatsApp Crime Scene Salesperson: HiClient: HiSalesperson: Can I send you our company profile?Client: (double blue ticks⦠silence) 5 minutes...
The Temptation of the Kitchen Table Letās be honest: when most of us start a business, the first āofficeā is usually the kitchen table, or worse the bed. Youāre typing proposals in between boiling...
You think closing deals is about having the best product, the fanciest suit, or the slickest PowerPoint presentation? My friend, in Africa, sometimes itās about knowing the right mutupo (totem). Yes,...
The Jealous Ex Syndrome Have you ever dated someone who couldnāt stop talking about their ex?Every time you sit down for dinner, itās: Sooner or later, you donāt even get angry at the ex. You just...
Have you ever called your internet service provider when your WiFi is misbehaving?It doesnāt matter if you call Econet, TelOne, Liquid, or even that cousin of yours who sells WiFi from his backyard...
In Africa, we all know granite. Itās everywhere by the roadside, in quarries, even in our backyards. If someone gave you a block of granite today, youād probably ask them: āSo⦠what must I do with...
Let me paint you a picture. There was once a brilliant girl called Tari. Form 2, top of her class, straight Aās, and every teacher in the school saying, āThis one will wear a white coat, stethoscope...
They say silence is golden, but in sales, silence is not just golden itās profitable. The Loud Barber Story Picture this. You walk into a barbershop in Mbare. The barber greets you, sits you down,...
Once upon a time in a small township, two boys grew up as best friends Tawanda and John. Tawandaās parents always said to him, āMy child, we are counting on you. When you become a doctor, you will...
Salespeople Are Not Born in Maternity Wards In all my years of living, I have never heard this announcement: āBreaking news, in Glen View, a bouncing baby girl has been born⦠and she is a natural...
Every November, my timeline gets flooded. Caps flying, gowns glowing, and hashtags like #ProudGraduate and #MamaIMadeIt dominating social media. And donāt get me wrong graduation is beautiful. Youāve...
Thereās a reason why most people hate police roadblocks in Zimbabwe. Itās not just the fines itās the way the officer leans into your window with that face of suspicion, asking questions like:āWhere...
The other day I āaccidentallyā clicked on the BeForward website. I wasnāt even planning to buy a car. I just wanted to check how much a Toyota 300 Series costs. Within minutes, my phone was buzzing...
Do you remember the first days when Facebook landed in Africa? Eish, people were restless. In the kombis, in the salons, even in the churches, the story was the same:āHow can you talk to someone in...
People think failure is the opposite of success. No, my brother, my sister failure is the school fees you must pay for success. You canāt graduate without it. I have learnt that you will never...
In sales, first impressions are everything. You have about 7 seconds to either win the clientās attention or lose them completely. And sometimes, itās not your pitch, not your price, not even your...
The other day, I overheard a group of guys talking. One said,āSaturday, Iām going to my favorite artistās show. After that, bottles until sunrise. Sunday morning, church to repent, then later we hit...
In sales and in life thereās one golden rule that will save you stress, customers, and even your marriage: always agree. Picture this.Jamesā wife comes running with excitement: āDaddy, may we please...
Once upon a time, a famous painter called Picasso dropped a bombshell:āGood artists copy, but great artists steal.ā Now, before you run to your neighborās maize field at midnight with a sack, hold on...
A few weeks ago, I was driving past the industrial area in Harare on a Saturday afternoon. Youād expect the place to be buzzing machines humming, trucks loading, smoke rising. But instead? Silence....
President Hakainde Hichilema has been calling on Zambians to venture into entrepreneurship. His vision is clear: Zambians must own their resources and build their own destiny. For the first time in...
We all hear it āCreate seven streams of income!ā Sounds exciting, right? Like youāll wake up one morning and money will be raining down on you from all angles. But hereās the problem for most African...
Paul was excited. After weeks of chasing a big client, Mr. Dube, he finally managed to convince him to meet for lunch. This was the golden chance to close that long-awaited deal. But Paul made a few...
