Exhibitors Corner Issue 10 ZITF Edition

Your Safety Our Concern

PLUMSPRUIT (PVT) LTD

Full Welding Leather Jacket

Welding Hood

Leather Safety Gloves Sizes:

6cm | 20cm | 40cm

Full Welding Leather Jacket

Leather Welding Spats

Sizes: Ankle (25cm) Knee (40cm)

Exhibitors’ Corner

The platform to grow, connect and equip SMME businesses.

April 2022 - Issue #10

T E N

ISSUES STRONG

MANAGING DIRECTOR

(DIAMOND BERRY ENTERPRISES)

Nhlanhla Dabengwa

CHIEF EDITOR Mellisa Tshuma

EDITORIAL TEAM

Jennings Chibike Khayelihle Sibanda Rebecca Mutote Anittah Munyaradzi Chidonhwe Loveness Mpofu

ADMINISTRATION Charllote Mpofu Gugulethu Ncube

MARKETING & SALES Charllote Mpofu

Magazine Design David Papayi

DIAMOND BERRY ENTERPRISES

Office 320 Africa House, 10th Avenue & Fife Street Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

MARKETING & ADVERTISING TEL: +263 29 226 2993 CELL: +263 71 570 0593 EMAIL: newsroom.excomag@gmail.com, info.diamondberry@gmail.com

PUBLISHED BY DIAMOND BERRY ENTERPRISES Exhibitors Corner www.diamondberry.co.zw / www.excomag.co.zw

excomag

April 2022

Exhibitors’ Corner

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BE INSPIRED

EDITORS NOTE

Melisa Tshuma Chief Editor Excomag

A

→

chieving your goals and attaining what you set out to do takes a lot of willpower and determination. Resolve in your mind that in all you do in your life you will push yourself to your maximum potential and win in the race that you began. Falling is just one of the hurdles we go through but in it all we stand up and dust ourselves and rise up stronger.

I’m sure this is one of the inspirational phases you have heard countless times and it now feels like that motivational speaker you heard on that YouTube page countless times. But have you really sat down and thought about the direction that your life is headed. Have you thought about all the dreams you thought were unrealistic and you failed on them because you thought that they were too unreachable. The dreams you thought were unattainable because the market is flooded and there is nothing unique about your idea? Well whilst you are thinking that, someone is making a business plan and making millions out of that concept. So think well about all the things you want to achieve and get on with it!

The entrepreneur journey is not an easy one as many will attest, and so are other countless expeditions in life. Growing up is not is easy, so is education as it progresses, so is starting a business, so is marriage, so is childbirth and countless other stages in life. But the sooner you get on with it the better you handle the situation in the best way possible. Aurthur Ashe once said, start where you are, use what you have and do what you can. We all have to gather the courage to pursue our long procrastinated goals. Here we are as the Exhibitors Corner team proudly soaring through our tenth issue.

Who has despised the day of small beginnings! We yet again in this issue tackle the business community problems, solutions and various other subjects that build a successful story in our ever evolving era and its new defies.

Start where you are, use what you have and do what you can. back on their feet. Understand why you need an investor as we share business tips on how to lure investors to your business amongst other financial and legal nuggets to expand and equip your business.

Sometimes you learn not to confine yourself to a box but to create the shape that transcends to your wildest dreams. Let us soar high as we connect in our various spheres developing each other to maximize our potential. We couldn’t make it this far without you and we are glad we are prospering as a team. We are because you are.

We believe you will because you can. For comments and feedback please write to us at newsroom@excomag.co.zw.

Be inspired, be motivated!

In this issue we are instigated by the story of a lady who has taken the authenticity of leather and produced fashion accessories to complete your look. They say leather is the new denim! What better way than to own your good quality genuine leather products that are locally produced. We look into the profile of Paula Mazvita of Rukanda Pride as she tells us how she tans her leather to produce the formal and casual wear that is rocking the country.

The economic turmoil has turned many to investors for their businesses. This has become a source of many to get their business running that are either start-ups’ or who had fallen along the way to get

April 2022

Exhibitors’ Corner

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7 KEY METHODS/WAYS TO BOUNCE BACK FROM FAILURE. MANAGER’S REMARKS Nhlanhla Dabengwa MD. Diamond Berry Enterprises

Nhlanhla Dabengwa

An easy way to bounce back from failure is to simply shift your focus to others.

Contribute something.

Not your money. Your time.

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T

he pandemic period has put us through a lot as business owners, employers and even beyond to our social and personal lives. Failing in life is guaranteed and is something we all face throughout our lives. We can’t avoid failure, but we can choose how we respond and deal with it.

