excomag issue 11

Melisa Tshuma Chief Editor Excomag

It is with great pleasure that we welcome you to another rendezvous edition of our inspiring stories. We have come a long way to be here and it is with great honor that we present to you our marve lous stories to make you shine and build you to be a better person for the bet terment of your business. I have been following quite a number of the back ground stories from our entrepreneurs and it is quite engrossing how their backgrounds were shaped. Of particular interest is how people of less privileged backgrounds tend to have the most exhilarating stories of how they prospered in their business. You might have read of how a lot of business people can attest that in one point of their lives they might have walked a couple of kilometers in the rural areas to get to their school. Some with stories of how they might have even been abused growing up. Then they are the more privileged who grew up with mentors to teach them the ways of business. My inspiration comes from the fact that when you look at these people right now they are not defined by who they were. They sit in their offices with their heads held high and you could never tell how they had to walk the extra mile to be where they are today. Their tenacity drives them to reaching their vision.

I have since learned that a positive mindset goes a long way to the growth of a company. Never look at where you come from but only to admire and draw inspiration from it. There might be an entre preneur out there who still has to ‘walk’ for miles to get where they want to be, draw inspiration from the many tales we tell in each issue of how each story turns out. Motivation, determination and a positive mindset are certainly the keys to growing your business. Every tree started as a seed, no progress is too small in a business. Productivity is never an accident, it is always the result of intelli gent planning and focused effort. A lot goes on in the planning of an event, and one can never plan a proper function without the right amount of energy being channeled into the business. In this issue we profile Nosizo Chogah who has an epic story about how a simple room can turn into a great story of pictures and videos of how a splendid event goes down. Truly they say ones’ background does not define ones’ future. An inspirational story that emanates from hope and determination of reaching your destiny even if the circumstances say otherwise.

Thanks to the end of the covid-era, this year we managed to convene our annual festival hosted by our affiliate company Diamond Berry Enterprises widely known as “The winter affair”. In this, an artis tic space was opened where creative entrepreneurs exhibited their artworks. It’s quite fascinating how one can turn an imaginative

piece to monetary value and in turn influence many and develop the economy. Read more as various creative entrepreneurs share their stories as how art has had a huge impact in their lives and how various industries continue to cultivate their business traction. We hope our platform continues to provide a canvas on which lead ers and pioneers around the world can share their stories, discov eries and insights with the rest of the global community as to how you can grow yourself as an individual and as business. So feast your eyes and warm your hearts with this immaculate issue as we take you to a journey of growth and self-realization of the things you have been doing right and wrong. For comments and feedback please write to us on newsroom@excomag.co.zw. Be inspired,

Never look at where you come from but only to admire and draw inspiration from it.

BE INSPIRED, BE MOTIVATED.

CREATIVE ENTREPRENUERSHIP.

MANAGER’S REMARKS

Since its inception in 2017, The Winter Affair festival has always thrived to shape the narrative that arts and culture are creative entrepreneurship avenues that have a role in advancing economic inclusion agendas and more.

Nhlanhla Dabengwa

Nhlanhla Dabengwa MD. Diamond Berry Enterprises

SSince its inception in 2017, The Winter Affair festival has always thrived to shape the narrative that arts and culture are creative entrepreneurship avenues that have a role in advancing economic in clusion agendas and more. In broader terms, the affair is a movement with an aim to promote, enhance and inspire integrated, progressive engagements within various stakeholders to build en trepreneurial capacity, networks and empower entrepreneurs from various sectors.

What exactly is creative entrepreneurship? In this article I would like to attempt to share my opinion on what creative entrepreneur ship is and what really makes one such a person. Wikipedia defines creative entrepreneurship is the practice of setting up a business –or becoming self-employed - in one of the creative industries.

French economist and journalist, Jean-Baptiste Say, coined the term ‘entrepreneur’ in the late Eighteenth Century to describe a person who unlocks capital tied up in land and redirects it. Entre preneurs in the creative economy operate like Say’s original model entrepreneur but with an important difference, they use creativity to unlock the wealth that lies within themselves. Like true capital ists, they believe that this creative wealth, if managed right, will engender more wealth.

Inspired by these soldiers for a greater good. Here is what I think are the top characteristics for a solid entrepreneur.