Picture this: Coca-Cola. That classic red bottle thatās been around for over 100 years. From Lagos to Cape Town, from Cairo to Johannesburg, the taste never changes. You donāt get Coke in one city...
In 2022, during my trip to Zambia, my second home, I had a deep conversation with some of my management colleagues. They were frustrated: āBoss, itās difficult to get technical people who are...
In a busy office in Harare, there was a young graduate named Tinashe. Fresh out of university, he was excited to finally put his marketing degree to work. On his first week, the manager called him...
When you are selling non-commodity items like software, consulting, or services, let me break it to you, price is not the game. Value is. Most people think customers are walking calculators: āshow me...
Once upon a time in the streets of Harare, there was a fast-food outlet that could have been the next Chicken Inn, the next Slice⦠maybe even a ghetto Nandoās. They had the packaging.They had the...
Meet Mr. Moyo āThe Car Repair Critic Every business has that one customer. You know the type nothing is ever perfect. An individual, Brain, runs a car repair workshop, and he has a client like this...
Letās be honest after a long week of targets, clients, and endless āurgentā emails, the idea of grabbing a cold drink with your team sounds tempting. But before you shout, āFirst round is on me!ā,...
Letās be real for a second. Imagine trying to impress Strive Masiyiwa while sitting in your cubicle at Econet. Youāve been there for 3 months. He hasnāt stepped foot in Zimbabwe for 23 years. The...
In business consulting, you meet all sorts of clients some good, some bad, and some who make you wonder if you should open a comedy show instead of a consultancy firm. One time in Zambia, I sat down...
In tough times, everyone loves to talk. In smart times, only a few act. Look around. The talk is everywhere: āThe economy is rubbish.ā āJobs are disappearing.ā āOpportunities? What...
Your uncle has just passed away. The atmosphere is tense. Aunties are crying in the corner, the church choir is humming softly, and the elders are whispering about āarrangements.ā Then suddenly,...
By Jerry Nyazungu ā The Chartered Vendor Some people only save āimportantā numbers their boss, a supplier, their pastor, maybe their in-law (the nice one, not the noisy one). Me? I save everyone. I...
By Jerry Nyazungu ā The Chartered Vendor Scroll through LinkedIn on any day, and youāll see post after post telling you: āPray about the job⦠but also pray about the environment.ā Fair advice. But...
By Jerry More Nyazungu The Chartered Vendor In 2015, I was knee-deep in the grind registering companies, printing forms, and dodging power cuts like a seasoned hustler. My office wasnāt exactly...
During the holidays, I met with a client , letās just call him Mr. Tsuro , who runs Gudo Land Developers, a small but promising land development company. My mission was clear: conduct sales...
By Jerry Nyazungu ln 2021, I discovered something that changed the way I treat my team and no, it wasnāt a new business book or a fancy HR seminar. It was a fainting incident. Back then, we used to...
By Jerry Nyazungu On Thursday, I was talking to a Managing Director of a manufacturing company. He told me: āJerry, we canāt meet supermarket orders, we havenāt paid salaries for three months⦠but...
By Jerry More Nyazungu Heās tall, drives a German beast, speaks Queenās English that could end civil wars. Six-pack? Check. Smells like crisp hundred-dollar bills. But⦠heās single. And not by...
By Jerry More Nyazungu A Zimbabwean company once gave three employees each a car. āUse it for sales. Use it for office errands. Take it home if you want just do your job.ā Simple instruction, right?...
By Jerry More Nyazungu Back in 2007, when people still thought Bluetooth was the height of innovation and Zim Dancehall was just heating up, Steve Ballmer the big man at Microsoft was asked what he...
By Jerry More Nyazungu It was a Friday afternoon the kind of Friday where the air feels like money and your stomach knows it’s about to eat something other than sadza and vegetables. I had been...
By Jerry More Nyazungu ā The Chartered Vendor There was once a man in Lusaka called Mr. Tembo. A true hustler. A man whose dreams of becoming a doctor were crushed not by a lack of brains, but by a...