The most famous and successful people in the world have failed the most times, bouncing back has become the hallmark of success. It doesn’t matter how many times you fail. It doesn’t matter how painful those failures are. What matters is what you do after the failure. How do you look at that failure? How do you respond? Do you wallow in self-pity, allowing all those negative thoughts to consume you? Or, do you pick yourself right back up again and give it another try?

“Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligibly.” -Henry Ford.

April 2022

Manager’s Remarks

→ Now let’s have a look at the methods we can apply when we encounter this inevitable part of life.

1. Be Honest with Yourself.

The first way resilient people bounce back from failure is by being honest with themselves. They don’t try to sugar coat the fact that they failed. They don’t try to use softer words to help lessen the impact of that failure. No. Instead, they’re honest. They’re one hundred percent straightforward about that failure and just how gut-wrenching it was.

2. Don’t Beat Yourself Up Too Long.

Resilient people who bounce back from their failures, do so because they don’t live in that state of defeatism for too long. Yes, they allow themselves to feel the hurt associated with failure. They don’t escape from it. But they also don’t stay there for too long.

While it’s easy to allow resentments and guilts to overcome you on the best of days, you can’t constantly continue to do that. The true hallmark of persistence and resiliency is not allowing the pain of failure to last forever.

3. Forgive Yourself for Past Mistakes.

The most resilient people in the world are able to forgive themselves for their past mistakes. The truth is that failure doesn’t happen when we do everything perfectly. We usually mess up in one area of our lives or another. When we’re trying to build a business, our personal mistakes take a toll on our professional businesses or careers. However, we have to forgive ourselves for those mistakes.

As long as we can learn from them, we can move on.

4. Revisit Your Reasons “Why.” In order to make your grand comeback, often times, you need to review the reasons why you wanted to achieve or attain something in the first place. What was it about that specific thing that was so alluring to you? Is that still the case? What were your original reasons for wanting to achieve it? You need to revisit your reasons why. If your reasons for wanting something are strong enough, you can see just about anything through.

5. Find Your Source of Happiness.

“”

Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligibly. the dog as it walks by. As we grow older, we forget about all of that.

We forget about doing the things that used to bring us so much joy and happiness.

6. Be Grateful for What You Have.

Gratitude is quite possibly one of the most important aspects of life. We have to be grateful for what we have, no matter how little it might seem. Today you have to be grateful for what you have, even if all you think you have are problems. Be grateful for what you have because tomorrow it could be gone. If you operate with that single principle in mind, you won’t feel so weighted down while trying to achieve your goals.

7. Contribute to Others.

An easy way to bounce back from failure is to simply shift your focus to others. Contribute something. Not your money. Your time.

Time is far more valuable than money. Time can never be re-created or saved up. You only get to spend it once. But this is also a great way to recover from any failure. When you contribute to others, you forget about your own personal needs, at least momentarily. It’s a great way to distract from our so-called problems in life. What can you do for others? Maybe just lend a helping hand to people that are in need.

THOUGHTS OR KEY TAKEAWAYS. 1. Which of these methods appeals to you most?

2. Which could you work on to improve your resilience?

3. This week pick one or two of these and implement them.

As you work towards this, take time to reflect on what you have worked on and how it feels.

Just because we fail at something, it doesn’t mean that we aren’t worthy of being happy. Everyone deserves to be happy. But when was the last time you actually did something you loved? I mean really loved? We’re often so busy chasing some dream that we forget about the fragility of life in the here and now. Think about a child for a moment. When a child sees something for the first time, their eyes light up. They point up to the bird soaring up above or smile at

April 2022

Exhibitors’ Corner

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COVER STORY

By Rebecca Mutote

RUKANDA PRIDE PAULA MAZVITA FOUNDER

Rukanda Pride is on a mission to use real African leather to manufacture products that carry an international flair.

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April 2022

Cover Story

From the onset, leather has played a significant role in providing clothing, shelter, footwear and seating throughout history. → Although it has evolved into a luxury material, the inherent nature of its properties has drawn people to it through the ages. However, really what is it about this industry?

with the export body ZimTrade in seeking to build capacity and secure an export license with related compliances in the coming second quarter.

The leather industry is all about creating a product that is both natural and long lasting - leather is unique in its ability to combine beauty, comfort and practicality. Good leather ages well and lasts longer, it is easy to repair and maintain, its by-products can be recycled, it has natural beauty and comfort and it goes without saying that the handle of leather adds luxury.

