By Jerry More Nyazungu
One day, I asked a young salesperson, “How much do you want to earn this month?” He looked confused. Scratched his head. Then said, “Depends what HR gives me.”
Ah! That’s the problem right there. You’re letting HR decide your future? You want to buy a house in Borrowdale, marry that girl from Instagram, send your kids to a private school in South Africa but you’re depending on HR?
My friend, let’s talk about it.
Basic Salary: The Monthly Sleep Pill
Let’s be honest. Basic salary is like sadza without relish. It will keep you alive, but it won’t excite your taste buds or your bank account.
When you know your $350 or $800 is coming at month-end no matter what, your hunger goes away. You start treating work like ZESA power: come when it comes, go when it goes.
You come to work late. You attend meetings like it’s a church service. You give your boss the same excuse every week: “Clients are just not buying.”
Why? Because whether you close a deal or not, your money is coming.
Commission: The Hustler’s Currency
Now let’s switch the script. Give someone commission-only pay.
Watch what happens. He wakes up before sunrise. Sends 10 emails before breakfast. Walks from Avondale to CBD with a pitchbook in hand. Chases leads like a kombi conductor chases customers at Mbare rank.
Why? Because he knows something basic salary people don’t know:
“If I don’t move, I don’t eat.”
And when you link effort to reward, you unlock the full version of yourself.
Commission Makes You CEO of Your Hustle
When you work on commission, you stop thinking like an employee and start acting like a business.
You begin to:
-
Track your KPIs (even if it’s on paper).
-
Set weekly targets.
-
Plan your month like a war general preparing for battle.
-
Think about conversions, follow-ups, retention… things salaried people ignore.
You become your own manager, motivator, and miracle worker.
You Control the Pay Slip; Not HR
Basic salary says: “Wait for 30 days. Maybe we’ll give you a raise next year.” Commission says: “You want more money? Close more deals this week.”
You want to buy that Golf GTI? Commission can do it. You want that flashy wedding in Victoria Falls? Commission will pay for it. You want to upgrade from sadza and matemba to steak and salad? Commission delivers.
With commission, you write your own cheque.
But I Need Stability… Right?
People say, “But commission is risky. I need stability.”
My brother, let me ask you this: Is a fixed salary that can’t even buy you a proper secondhand Honda Fit really stable?
You are stably broke.
Commission may feel risky at first, but it teaches you how to:
-
Handle pressure.
-
Bounce back from rejection.
-
Grow thick skin.
-
Fight for results.
And that’s how wealth is built not from comfort, but from courage.
Commission Builds Hustle Muscles
Every successful businessperson I know started by selling something. Some sold clothes. Some sold airtime. Some sold dreams.
But one thing was common: they got paid based on what they brought in. Not what time they clocked in.
Commission builds what I call hustle muscles. You learn how to negotiate, how to follow up, how to listen to clients, how to close the deal, and how to smile through rejection.
The same skills that build entrepreneurs are built through commission.
If You Want a Basic Life, Go for a Basic Salary
Let’s not lie: A basic salary teaches you to play small.
You aim for survival, not success. You stop dreaming. You even stop praying big prayers. You start thanking God for WiFi and cabbages.
But commission? It wakes up the lion in you. You start saying, “I want to earn $5,000 this month,” and then you go out there and chase it.
No one can stop a hungry salesperson.
Commission is Not a Curse It’s a Catapult
If you’re in sales, commission is your best friend.
It teaches you discipline. It teaches you focus. It teaches you ownership.
And most importantly, it teaches you that you are the source of your own breakthrough.
So stop fearing commission. Embrace it. Because once you experience the high of closing a big deal and cashing in, you’ll never want a “basic” life again.
Because in sales, you’re either building someone else’s dream… or using commission to build your own. Choose wisely.
#NoMoreBasicSalary #CommissionIsKing #SalesHustle #JerryNyazungu #WhyAfricanBusinessesDieYoung #SalesMotivation #ZimBusiness #OwnYourIncome #SalesWarrior #HustleCulture