By Jerry More Nyazungu In 2022, my friend Tinashe from Harare started selling solar panels. Solid product. Affordable payment plans. Even came with WhatsApp support. But Tinashe had one small problem...
By Jerry More Nyazungu One day, I asked a young salesperson, āHow much do you want to earn this month?āHe looked confused. Scratched his head. Then said, āDepends what HR gives me.ā Ah! Thatās the...
By JerryMore Nyazungu Thereās a new breed of entrepreneur in town.Heās not guided by data.Not strategy.Not market research. Nope. Heās running a business with⦠a dream, a prophecy, and a bottle of...
By Jerry More Nyazungu Let me tell you something that might shock you. If you want a sales team that wonāt cry when a client says āIāll think about it,ā forget Harvard. Forget MBAs. Just hire someone...
By Jerry More Nyazungu āYou left your business in the hands of your most loyal guy… Now thereās no growth, no sales, and customers are complaining like they were sold air. Hereās the truth:...
By Jerry More Nyazungu So the other day, I was in OK Supermarket, minding my own business you know, just checking prices and pretending I wasn’t going to buy anything. Then I hear this...
By Jerry More NyazunguIt was 7:45 a.m. in a packed kombi. The conductor was fighting change, the auntie next to me was balancing tomatoes on her lap, and yet somehow a war broke out at the back:...
By Jerry More Nyazungu Thereās this football team recently promoted, cash-flush, loud like a kombi blasting Winky D at 7am. They had everything: big-name players, a luxury team bus, new kits, fat...
By Jerry More Nyazungu For the longest time, our African education systems have measured intelligence by how well a student can remember not how well they can think. If you could cram 400 pages and...
By Jerry More Nyazungu Letās start with a story youāve heard before just with a corporate twist. Ruvimbo was married. Not to a perfect man, but a reliable one. Bills were paid, kids had shoes, and...
“Just because they share your last name doesnāt mean they should share your business profits.” Letās get real. In many African families, the moment you mention youāre starting a business,...
Last week, three gentlemen Tawanda, Brian, and Mr. Chamu went out for lunch at one of Harareās high-end restaurants. The type with waiters in bowties, chairs like presidential thrones, and menu...
By Jerry More Nyazungu They say in business youāll face betrayals, losses, and heartbreaks. But nothing prepares you for emotional betrayal dressed in a suit and tie. Especially when itās your ābest...
By Jerry More Nyazungu āAuthor of “Why African Businesses Die Young” This week, the internet did what it does best catch people off guard and on camera.Ā At the center of the buzz? None...
And Why That One Employee Keeps Confusing Customers & Scaring Children Letās be honest.You ever walk into a store and wonder:āUhm… who works here?ā You see one guy in a hoodie, another in a...
By Jerry Nyazungu Once upon a time in Zimbabwe, there were companies that were hungry, fierce, and focused. When they were small, they had no office chairs, no canteens, and sometimes no reliable...
By Jerry Nyazungu As a business consultant, Iāve seen it all, from entrepreneurs with offices in their handbags to companies that collapse faster than a tent in a thunderstorm. But today, let me...
Letās talk about your Auntie Mary. You know the one.The one who serves food at family weddings like her life depends on it.She wonāt just dump sadza and go. No. Sheāll say: āSweetheart, do you want...
The other day, someone said to me: āJerry, Iām failing at my job because the economy is bad.ā I paused and replied, āWait⦠have you ever considered that maybe⦠just maybe⦠the only reason you even...
When I was growing up, I was fortunate (or depending how you look at it, ācompetitively traumatizedā) to attend one of the most respected boarding schools in Zimbabwe ā Marist Brothers Nyanga. And...
You know that feeling when you send a WhatsApp message and the blue ticks appear, but no reply comes? Ten minutes pass. Then twenty. Then you start wondering, āDid I offend them? Did they die? Or did...