“We are confident that we are ready to compete beyond boarders, as all our products are high quality leather products made from 100% genuine leather. The pure leather adds a distinct finish and classy appeal to our fine leather accessories to style up with an attire of your choice and it will just add a touch of pride to your whole attire” she proudly states.

An emerging, early stage SME business based in Harare, Zimbabwe, established in 2018 - Rukanda Pride is on a mission to use real African leather to manufacture products that carry an international flair. Founded by the young, youthful and highly entrepreneurial Paula Mazvita, Rukanda Pride specializes in making precise, handcrafted leather pieces and boasts of a wide variety of products ranging from bags, wallets, shoes and other accessories.

It is a widely known fact that the government is on a drive to boost the leather sector, which is highly lucrative, with huge opportunities, and potential to export final goods with added value. This in return will realize an increase in much needed foreign currency, and the increase in leather development, will lead to an increase of the livestock sector as well, a very important value chain can be unlocked here. All this proves that Paula has the pedigree for this and is destined for zenith heights.

Starting out as an intermediary, distributing on a cash on delivery arrangement under the tutelage of an experienced elderly man who repaired and doctored leather products for a living, leather manufacturing grew into a passion. Paula learnt, discovered the art of leather manufacturing and with her entrepreneurial instincts kicking in she quickly established a niche market for leather products, which led to a spiral in demand for her line of products. “This started off a small attempt where I saw an opportunity and seized it, little did I know that the shoes I was producing at a small scale will fetch a demand that high at that time,” Paula says According to Paula Mazvita, since inception Rukanda Pride has set for itself a vision to grow, expand and be innovative enough to deliver remarkable real leather products that satisfy today’s customers.

“Our products are hand made to custom and personalized specifications, made to fit, made to last and made to match,” she says, “We handcraft customized, pure leather products to suit our clients business taste and environment” she went on to add.

Currently, Rukanda Pride operates on a brick and click business model, which comprises of a physical store and a digital platform which also caters for delivery, employing half a dozen employees and opens six days a week. Paula who is the Director of Operations spends most of her working hours planning, engaging clients, suppliers, and stakeholders “In hectic and busy days, I roll up my sleeves and be hands on in the production process as well” Asked about future plans for Rukanda Pride, Paula says they are embarking on a building locally thinking global strategy, starting with expanding to other towns in the country especially mining towns. She went on to say that they are currently in engagements

April 2022

“”

We are confident that we are ready to compete beyond boarders, as all our products are high quality leather products made from 100% genuine leather.

Asked about the hurdles she faces as a woman in a male dominated industry, Paula raised issues to do with gender stereotyping, biased treatment coming from a society that believes dominance and ambition is a trait only reserved for men. Overcoming and breaking the bias takes a lot of consistent showing up, bouncing back and pursing the route of discipline, she went on to add that in her line of work which involves a lot of interaction with clientele, exercising patience and customer care is key.

You can get in touch with Rukanda Pride on all social media sites or on their website www.rukandapride.co.zw or visit physical store at 190 A5 Samora, Corner Samora and Enterprise Opposite GMB. (+263) 77 881 2783

Exhibitors’ Corner

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PERSONAL FINANCIAL HYGIENE

FINANCE

MoB Capital Pvt. Ltd.

→ What is financial hygiene and why is it so important? It is all about

making better money habits and once you develop a better money saving routine, Discover best practices for protecting your financial identity and personal information.

From the time, we are toddlers, we are taught about hygiene. “Wash your hands before eating, brush your teeth before bed and don’t go sharing your ice-cream with the dog.” Then we become parents and teach (or try to teach!) the same hygiene habits to our own kids.

Why? Because simple personal hygiene habits go a long way towards staying healthy and in the same vein, financial hygiene habits performed on a regular basis go a long way towards helping you staying financially fit and healthy!

What is financial hygiene?

Financial hygiene is kind of like handwashing for your money (not to be confused with money laundering, which is something completely different)!

Basically, financial hygiene is a set of habits that help you to get and stay financially fit. These habits are not arduous or time consuming tasks; they are quick ‘to dos’ that become part of your regular money saving routine.

Why is financial hygiene important?

It is a bit like brushing your teeth. Missing one morning isn’t going to hurt but neglect your dental hygiene for too long and it may have serious health consequences down the track. Along the same lines, financial hygiene is a small investment of time that can save a heap of hurt in the future.

Financial literacy used to be all about managing money and paying bills. These days, an important part of being financially literate is understanding how to protect your online information. This includes protecting your bank savings accounts, credit cards, super-

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“”

Wash your hands before eating, brush your teeth before bed and don’t go sharing your ice-cream with the dog! annuation or retirement investments and your credit history.