•A “big picture” view. Entrepreneurs want to change the world, or at the very least make an ordinary thing so much better. They clearly see how their products or services influence the ways people interact/live/play. They drive on this fuel.

•Passion and drive to turn ideas into success stories.

•Ability to take hard hits. The road to success is littered with small, medium, and large failures. (Some of which can be very costly.) Entrepreneurs shake off failures and emerge stronger.

•Refusal to quit. If it is not this, then they find something differ ent. Entrepreneurs keep looking, adjusting, and fine-tuning. There must be a way to bring an idea this good to market—and they will make it happen.

•Desire to work hard. Contrary to what most people think, being an entrepreneur involves hard work and long hours. Even the best idea needs a solid business structure, a logical implementation, and constant tweaking.

•Courage to take risks. It takes money to fund an idea, often from one’s own savings or from generous family and friends. There is no risk-free start-up. Entrepreneurs have the courage to overcome their fears on a daily basis.

•Ability to think of the business as its own entity. This is a hard one! All business owners I know feel about their businesses as if they are children. However, you need to take a step back. Aside from love, constant affirmation, and attention, we also have to run it with discipline.

•Willingness to learn. Nobody can know everything. Successful en trepreneurs go to conferences, take classes, and read books not just about their own fields but about business and self-improvement. They continuously want to learn how to run their businesses better.

•Contagious optimism. Entrepreneurs, focus on ‘how they can make it work’ instead of ‘can we make this work?’ They see the payoff of their ideas and make their businesses their priority.

The business world is buzzing. I have met many innovative entrepre neurs who are brimming with fantastic ideas and who are designing their lives around their personal goals. More than that creativity drives innovation and we can all know how that is beneficial to the economy and society.

Entrepreneurs in the creative economy operate like Say’s original model entrepreneur but with an important difference, they use creativity to unlock the wealth that lies within themselves. Like true capitalists, they believe that this creative wealth, if managed right, will engender more wealth.

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COVER STORY

NOSIZO CHOGAH

4SQUARED - FOUNDING

DIRECTOR

→ It has since serviced companies such as Savanna Tobac co, Southern African CAT earth moving equipment and parts dealer Barloworld Equipment, Chibuku, Cresta Hotels, Holiday Inn, Old Mutual, CABS and Econet Wireless just to mention a few.

Nosizo Chogah the founder of 4squared Events, was born in a small village in rural Kezi called Tshinkesaka with a primitive background which saw her walking long distances to school sometimes with torn shoes and worn-out uniforms.

Chogah narrates a story of how growing up in the ru ral areas was both an experience and a lesson. “I was born in the rural areas and used to look down upon myself for a long time. Growing up as a rural girl child, we lacked ambition, our dreams were limited to hav ing children and getting married. I really cannot put a finger to what really killed my self-esteem; it could have been an environment that didn’t encourage selflove, or the fact that as rural children it was a norm to look down upon ourselves, or the fact that we didn’t have enough means to give us the minimum self-worth

As 4squared continues to scale new heights in the realm of Zimbabwean events industry, attention is now shifting to Nosizo Chogah whose brains and vision gave birth to this expanding national and imminent regional brand.

and respect for ourselves. My low self-esteem became my stumbling block as I struggled to believe in myself when I needed to until I came to the realization that even though my background had a lot of challenges and disadvantages it also came with a lot of lessons and advantages. As a rural child one is presented with challenges on a daily basis, we had to learn to grow, harvest, process, and prepare our own food. We had to learn to look for solutions for the problems that we had within our environment; using trees to create wooden chairs, using clay to manufacture bricks to build houses, making sandals from old tyres and designing toys from clay and wood. As I started to embrace my background, I began to draw rich lessons and experiences that have shaped and equipped me to be the best designer and planner my generation has ever seen”.

She chronicled how life was tough for her, schooling in the rural areas and subsequently migrating to the urban areas after losing a parent.