āYour hustle is working⦠but where is the brand?ā Letās talk about something a lot of African entrepreneurs donāt want to hear you can be successful and still be shaky. Iām talking about that...
The Tragedy of Misaligned Teams in Business Once upon a time in the heart of Nairobi, or Lagos, or Harare (pick your battlefield), there was a growing business. Ambitious. Passionate. Hungry. The...
In one of my sales trainings, I asked a simple question: āWhatās the difference between visiting a doctor and visiting a pharmacy when youāre sick?ā And oh my, the responses were golden! Letās break...
Let me share an interesting story from a recent meeting I had. It started off smooth, like a well-oiled machine discovery stages were on point, rapport was building, and everything was going as...
It was a calm Saturday afternoon. I had chosen to meet a client at Gavaās Restaurant, that beloved Harare spot known for making fish taste . I got there early and, as a true gentleman, I ordered...
Thereās a painful truth in that old, controversial saying: āIf you want to hide anything from a black man, put it in a book.ā The irony is that Africans do read ā but only when it’s a textbook,...
In 2023, I experienced a pain I never expected , I lost a friend, a colleague, a brother. He wasnāt just any businessman. He had built what was, at one point, the biggest panel beating company in...
Back in school, there was something that used to confuse me. Iād sit there in my classroom, looking at some of these guys who werenāt exactly the brightest bulbs in the box. They didnāt top the...
My mentor didnāt mince his words. He looked me dead in the eye and said: āJerry, your biggest problem is not poverty. Itās not inflation. Your biggest problem is obscurity. Too many people...
You ever met someone who starts packing up at 4:45pm sharp?Laptop already zipped, handbag swinging, deodorant applied like theyāre going on a red carpet. Then by 5:00pm? Boom ā full mjolo mode...
I recently posted a picture with a successful businessman. Harmless, right? Until someone slid into the comments and said, āAkaromba.āĀ Excuse me? Rombe revarume!Ā My response?Ā āWhy are youĀ wallowing...
Letās be honest. In Zim, the hustle is real.But attitude? Thatās the secret ingredient most people forget ā like salt in rice.You can sell tomatoes at Mbare Market and still carry yourself like you...
If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me, āJerry, what business can I start with $10,000 that gives me quick returns in 30 days?ā ā¦Iād be richer than the business theyāre trying to start. My...
So, a few months ago, I found myself on an unexpected adventure ā I became a real estate scout for my relative based in the diaspora. The mission? Help him buy a house in Zimbabwe, budget around...
Why Blowing Your Horn Too Early Could Wreck Your Career Letās rewind to Harare. Picture a sales rep weāll call Sarah. She scored a job at one of those big, shiny companies the kind where even kids in...
Imagine a company with a genius strategy, a solid business plan, and a clear vision for success. Sounds great, right? But here’s the thing: without the right people to execute that strategy,...
Letās talk about KFC. Yes, that shop where we all pretend to go ājust for the wingsā but leave with two full buckets, a Zinger burger, and coleslaw weāll never eat. Do you know who started KFC? A guy...
How a $40 Bike Taught Me the True Cost of Being a Stingy African Parent There are two types of people in Africa: Now, I used to belong to group 2 ā proudly so ā until one bicycle humbled my entire...
Why the closure of a supermarket near you might mean more than just walking farther for bread. By Jerry More Nyazungu When Big Shops Close, Everyone Feels It So you woke up and found that the Pick N...
Thereās something tricky about the Chinese. Very tricky. Letās go back 40 years. Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Kenya ā even Zambia ā had stronger economies than China. In fact, back then, China was known more...
Letās talk about something deadly. No, not food poisoning from that suspicious roadside chicken (though, RIP to your stomach lining). Iām talking about what you feed your MIND. Specifically: your...
Some other day, I was cruising through 7th Street, minding my business, feeling like a real entrepreneur with my tinted windows and motivational playlist pumping. So I decided to stop by Redan...