However, money can feel complicated.

Cleaning your teeth is one thing—getting your finances in order is another, right? Money can feel complicated. For a start, you’ve probably got multiple bank accounts and lots of different bills to pay.

Take a look inside the average wallet or purse and you’ll see multiple debit and credit cards, not to mention forms of personal identification. Then there is the information you store on your mobile phone or computer.

The next level again includes apps, websites and agencies that store your personal information. This includes government agencies, such as ZIMRA, as well as private agencies, such as Experian, a credit reporting service that calculates credit scores.

So, how do you clean up your finances and make sure your financial information is protected like the asset it is? What are the foundations for good financial health? What is the key to breaking bad habits and setting new better money habits that might be compromising your security? In addition, why do some people make good financial habits look so easy?

Next issue we will talk of the habits you can adopt to achieve proper financial hygiene.

April 2022

ANIMAL HUSBANDRY & CROPPING.

PROFILE: BULEMBE FARM

Sifio Agbetorwoka & Daniel Agbetorwoka

→ ANIMAL HUSBANDRY

PRODUCTS & SERVICES

Bulembe Farm is part of TKSD Investments located in Fort Rixon, Matabeleland South. We specialize in animal husbandry, both small and large livestock . We currently have the following enterprises: • Poultry: Layers and Free Range Chickens.

• Goats: We Specialise In Kalahari and Boer Goats.

• Sheep: We Specialise in Dorper.

• Beef Cattle: We Specialise in Hereford and Beef Master.

CROPPING We specialise in cropping for livestock feed although the crops are also meant for human consumption as well.. we use the byproducts for livestock feed: • Sunflwer.

• Maize.

• Soya beans.

• Lucerne.

Hay Bales

Eggs

Goats

Soya Beans

Sugar Beans

Lucerne Bales

Honey

Consultancy Services

Training in cropping & animal husbandry

OUR VISION To become the biggest exporter of breeding stock and goat meat in Zimbabwe by the year 2025.

OUR MISSION To always be a forward looking enterprise with a passion for quality products driven by the need to continously provide the very best products and services to our esteemed clientele.

OUR CORE VALUES • Quality and Excellence.

• Superior Service Delivery.

• Passion Through Teamwork.

April 2022

Phone: +263 775 369 910 Email: sifio.agbet@gmail.com | Website: bulembefarm.co.zw Address: Plot 20 Bulembe farm, Fort Rixon Insiza District, Mat. South.

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12 | Exhibitors’ Corner

May - June. 2020

April 2022

Exhibitors’ Corner

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WASTE MANAGEMENT

PROFILE: GREENCYCLE

Excomag

The earth is our home, playground and source of life. → Its cleanlinessand longevity are of utmost importance which is why at GreenCycle Solutions, we seek to keep the environment we live and operate in at its cleanest.

The notion of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle is great for environmental management as we get to clean up our communities while providing raw materials from objects that we have already used before. This inturn reduces the need to extract new raw materials giving pour planet a longer life-span.

While preserving the environment, one can also benefit financially by collecting waste PET containers, aluminium cans and/ or cardboard boxes and bring them to our plant for recycling.

The world is our habitat and we can best enjoy what it has to offer if we preserve it with all our might. Together we can make the world a paradise, one recycle at a time.

Greenncycle Solutions was established to provide solutions to the overgrowing need for waste management while doing so in a sustainable manner. To this effect, our business model facilitates business within communities and we also work with corporates. We

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have, in the recent past, worked with The Environmental Management Agency (Naledi Kulube) and City of Bulawayo; City Cleansing Department (Mrs Nobanda).

Greencycle Solutions focuses on deriving value from waste material while enhancing livelihoods through community based pick-up points and organised pick-up of recyclable waste. We give incentives for waste management through buying separated waste.

We work closely with communities and local authorities to keep environments clean.

Email: greencyclezim@gmail.com Phone: +263 733 464 603 | +263 715 694 466 Address: 7 Wilton Road, Thorngrove, Bulawayo.

“”

We do not inherit the earth, but we borrow it from future generations.

April 2022

TIME & TIDE WAIT FOR NONE

INSPIRATION

Lady Profound

The idea that we always have time to do things later, has cost a lot of people great opportunities that would have turned things around in their lives. → We put things off expecting to come back to them later but little do we know that moment might never come or never will.

the race. Reality is like that, to achieve success we must work hard with time. Moreover, we should always utilize our time in the best manner. Only then we will be able to succeed in life.