“Soon after losing our mother we moved to Bulawayo to join my other sisters and that was yet another adjustment. I recall us having to rely on food supplies from the rural areas which we would go and collect at Renkini Bus Terminus. As a rural child moving into the city presented another set of challenges. I realized that I was being stigmatized for my background and in my fight to preserve my dwin dling self-esteem, I tried as much as possible to look and behave like one of them. To make matters worse my father had retired and we struggled financially. I would say my self-esteem suffered further when I moved to the city because the more I tried to hide who I was, the more I was exposed and embarrassed. I am almost certain that I wouldn’t have ventured into the world of business if I had a choice. Starting a business for me was a matter of survival, I had to put food on the table at the time. I had no passion, no ambition, and no big dreams but as I worked day and night to put food on the table, I slowly began to discover myself, started having passion and I started to dream.

“At the beginning of my entrepreneurial journey I still not was not confident enough to be myself and I didn’t have faith in my own ideas, to make matters worse I wasn’t trained in the field and I didn’t have the funds to attend training. After about 5 years into running an events business, I realized I was not making any signif icant progress as I didn’t have enough money to fund the business. It was at that point that I knew that I had to make some changes. I noticed that I had been sabotaging myself by throwing away all the teachings and trainings that my background taught me. Hesitantly, I started using logs for deco because I didn’t have money for “prop er” centerpieces. I will not forget how I was appreciated for being unique and creative, little did they know, I had no other choice. Nosizo quickly realized that her strength and her power was in who she is. She realized that by hiding who she is, she was depriving herself of the many resources and lessons that her background blessed her with.

My major weaknesses were lack of financial capital, lack of self-es teem, lack of education and lack of knowledge in the field.

Self-Esteem

I have a long standing battle with my self-esteem, I had to learn to do everything I needed to do scared because no matter how much I tried to convince myself, fear would not leave me alone. As I execut ed one project after another, I started to gain confidence but I still find fear waiting for me at the end of my comfort zone when I push my boundaries. I have learnt that when I feel the fear, it’s a sign that I am about to break my next record.

Lack of Financial Capital

I came to realize that being financially poor was a reality for most of us and we would never escape the snares of poverty until we changed our mindset. I had to challenge myself to see hope in my situation. “There has to be another way of making money that doesn’t need money” I challenged myself. I started to be passionate about creating luxury florals from recycled logs, leaves and wild flowers. Ideas can also be capital, training can be capital and a dif ficult background can be capital.

Lack of Education

Even though I still do not have a first degree, I read and research a lot on the industry trends and the business in general. I believe that the only way to stay relevant and ahead is to be open to learning and adapting quickly to new industry trends

Choga believes that one’s background does not deter one being successful but instead should be used a stepping stone and motiva tion towards success and urged the under privileged to look beyond their circumstances and work hard for the best.

Now, most startups and SMEs do not have the luxury of getting investors right off the bat and sometimes you must take the obvious path of bootstrapping to get your business up and running.

For those who are unaware of the term, bootstrapping is the concept of starting a new business on a limited budget without the use of external funding. The goal of bootstrapping is to maintain a strict discipline on the cash flow of your startup to get it up and running.

By ensuring a low cash-burning rate, you increase the chances of succeeding in your business. Also without any debt repayment obli gations, you can afford to be more flexible with your idea.

Any self-sustaining entrepreneur understands the advantage of bootstrapping. There is a strong sense of fulfillment that comes with starting your own idea right from the scratch. However, what

most entrepreneurs do not expect before taking the crucial steps to entrepreneurship are the unanticipated challenges that come at every turn.

Problems like growing the audience for your product with a limited budget, problems with shipping and packing, handling customer grievances etc. This post looks to inform entrepreneurs on 7 tried, tested and effective methods to bootstrap your business from scratch.

1. CUSTOMER FOCUSED MARKETING. Marketing your products can be a huge expense for any business and therefore keeping a sharp focus on your targets is essential to ensure return on your investments. Starting on a small budget, you

the dilemma

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Bootstrapping is the concept of starting a new business on a limited budget without the use of external funding. The goal of bootstrapping is to maintain a strict discipline on the cash flow of your startup to get it up and running.

need not waste money on extolling the general virtues of your prod ucts and services.

Using innovative methods to show the potential customer as to how your products can make a difference in their life. This will mean targeting the right customers for your products and making them know the effectiveness of your product.