Letās be honest for a second ā some of you are carrying degrees like theyāre VIP passes to heaven. The moment someone graduates, especially in Africa, they come out of university thinking theyāre...
Letās be honest: if thereās one thing that can finish your company faster than the economy or ZESA cuts ā itās mjolo at work (love relationships). Workplace relationships are the silent saboteurs of...
Letās talk about the most common sentence that every African entrepreneur, vendor, hairdresser, or tomato-seller has heard at least once in their life: āAaah, but youāre expensive!ā My brother, my...
Ever seen a small business billboard in Africa?Youāll know it when you do ā because it tries to tell you everything⦠all at once. āWe sell phones, laptops, solar panels, car batteries, chicken feed,...
Letās talk about something we all do, especially if you grew up anywhere between Lagos, Harare, Nairobi or Accra ā we greet like it’s a full-time job. āHello sir, how are you?āāIām fine, and...
Letās be honest ā in Africa, the word entrepreneurship has become more popular than āAmenā on a Sunday. Every motivational speaker is telling you: āStart your own thing!āāBe your own boss!āāResign...
Letās talk about the most painful moment in African business⦠You explain everything.You demonstrate.You show them the features.You even quote a Bible verse to convince them the product is good. They...
Letās be honest, most Zimbabwean businesses donāt fail because of sanctions, the economy, or āthe system.āThey fail because tisu tinozvigadzira!The moment you start hiring sekuru, baby mama, or your...
If youāre a football fan, youāve probably watched Lionel Messi dribble past five defenders like theyāre standing still, or Cristiano Ronaldo leap higher than a mopane worm to score a header. These...
Letās be honest: the hardest part of sales is not closing the deal⦠itās prospecting.Ā If youāve ever worked in sales, you know the pain. The fear of rejection, the awkward silence, the voicemails...
Once upon a time, when our company was still on the rise, I discovered the magic of social media ads. I remember the day we launched our first Facebook campaignāleads started raining in like summer...
(Especially in Zimbabwe, where everyoneās a āmanagerā of something) Intro: Letās be honestāleadership isnāt about titles, company cars, or barking orders from your office while sipping Mazoe. Itās...
Letās set the record straight. Sales isnāt about shouting like youāre at an all-night prayer rally in Mbare. Itās not about reciting product features like youāre reading Kombi rules aloud. Modern...
Let me take you back to 2011āthose days when being broke was a full-time job and job interviews felt like auditions for Zimbabweās Got No Talent. So, I got called for an assistant accountant...
A true story about why you donāt hand your car keys to someone who doesnāt know the route. In business, thereās a fantasy we all secretly hold: āOne day, Iāll hand over the business to someone elseā¦...
Iāve walked into hundreds of retail shops across Africa. And some of them? Theyāre not shops. Theyāre silent crime scenes. Let me tell you what happened last week. I entered a small spare parts shop....
In 2021, I received my first-ever business award. At the time, I didnāt even know there were things called business awards. All I knew was hustle. Sales. The grind. Corner Julius Nyerere and Robert...
Walk into any cafĆ© in Harare. Listen closely. Youāll hear it whispered like a confession: āBro… Iāve been hit by ZIMRA.ā Itās not gossip. Itās not drama. Itās the sound of a nation waking up to...
When I started my first business ā an accounting firm ā I thought my life would revolve around numbers. Profit and loss. Debtors and creditors. Clean books. But I quickly realized something shocking....
Whenever I run a sales seminar, I always start with one question: āWho here is self-employed?ā A few hands go up ā the side hustler, the insurance agent, the MLM recruiter. Then I slow it down and...
Letās talk about Arsenal Football Club. Yes, the team that has been so close yet so far ā for what feels like three seasons in a row. Theyāve had great squads. Brilliant football. Moments that made...
Let me break it down in a way youāll never forget. Thereās a woman named Jennifer. Sheās been married to John for 10 years. But before the wedding came the wooing. And in that story is the best...
Iāve interviewed hundreds of young professionals over the years. And thereās one line that comes up more than any other: āIām looking for greener pastures.ā Oh? Interesting. Then I usually ask: āSo...