The concept of time reminds me of a kindergarten story about a rabbit and a tortoise. Once there was tortoise who was slow in running and was always criticized by others for his slow pace and then there was rabbit who was totallyn the opposite of tortoise. In their community he was known as the fastest. Moreover, everyone praised him for his speed. So to show his skills and to humiliate tortoise the rabbit challenged tortoise for a race. The tortoise accepted the challenge because he never wanted any more humiliation.

To win the race, the rabbit practiced hard. Moreover, the rabbit started celebrating his victory beforehand. Whereas the tortoise was humble and never thought of winning the race, but was eager to give his best. The race started and everyone knew that the rabbit would win. Therefore the rabbit was overconfident of himself. The rabbit ate a lot before the race thinking if he would even walk then also he will win the race. But the tortoise had a determination to give his best.

After some time the race started the tortoise was very slow but he kept on moving. On the other hand, the rabbit was running at a very fast pace. Therefore he was able to reach half the distance of the race track within a few minutes. After reaching that distance he thought that he should take rest. So he lied down under a tree to take a little rest. But soon dozed off without realizing because he had eaten so much food before the race. While he was sleeping the tortoise constantly moved with time. Neither did he stop nor did he take any rest.

Thus tortoise was able to cross the rabbit while he was sleeping.

When he was about to reach the finish line the rabbit woke up.

He rushed towards the finish line. But it was too late till then the tortoise was much ahead than him. So he crossed the finished line in the first place. The Rabbit cried after losing the race. While the tortoise was celebrating the victory.

Time is treasure that is insoluble – a mystery we must set out to figure. By procrastinating, we are rescheduling the things in our lives that shouldn’t necessarily be overlooked. Time lost, is a loss forever and it can’t be retrieved. Procrastination is the thief of time.

The moral story is that “Time and tide wait for none”. The tortoise worked hard and utilized the time so he was able to succeed in

April 2021

“”

Time is treasure that is insoluble – a mystery we must set out to figure.

Exhibitors’ Corner

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PREVENTING CUSTOMER DEFAULTS ON YOUR PAYMENTS: AVOID OWN MISTAKES.

DEBT TIPS

Excomag

→ As long as your business has customers, there will be customers

who have trouble keeping up with their payments. The financial side of your business can be absolutely fraught, especially because you don’t want to compromise your business’s customer service reputation by being too aggressive with debt collection. The best way to avoid this? Do everything you can to avoid customers defaulting on payments in the first place.

Of course, you have limited control over your customer’s financial situation, but there are ways you can minimize the chances that a customer defaults on their payments. Using these tactics, you can incorporate measures to avoid late payments or total defaults from your customers.

1. BE TRANSPARENT. This is not only a basic courtesy to your clients and part of an honest sales process but also critical when making it clear what you expect your clients to pay. Your customers aren’t going to be able to prepare effectively for your bill if there are hidden fees or unexpected expenses. Before anything else, your client should know exactly how much they’re going to be billed for. Which leads directly into our next tip.

2. AVOID BILLING MISTAKES. Your customers expect you to keep track of how much they owe and be accurate when requesting payment. If you accidentally undercharge your client, they’ll feel cheated when you reach out to collect the full amount. If you overcharge your client, they’ll feel like they have to pick through every bill with a fine-tooth comb to ensure that they aren’t being cheated. Make sure that your billing practices are locked down before you send out a single invoice.

3. SEND AUTOMATED REMINDERS. In this day and age of auto-pay, it can be tough to remember to submit all of your payments on time. Regardless of the format in which you collect your payments, you should send out automated reminders about when the bill is due and/or when the money will be automatically withdrawn from your client’s account. That way they can remember to either make sure the account has sufficient funds or manually send in payment. Repeated reminders are the best way to prevent customer defaults on your bills.

4. ACCEPT PARTIAL PAYMENTS. The fact is, sometimes unexpected circumstances happen. If you’re seeing that a client is scrambling to make the payment but doesn’t have the full amount, accept what they have and make a note of the continued debt. It’s not a perfect solution, but it allows you to handle the situation gracefully and helps you build a rapport with your client by being understanding.

5. SEND ITEMIZED INVOICES. If you’re consistently seeing questions about your bills, the lump

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sum at the bottom is probably to blame. This goes back to transparency as well. Sending an itemized invoice allows your clients to look at everything covered by their lump sum payment and break it down in their own minds to understand where the money is going.

6. IMPLEMENT A PROCESS FOR DEBT COLLECTION. No matter how careful you are, debt will happen eventually. You don’t want to be approaching the situation without any plan at all for how to handle it. Before it becomes an issue, make sure you have a process in place for managing overdue bills.

