You’ve read those American motivational books where the author proudly says, “I was so broke I lived in my car… my boot was my wardrobe…”
My friend, in Zimbabwe owning a car is already a sign of progress. Here, if you say you lived in your car, people will respond, “Ahh but you HAD a car? Ko isu taimbofira paRank?”
This is exactly why local books matter. Our stories and struggles are different.
LOCAL BOOKS SPEAK OUR REALITY
A Zimbabwean or African entrepreneur isn’t dealing with the same environment as someone in New York or London. Our world includes:
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ZESA disappearing during a deadline,
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suppliers vanishing after receiving a deposit,
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hustling with kombis,
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and “the rate” changing while you’re still planning.
When you read local stories, you immediately relate. You don’t need to imagine or google anything you’ve lived it.
International stories inspire you, yes, but sometimes you can’t connect because you’ve never smelt Washington DC air in your life.
LOCAL MISTAKES ARE YOUR MISTAKES
Let’s be honest most entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe make the same errors:
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mixing personal money with business money,
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trusting relatives too much,
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no proper records,
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no systems,
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running everything through one personal bank account.
Local authors have already fallen into these same traps in the same context. Their lessons fit your environment. You don’t need to adjust anything it’s straight application.
International authors also offer valuable lessons, but some of their solutions require systems, tools, and environments we don’t have yet.
CULTURE MATTERS MORE THAN WE THINK
Business culture in Africa is different. In America, you call people by first name. In Zimbabwe, you say “Sir, Ma’am,” even to someone younger than you.
Clients here will book online… then still call you to confirm the booking they themselves made.
That’s Africa. Local authors understand these cultural dynamics because they live them.
PRACTICALITY: WHY LOCAL SEMINARS JUST HIT DIFFERENT
Attend a Jerry Nyazungu seminar and you’ll hear about:
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How to navigate ZIMRA without high blood pressure,
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How to manage cashflow in a volatile economy,
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How to build a business when even network disappears during your pitch,
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How to sell to African customers who want to “think about it” for 6 months.
Now attend a foreign seminar and you’ll hear: “Just get investors.” “Use credit cards to scale.” “Leverage your venture capital connections.”
My friend… WHICH credit card? WHICH investors? Different worlds, different challenges.
INTERNATIONAL BOOKS GIVE EXPOSURE LOCAL** BOOKS GIVE APPLICATION**
Let’s be fair nothing wrong with Jack Ma, Robert Kiyosaki, Elon Musk, Grant Cardone. These guys stretch your thinking. They expand your ambition. They expose you to global business mindsets.
But local authors? They give you the manual for running a business in AFRICA in THIS economy with THESE realities.
Both are important. Just don’t consume international content and ignore the people who actually understand your environment.
FINAL MESSAGE
Read Kiyosaki. Read Elon. Grow your mind globally.
But don’t forget to read the local giants the ones who understand your ZESA battles, your currency headaches, your kombi hustle, your ZIMRA fears, your “starting from nothing but hope” story.
Because when an author says, “I lived in my car when I was broke…” a Zimbabwean author can reply, “My friend, that’s luxury. Let me tell you the REAL trenches and how to rise from them.”
Balance both worlds. Learn global. Apply local. Grow smarter.
If you want business knowledge that speaks your language and works in your reality, get in touch with us. We assist with sales training, entrepreneurship coaching, strategy formulation, and practical business systems designed for Zimbabwean and African entrepreneurs navigating real challenges not textbook theories. Contact us on +263 77 961 9739or**+260 972 936 033** and let’s turn local knowledge into real growth.
By The Chartered Vendor
#LocalBooksMatter #AfricanEntrepreneurship #ZimbabweBusiness #SalesTrainingZW #EntrepreneurshipCoaching #BusinessStrategyAfrica #ThinkGlobalActLocal #RealBusinessLessons