I Used to Hate Books. Now I Swear by Them. Before 2020, I was one of those people who said, āI donāt like reading.ā I thought books were for professors, librarians, and lonely people with cats. I was...
When you see a vendor, support them. Iām not saying give them a million dollarsājust respect their hustle. Because let me tell you: itās not easy out there on the streets. From 2005 to 2009, I lived...
Let me be honest with you. Sometimes, your companyās biggest delay is not systems, not workload, not even sabotage. Itās fingernails. Yes, fingernails. ���� The One-Handed Typist Chronicles Last...
I tried calling one of my friends last week. He didnāt pick up the first time. So I called again. This time he answered and said: āAh sorry boss, Iām not in Zim. Iām in China.ā Okay. Cool. No...
In todayās world, protecting your wealth and securing your familyās financial future is more important than ever. One of the most recommended tools for this is a family trust. Youāve probably heard...
The One-SIM Card Entrepreneur Syndrome A while back, I was doing sales consultancy for a company that had just hired three new salespeople. Young. Energetic. Hungry. Ready to go. But there was one...
Letās get one thing straight. Itās not the economy. Itās not the market. Itās not the policies. Itās the people in the company who want to eatābut donāt want to hunt. Let me tell you a true story. A...
Thereās a reason why some shops are always fullābut the sales are always low. Itās not the economy. Itās not competition. Itās because some salespeople are busy cheating on the customer in front of...
Thereās a fast-food joint I used to pass by every day. Back then, their hiring policy was clear: Light-skinned. Size 6. Preferably with over 10k Instagram followers. If you were dark-skinned, had...
In my work as a sales trainer and business consultant, Iāve always asked myself one uncomfortable question: Why are most of the worldās top-performing salespeople and companies based in first-world...
Ever watched a game of Liverpool, Arsenal, PSG, or Barcelona? These arenāt just teams playing football ā they are precision machines. Every second on the pitch is tracked. Every pass, every tackle,...
How often should a salesperson train? I get this question all the timeāfrom rookies just starting out to seasoned professionals who feel stuck. And every time, I give the same answer: āEvery day.ā...
Itās Easter weekend. Hallelujah! Across Africaāfrom Harare to Lusaka to Lagosāchurches are full, prophets are on fire, and believers are declaring mighty things. If you walk into any church right...
When I started M&J, I was a walking advert. Literally. My first business card wasnāt even a cardāit was a mini flyer. It listed everything we could possibly do: accounting, tax, HR, CR14s, CR6s,...
On the 18th of April, as Zimbabwe celebrated yet another year of independence, I found myself in a moment of reflectionāone of those deep, stare-at-the-ceiling type reflections. You know the kind...
There was once a lady deeply in love, ready to walk down the aisle. But there was one catchāher family insisted she marry a Catholic man. Eager to please both her heart and her family, she embarked...
This year marks a milestone for me ā ten years walking side-by-side with small, medium, and large businesses across Africa. Ten years of listening, diagnosing, advising, training, and witnessing the...
Football is more than just a game. For those of us running companies, it’s also a masterclass in leadership, discipline, and protecting culture at all costs. This week, I heard that Kevin De...
I used to get offended. Seriously. Iād call my cousin in the UKāno answer. Iād message my business partnerāblue ticks, but no reply. Iād try to check in with a friend in AustraliaāWhatsApp silent for...
Letās talk. Weāre approaching yet another long weekend. Easter just passed, May 1st is knocking, and some of you are already planning how youāll ārest and rechargeā ā yet youāre behind on rent,...
At M&J Africa, we believe in testing assumptions through real-world experience. So, we ran an internal experiment that revealed something shockingābut not entirely surprising. We hired six...
Extract from The Chartered Vendor Book In 2007, while staying in Glen View, I met many people since I was a poor public figure. There was this other lady who was my biggest client. She could call 15...