7. OFFER PAYMENT PLAN If your client is suddenly in a situation where your bill has become a problem, you can offer to set up a longer-term payment plan that gives them more time. It’s not an ideal situation, but at least it forces a conversation about the overdue bill and sets a plan in motion for them to pay it. You may not be able to prevent customer defaults entirely, but if you receive even a portion of accounts receivable, consider this as the bonus money which you would have not got if you were trying to recover entire payment in one transaction only.

8. BE TIMELY. You don’t want to sit on unpaid bills or problem debt. They aren’t going to go away on their own. Address the problem as quickly as possible and make it clear to your client that you aren’t going to simply forget about the money owed on their bill.

9. KEEP RECORDS. Every step of the billing process should be recorded, as should every step of the debt collection. If it comes down to it, you don’t want there to be any doubt about what amount is owed and how you took steps to address the situation.

10. HIRE A DEBT COLLECTION AGENCY If a lack of payment is an ongoing problem, it’s time to call in the professionals. A debt collection agency can handle the debt issues you might be facing, and you can go back to focusing on your business.

Financials are one of the more complex aspects of business, but they are what allow businesses to succeed! They allow you to expand your business plan, hire new employees, and ultimately measure your business’s worth. There should be no doubt when it comes to receiving the money that you are owed, but in the event that there is a problem, you can manage it. Implementing these practices into your business plan early is a great way to set yourself up for long term financial success. And if all goes well, hopefully, you’ll never need to worry about debt collection. Collection agencies are the best way to prevent customer defaults on your bills once the ball is over 90 days past due.

April 2022

NONTOKOZO MASUKU

PROFILE

Excomag

Nontokozo Masuku is an organisational development specialist and strengths coach with professional experience from Africa, Europe and the United States of America. → Nonto, as she is affectionately known, is the Executive Partner at

PACG & Co., an organisation that specialises in solutions for building the capacity of business leaders and the teams they lead. She is a seasoned personal branding speaker and certified image consultant who helps her audiences and clients to unleash their full potential.

Nonto also makes guest appearances on local radio. During the last decade Nonto has facilitated both in-house and open assignments for high-profile clients in both the private and public sector under the Aurafactor brand of the business. Prior to this, Nonto spent a decade serving in client relationship management roles in the financial services sector including four years at Royal Bank of Scotland Plc in the United Kingdom.

Nonto is also passionate about empowering women. She has worked with women in her individual capacity, as well as collaboratively with embassies and women’s organisations championing projects that empower women. In 2016 she worked as the Assistant Programme Coordinator for the Bulawayo Women’s Development Dialogue Series (WDD) sponsored by the United States Embassy in Zimbabwe. She also had the opportunity to work with The Em b a ssy of the Netherlands in Zimbabwe as the Programme Coordinator for the Brilliant Entrepreneur mentorship initiative sponsored by the embassy and ZimTrade. She has also worked with Professional Women, Women Executives and Business Women’s Forum (PROWEB) as a trainer.

Nonto was nominated 1 st Runner up in the Education and Training category by the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) at the Women in Enterprise Awards (WECA) 2016 in recognition of her work.

Nonto is a graduate of the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) MSc Marketing programme. She is also a U.S. Department of State Professional Fellow, having participated in Cohort 1 of the Business and Entrepreneurship Exchange Program (BEEP) Washington, DC and Denver, CO.

April 2022

Exhibitors’ Corner

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SME CORNER SWEET BUNNY

Mission To be the world leading event and gifting company that takes away the burden of planning from our clients, while providing a high quality unique service to their happy moments.

Vision To ensure client loyalty and satisfaction while delivering a personalised yet unique experience creating long term relationships and being part of our clients happy moments.

Values.

• Vision - Turning clients dreams into a reality that is beyond their expectations.

• Innovation - Giving unique gifts and events.

• Integrity • Service - We work to deliver beyond expectations.

SYLPHLIKE INVESTMENTS (PVT) LTD.

Sylphlike Investments (PVT) Ltd. Has two divisions which focuses on civil works and manufacturing.

Civil Works.

We are involved in dam construction, rehabilitation and piped water systems.

Manufacturing Corporate wear, workers wear, sportswear and promotional wear.

Values.

• Excellence • Quality • Truthfulness • Efficiency.

Contact: 0772 738 475

THUMEZA

Thumeza Enterprises is a registered Private Business Corporation.

Registered in April of 2018, our Business Registration number is1004/18, with our Business Partner number being 0200242326.

