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 thought about Apple’s new invention: the iPhone.
His response?
A laugh so hard it probably shook the Windows startup sound.
“$500? Fully subsidized with a plan? That’s the most expensive phone in the world. And it doesn’t even have a keyboard. How do you send emails without buttons?”
Fast-forward to 2025.
Apple is worth trillions. The iPhone is not just a phone it’s a wallet, a bank, a TV, a studio, a full-time PA. It runs your life.
And Nokia? Last seen in Zimbabwe being used to prop up windows during load shedding.
LESSON 1: Never Laugh at the Hustle
The guy selling tomatoes at the robot might be one mobile app away from turning into the “Tomato King of SADC.”
Laughing at your competitor’s ideas is like laughing at a pregnant woman’s belly you don’t know what she’s carrying. It could be twins. Or a future president.
Imagine if Econet had laughed at EcoCash the way some banks did at the beginning. “Mobile banking? Pfff. That’s cute.” Fast-forward: EcoCash was moving money like a mini central bank while some banks were still asking for a utility bill and three passport photos.
LESSON 2: Disruption Doesn’t Send an Invitation
Apple didn’t knock on Nokia’s door and say “Excuse us, we’re about to take your market share. Would you like tea?”
They just showed up and changed the game.
Disruption never announces itself in a suit and tie. It shows up wearing jeans, drinking Red Bull, and building software that will humble your entire business model.
Just ask Kodak. They invented digital photography, but laughed it off and now ama2000 think Kodak is just a cool vintage filter on Instagram.
LESSON 3: Be Careful Who You Mock They Might Be Your Boss Tomorrow
That small ERP company you keep calling “just a startup”? Give them 3 years and you might be applying for a job there after your “big consultancy” closes shop.
In Africa, we love to undermine people doing things differently:
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“Haai no, this one is too ambitious.”
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“This idea won’t work in our market.”
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“Let them try; we’ll see.”
We have entire WhatsApp groups dedicated to mocking innovation.
But while you’re busy mocking, they’re busy coding, planning, building systems, hiring, and scaling.
LESSON 4: Comfort Zones Kill Giants
Nokia got too comfortable. Microsoft thought they were untouchable. Blockbuster laughed at Netflix. BlackBerry had BBM and thought we’d never leave. Now where are they?
Meanwhile, your competitors are upgrading, automating, getting consultants, using Odoo, launching rebrands, and studying your weaknesses like it’s a ZIMSEC paper.
The game doesn’t wait for you to adjust. It just replaces you.
Every Goliath Once Laughed at a David… Until the Stone Landed
So next time someone pitches a wild idea don’t be too quick to dismiss it just because it sounds foreign or futuristic.
Because today’s joke could be tomorrow’s IPO.
And while you’re still pressing buttons, someone else is building empires.
Moral of the story? Before you laugh at the iPhone, remember the Zune. Before you mock a small idea, ask yourself what if I’m watching the next big thing… and I don’t even know it?
**Because in Africa, the next big thing might be happening in someone’s backyard while you’re still laughing in the boardroom.
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