A friend of mine was struggling with sales. He had the passion, the product knowledge, and the confidence but no results. He told me, āI say everything right, but no one ever buys.ā I offered to...
At M&J, we have a simple follow-up philosophy: āFollow up until they buy or die ā and if they die, we attend the funeral and start following up on their children.ā Sounds extreme? Itās not. Itās...
Itās a mind-boggling phenomenon, one that has confused many over the years: how is it that some married men who seemingly have it all ā beautiful wives, luxurious homes in places like Borrowdale...
Why Relationship-Based Sales Trump Generic Approaches In todayās rapidly evolving marketplace, one of the biggest shifts in sales tactics involves moving away from generic, one-size-fits-all...
Why Itās Easier to Sell Through Closed Clients and Referrals Rather Than Cold Calling and Prospecting In the world of sales, not all leads are created equal. While cold calling and general...
This is a car covered in mud and dirt. The driver understands that they are driving in a muddy environment. They don’t stop to clean the rest of the car first. Instead, they ensure that the...
An elderly woman carried two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole across her neck. One pot had a crack, while the other was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. However, at...
Alex worked at a paint store, where he was known for his strong opinions and unwavering confidence. Little did he know that a single disagreement would teach him a valuable lesson about the power of...
In 2007, while staying in Glen View, I met many people since I was a poor public figure. There was this other lady who was my biggest client. She could call 15 to 20 minutes a day. The lady was rich,...
This is true to the story of my mother, Heather Chido Nyamayaro, who treated me like l was blood in 2006 when l was just coming from Watsomba to get into the City that does not sleep, Harare. I was...
It was the year 2011 and like any other young person trying to make ends meet in Harare, I applied for a job as an assistant accountant. They called me for the interview; l was so excited since l...
In today’s world, businesses of all sizes are trying to find new ways to connect with their customers and stand out from the competition. Traditional marketing methods such as flyers are no...
As we approach the end of the year I felt I should share with you this story that stroke heartthis past week. John had always been a successful CEO. He ran his company with precision and dedication,...
As we approach the end of the year I felt I should share with you this story that stroke heart this past week. John had always been a successful CEO. He ran his company with precision and dedication,...
As an entrepreneur, have you ever stopped to think about the role of a sales team in the success of your business? You see, a sales team is the driving force behind bringing in of revenue and...
Every time I am asked this question, I rhetorically ask back in return, are you comfortable hiring your father as a cleaner for your company? Can you comfortably ask your father to clean again spots...
Recently, I was invited to a speaking engagement at a local entrepreneurship seminar in Harare. Knowing the audience I was supposed to present to, I did my research and prepared my presentation to...
Sometime this year, a client named Andrew approached me for business consultancy. His dilemma was that he had started his company in 2001 but was worried that his company was not growing as fast as...
Do you think Chicken Inn will lose sleep because one of its employees has left and started a similar business to theirs? Do you believe Pick n Pay will lose sleep because a former manager has opened...
The difference between 2022 and 1990 is that buyers now have information at their fingertips which makes them empowered especially when making buying decisions. What this means is that it now takes...
When it comes to sales, referrals are the holy grail. If your business is not generating referrals, then you are at risk of stagnation. The reason why referrals are powerful is that they streamline...
A Sales leader never succeeds by chance, itās always a matter of skills. One of the surest ways to fail in sales leadership is leaving everything to chance or running your sales organization on...
Whenever I meet with business leaders, one of the things they highlight is the poor performance of their sales team. Personally, I understand because sales is the lifeblood of any organization. I...
Last week, I had a meeting with a young salesperson. She was complaining that her sales for the month were poor and that her boss was contemplating the idea of removing her from the team. She was...
One thing about great football teams is that they are always scouting for talent. They never stop! As a sportsperson, I have always been amazed by how great teams are built. A question I’ve...
A lot of salespeople wake up, pick up the phone and start calling clients randomly without a plan. This is often detrimental as a lot of people treat sales as if itās purely a numbers game. Iāve...