On a day to day basis the logistics value chain contributes over 50% to the cost of the end product. This is mainly because of inefficiencies within logistics value chain that contribute to long loading and offloading time, lengthy vehicle queues to load, extended time slots for load consolidation and loss-making empty trips caused by a lack of transparency within the logistics ecosystem.

In order to help logistics decision makers, make informed decisions within their organizations that will help cut down on these cost elements, our vision is to provide the data on which transporter has the ability to carry what load, to what direction, and when.

INKAZIMULO FARMERS MARKET Inkazimulo Farmers Market is a green grocery retail store operating in Bulawayo which supplies farm fresh produce while breaking bulk tailored to suite any customer from large orders to individual consumers who prefer not to stock. Coming up with creative ways to accommodate busy scheduled people through delivery mechanisms.

April 2022

Exhibitors’ Corner

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7 THINGS INVESTORS LOOK FOR BEFORE INVESTING IN INVESTOR TIPS A SMALL BUSINESS. Excomag

Let’s face it, starting a business can be expensive. Few entrepreneurs have the cash on hand to get the ball rolling without some outside help. → If you’re starting a small business or looking to grow your business, you may seek financing through a traditional loan, a microloan, or cash from your friends and family. You can also seek funding from investors which is why it’s important to understand what investors look for before investing.

Remember that investors are fundamentally different from lenders, and you’ll need to consider that when you decide what kind of funding you want. Lenders give you money and you repay it with interest. Investors give you money in exchange for ownership of part of your business. Their investments may come with restrictions– that you have to get approval for transactions over a certain dollar amount, for example, or that you have to set up an independent Board of Directors. And investors have certain rights, too, which you should discuss with your lawyer before jumping in.

While each investor will want to make money, the hard part becomes knowing how to woo each prospective investor in a way that piques their interest. Remember, at the end of the day, investors are just people — each investor will have different pain points and different intangible sets of criteria for how they arrive at investment decisions. Some investors will be strictly number-based, whereas other investors will base their decisions on a “gut” feeling.

Here’s how to hit all the points for potential investors so that you’ve covered all bases as best you can. We break down the top ten criteria many investors will use so that you can develop your best plan and your best possible pitch to earn capital for your small business funding needs.

1. HARD DATA: CRUNCH THE NUMBERS.

If you do decide that you want to seek funding from investors, how do you draw them in? What is it that makes them decide to put money into a business?

Let’s start with hard data. As we just covered, investors want to make money. It’s your job to show them that your company will make that goal happen for them.If your company has been up and running for a while, then you need to show that you’ve had an excellent financial performance so far. If your company hasn’t yet started up, then you need to show what you can expect to bring in, when you’ll hit your goal numbers, and when your investor can expect to start earning their money back. In other words, you need a really strong (and well backed-up) business plan.

The Most Important Thing

2. A ROCK-SOLID BUSINESS PLAN.

More than anything, investors want to see a return on their investment. Investors are in the business of putting money into growing businesses so they can make money. If you can demonstrate that your business will make them money, then you’re 90% there.

A solid business plan demonstrates to investors that you’re serious about your business and that you’ve given thought to your plans to make money. While your business plan alone won’t be enough to convince investors to back you, no investor will put money in

Investors can be a great thing for your business. First, an investor isn’t demanding repayment every month because it’s not a loan. An investor can also be a reliable source for business advice and may have a strong business network that you can draw on. But this isn’t free money – your investors will have certain expectations.

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Investor Tips

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More than anything, investors want to see a return on their investment. Investors are in the business of putting money into growing businesses so they can make money. If you can demonstrate that your business will make them money, then you’re 90% there.

without one.

Among other things, your business plan should include: • Your intended market, with data to show why that market is your target.

• Data-based, hard number financial projections.

• Sales channels, with data to show why those channels will be effective.

• Marketing plans and goals, with data to show why those plans will be effective.

• Analysis of the competition for your product or service.

• Projected timeline for when you’ll start making money.

• Potential obstacles and your plans for dealing with them.

3. A UNIQUE IDEA. Both investors and the general public get excited about the words “new and innovative.” The bottom line is that if the market is saturated with hundreds of identical products, then your company isn’t likely to be a huge hit. Convey to investors what it is about your product or services that make it stand out. Is there market potential for your unique product? Does it solve a unique problem? Is it a brand-new innovation or invention?

You don’t have to have come up with a brand-new invention, but you do need to show why your product or service is different from or better than what your competitors offer. In business terms, this is your “competitive advantage.” It’s what will make you successful over your competitors. You may also show that your business is going to fulfill an unmet need – like a bakery in an area that doesn’t already have one.