2. KEEPING THINGS IN-HOUSE.

A large part of being a business owner is taking on a multitude of roles. When you are a small business, it becomes imperative that you handle things like PR and marketing on your own to save costs rather than contract these to third-party firms.

The fact of the matter is that you are your own strongest voice out there because no one would know your products and services than you would. In addition, no third party would prioritize your busi ness as well as you can.

3. LEVERAGING EQUITY.

Cash investments are a good way to create long-term partnerships to build your business. Leveraging equity has become a popular way for business owners to trade equity for the expertise of their investors.

As an entrepreneur, you have a lot to gain from their knowledge and experience without having to incur extensive costs and in re turn, these investors can earn a stake in your venture.

4. STARTING SMALL WITH YOUR TARGET GOALS.

Every business venture dreams of making it big in their respective field. Well, who wouldn’t? However, on second thoughts, starting small and working with manageable business goals is an effective way to turn your ideas into a successful business.

Taking one-step at a time is the way to go about reaching your tar get goals. Using your time to court investors and accrue more funds for your business will hardly leave you any time to focus on the important tasks like connecting with customers and refining your product and services.

5. CREATIVE BRANDING.

As a business with access to limited resources, it becomes a chal lenging task to creatively use the things at your disposal to make a significant impact in the market. This could be done via social media or a guerrilla street marketing, a subversive technique that requires flexibility and willingness to take risks.

As a business owner, you need to take a good look at creating a buzz that can be generated cheaply to connect with maximum cus tomers. You do not always need to go with traditional advertising methods to generate customers.

6. VIRTUAL OFFICE SPACES.

Virtual office spaces are the new mantra of the day. As a small busi ness owner, having a virtual office space is a cost-saving measure without the need to invest in an actual space like buying or renting commercial spaces that require upfront investments. Technology today is a boon in today’s age connecting us all via highspeed internet and smartphones. One is just a fingertip away in the virtual world.

7. WELL LAID PAYMENTS.

Cash flow is crucial for the functioning of a business. In a report by World Bank, it was found that 37 percent of the small and medium business ran into cash flow difficulties in 2016. This forced one out of three such businesses to seek the help of expensive loans. Rather than wasting time on chasing payments, have a well sought out invoicing process for your business. Do not hesitate to ask for advances on royalties, negotiate discounts with suppliers and barter off expenses to save up on costs. Such small step will ensure the survival of your business in the end.

Limited budgets need to be a hindrance in growing your business and bootstrapping can be more of a blessing than a curse to help you tap your inner potential and resourcefulness that would ulti mately help grow your business.

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DR. KEITH NKOMO

PROFILE

Tres Groupe provides Broking, Healthcare Risk Advisory and Ad ministration Services in the region. This issue we profile the CEO of this budding enterprise Dr Keith Nkomo, who is responsible for increasing shareholder value through provision of strong and clear strategic, financial and operational leadership to the organization and its people, and externally to the organization’s stakeholders.

It goes without saying that a man of such magnitude in the cor porate world actually must have a solid track record that awards him the acumen to steer organizations at this level. His background is concentrated in the financial sector, having assumed leadership roles at organizations like Premier Finance Group and Banking Cooperation. EcoBank Zimbabwe then later moved to Fidelity Life Assurance, where he held different positions until he left as the General Manager of healthcare.

Dr. Keith Nkomo a doctoral finalist in Malaysia is an adaptable leader with progressive experience across healthcare funding, retail banking, business development and human capital management. This versatility has afforded Keith an opportunity to turn around institutions to financial growth and demonstrable knowledge of re gional expansion projects.

Certified International Professional Strategist (CIPS) and a Certified International Professional Leader (CIPL) by Cambridge Global Learning (UK). He holds a Master of Commerce in Strategic Management and Corporate Governance, BSc (Hons) Human Resource Management, Diploma in Labor Relations, Executive Certificate in Treasury Management and Management Development Program (UZ).

Tres Groupe International, a Group of Three in Spanish. Was formed to optimize the Healthcare Industry and set it up for the future through evolutionary innovation.

MOFUMAHALI PROFILE

THE SUCCESS MINDSET

Lady Profound

INSPIRATION

Even so, it is truly fascinating how some people approach problems even if they seem like impenetrable barriers.Successful mindsets see challenges to embrace and obstacles to overcome.Their confi dence in the face of hardship is driven by the ability to let go of the negativity that holds so many otherwise sensible people back..