I hate cold calls. I always cringe when a group of salespeople Iām training say they are making cold calls. It always baffles me why anyone would subject themselves to the coldness associated with...
If I were to ask you how many clients you have in your pipeline, would you be able to answer that by head? Do you know the top five clients that are going to give you money this week? How much money...
Working without targets, whether personally or for your team is a big blunder. Salespeople are hired to sell, anything else is secondary. Last month, I met an entrepreneur with a well recognizable...
What makes a great salesperson? This is one question Iām asked daily by salespeople and entrepreneurs alike. Sales can be one of the most satisfying professions especially if you know what you are...
One thing I have noticed about companies in Zimbabwe is that we have gone into retreat mode. Everyday, I meet entrepreneurs whose businesses are performing poorly and when you ask them what they...
For the last few weeks, Iāve been doing my own personal research into how SME business owners compensate their salespeople. What I have found out is that only 1 in 10 SME owners are paying their...
āPeople buy on emotion and justify with logic.ā ā Zig Ziglar When I woke up this morning, I was pondering on the above statement by late, great sales guru Zig Ziglar. Think about the times youāve had...
When it comes to selling, there is one thing I always tell people, nothing matters until you close a sale. Selling can be one of the most satisfying yet challenging professions, especially if you...
One mistake a lot of salespeople make is that they see themselves as Evangelists; they always want to preach. The art of selling is not about preaching. One thing I always say is that you should not...
Have you ever asked yourself why many people are willing to pay more at Chicken Inn or Miekles Hotel? The main reason they are willing to pay more is because of the organized business systems in...
Learning how to negotiate & close There is a need to negotiate with your employees, banks, customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders business. If you want to be successful as a salesperson,...
If you are running a company, one of the things you should be obsessed with is customer retention. If you cannot get your customers to keep coming back to you to make another purchase or get another...
A certain man named John got traditionally married to his wife Susan back in 2011 and got wedded in December 2014. God blessed the two with Simba and John Junior, who are currently 11 and 7 years old...
Poverty, hope and the life of a businessman. The story starts at the beginning, with nothing much but a dream and the need to be financially independent. At the time, no one ever knew that a little...
Hit by the Covid-19 slump followed by nationwide lockdowns, businesses in Zimbabwe are experiencing major impacts no matter how established they are and are having to re-look at how they manage and...
Technology has since transformed the way people operate their businesses. Clients have moved from old ways of shopping goods and services and are more connected to the digital world than ever before....
As an entrepreneur, one of the things I guard jealously is my time. I donāt allow anyone to waste my time. There are a lot of things around that can be recovered if lost, but, time, once you lose it,...
Let me tell you a story; Today, I called a Certain Company Ready to make an order to print a large document for me, something over 100 pages. My call was answered by a certain gentleman who was...
DREAM COME TRUE Did you know that our first tagline when l founded M&J on 22 November 2014 was, FIXING OUR ECONOMY? I still vividly remember being laughed at by one of my first clients, that how...
Bold Decisions, navigating an impossible economic environment, transforming an industry with a very high barrier to entry, Nyaradzo Founder and Group Chief Executive, Philip Mataranyika has done it...
Its always a great feeling waking up and feeling pumped for the day, but what do you do on those days when all you want to do is wait for the day to end. Bad day in business here is what can keep you...
Its always a great feeling waking up and feeling pumped for the day, but what do you do on those days when all you want to do is wait for the day to end. Bad day in business here is what can keep you...
I recruited a young man on the 2nd of December as a marketing officer, his name is Tendayi Matsikinyere, using my unorthodox means. He does not have any marketing qualificationsinstead he has law...
In the late 2000s, we saw a lot of emerging small companies, for example, Nash Paints which was founded by Tinashe Mutarisi, (our Zimbabwean Elon Musk, the only guy who owns a Tesla in Zimbabwe, the...
I started three small businesses, which helped me survive before starting M&J. The three businesses were private tutoring, vending, and photocopying. I started all these businesses with Little to...