4. A STRONG NARRATIVE. Investors hear a lot of pitches packed with hard data – given two companies with similar projected returns, what makes an investor choose one over the other? The story! Your investors are people, not robots, and they can be swayed by a great narrative about why this business matters to you, where the idea came from, and where you’re planning to take it. What need is your business going to meet? How will it change the world? What makes it special? In fact, opening your pitch with your story is a great way to set the tone and draw your potential investors in.

5. BUSINESS READINESS. Many people have prospective business ideas, but not many people have the drive and wherewithal to take those ideas and shape them into a working, financially viable business. Show your investors that not only can you talk the talk, but that you’re ready to walk

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the walk. Is your company ready to take off and hit the ground running? If you can show that you’ve got all the key components in place, you’ll pique investors’ interest because they’ll know that they’ll get a return on their investment sooner rather than later.

To show business readiness, you have to do your homework – your market research and your business plan, for example. You need to show that you have a clear plan in place (for example, that you’ve already staked out a new location or supplier).

6. WHAT YOU NEED, WHERE IT WILL GO, AND WHEN THEY’LL GET IT BACK. Your investors aren’t just going to hand you the cash you want and walk away. Again, they’re in this for the return. So, they’re going to want to know exactly why you need the cash and exactly what you plan to do with it. They’ll also want to know when they can expect a return that should be a part of your business plan.

Investors will also be looking for an exit strategy, and you need to think about that in advance. When they want to sell, will you buy them out? Can they sell to another party? If they don’t know that they can get their money out, they’re not going to want to put it in in the first place.

7. A CLEAR INVESTMENT STRUCTURE. Buying ownership in a company has legal ramifications and investors will want to know that you’ve already considered those issues.

You’ll need to have a business structure in place that allows for other parties to buy in. You’ll also need to have a clear plan for how the investment will work. If the investors are partners or shareholders, will they have the right to vote on business decisions? Part of this involves having a clear valuation for your business – a way to back up your request for a certain amount of money in exchange for a certain amount of ownership. If you want $100,000 for a 10% share, for example, you need to be able to show that your business is actually worth $1 million.

Part of it involves putting together a stockholder’s agreement (and maybe also a corporate constitution) that clearly sets out the rights of all owners. That should include owners’ rights and obligations, what happens if an owner wants to sell, what happens if there’s a change in leadership, what happens if the business closes, and other issues. Will investors get dividends or just the increase in the value of their shares over time? If you’re planning on distributing dividends, you need to have a plan for how much, how often, and what will happen if you can’t make a distribution.

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CONSUMER PROTECTION.

LAW

Edias E. Homera

Consumer protection is the practice of safeguarding buyers of goods and services, and the public, against unfair practices in the market place. → Consumer protection measures are often established by law. Such laws are intended to prevent businesses from engaging in fraud or specified unfair practices in order to gain an advantage over competitors or to mislead consumers.

They may also provide additional protection for the general public which may be impacted by a product (or its production) even when they are not the direct purchaser or consumer of that product.

For example, government regulations may require businesses to disclose detailed information about their products, particularly in areas where public health or safety is an issue, such as with food or vehicles.

Consumer protection is linked to the idea of consumer rights and to the formation of consumer organizations, which help consumers make better choices in the marketplace and pursue complaints against businesses. Entities that promote consumer protection include government organizations, such as Consumer Council of Zimbabwe. The Consumer Council of Zimbabwe (CCZ) is the only consumer watchdog in Zimbabwe. It is a registered welfare organization in accordance with Zimbabwean laws. Its main activities are lobbying and advocacy, consumer education, complaints handling, consumer representation, and other functions as stipulated in the organization’s Constitution. CCZ has members throughout the country, with a total of five regional offices.

A consumer is defined as someone who acquires goods or services for direct use or ownership rather than for resale or use in production and manufacturing. Consumer interests can also serve

consumers, consistent with economic efficiency, but this topic is treated in competition law. Consumer protection can also be asserted via non-government organizations and individuals as consumer activism.

Efforts made for protection of consumer’s right and interest are: • The right to satisfaction of basic needs • The right to safety • The right to be informed • The right to choose • The right to be heard • The right to redress • The right to consumer education • The right to a healthy environment Next issue we focus on the dispute resolution under the consumer protection act.

DISCLAIMER: This is the author’s individual opinion; thus, he is not liable of any legal implications. This article is legal information and should not be seen as Legal advice you should consult before adopting the principles herein.

Edias E. Homera is a commercial attorney, LLB (Hons.) UNISA. Dube Tachiona, Tsvangirai Legal Practitioners.

For more info contact: 0773515466, homera.attorney@gmail.com

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