There are certain challenges that drag people down because they appear to be barriers that cannot be overcome.

1. What Other People Think

When your sense of pleasure and satisfaction are derived from com paring yourself to others, you are no longer the master of your own destiny. While it’s impossible to turn off your reactions to what oth ers think of you, you don’t have to hold up your accomplishments to anyone else’s, and you can always take people’s opinions with a grain of salt. That way, no matter what other people are thinking or doing, your self-worth comes from within. No matter what other people think of you at any particular moment, one thing is certain— you’re never as good or bad as they say you are.

2. Toxic People

You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. Just as great people help you to reach your full potential, tox ic people drag you right down with them. Whether it’s negativity, cruelty, the victim syndrome, or just plain craziness. Toxic people create stress and strife that should be avoided at all costs. If you’re unhappy with where you are in your life, just take a look around. More often than not, the people you’ve surrounded yourself with are the root of your problems. You’ll never reach your peak until you surround yourself with the right people.

3. Fear

Fear is nothing more than a lingering emotion that’s fueled by im agination.Don’t ever hold back in life just because you feel scared. I often hear people say, “What’s the worst thing that can happen to you? Will it kill you?” Yet, death isn’t the worst thing that can happen to you... The worst thing that can happen to you is allowing yourself to die inside while you’re still alive.

4. The Past or the Future

Like fear, the past and the future are products of your mind. No amount of guilt can change the past, and no amount of anxiety can change the future. Focus on living in the present moment. It’s impossible to reach your full potential if you’re constantly some where else, unable to fully embrace the reality (good or bad) of this very moment.

To live in the moment, you must do two things:

• Accept your past. If you don’t make peace with your past, it will never leave you and it will create your future. Successful people know the only good time to look at the past is to see how far you’ve come.

• Accept the uncertainty of the future, and don’t place unneces sary expectations upon yourself. Worry has no place in the here and now. As Mark Twain once said, Worrying is like paying a debt you don’t owe.

The success mindset requires emotional intelligence (EQ) because mantaining the success mindset isn’t easy. Your success is driven by your mindset and with discipline and focus, you can ensure that the obstacles never hold you back from reaching your full potential.

There is much higher rates of depression in people who attribute their failures to personal deficits.

Worrying is like paying a debt you don’t owe.

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Most employees are looking for more than a salary; they want to feel a sense of belonging and the opportunity to contribute to a larger cause. By learning to reverse engineer your hiring process, you can find the right candidates to grow your organization.

KNOW YOUR VALUE PROPOSITION.

Before you can ever effectively hire a single person, you must know your unique value proposition – why should they want to work for you. To compete with larger companies that can toss out money and benefits to people, you need to know what makes you different and your attraction factor. What does your company have to offer that would make someone want to get on board with you? Your unique value proposition is critical to attracting the best candidates to your company because they must want to work with you; give them great reasons.

UNDERSTAND YOUR CULTURE.

Culture is king. If you have not taken the time to understand your culture and be able to talk about what it is like to work in your com pany, now is the time to learn how to articulate your culture to a potential hire. Anyone interested in working for you wants to know what you value and how he or she will fit within your culture before committing to becoming part of your team. Take the time to build your culture and understand how to describe it to others accurately; this is never wasted time.

KNOW WHAT YOU CAN AUTOMATE.

Once you have established your value proposition and you can de scribe your culture, it is time to work with a strategist, to analyze your company and entire workflow and look for areas you can au tomate. You never need to hire anyone for a task that you can au tomate. Using project management software will provide you with multiple tools, which are cheaper and more reliable than hiring people to do the work manually; once you have it up and running, it is much less work for you.

HUMAN RESOURCES

OUTSOURCE BEFORE HIRING.

You always want to outsource before you make a hire. Outsourc ing allows you to find subject matter experts from all over that can perform tasks at the lowest cost and the highest quality. With auto mation in place first, you have the proper system that makes your work accessible to teams around for anyone of your team members. Outsourcing is a win-win for your business because it allows you to access the best and brightest talent and save money while giving you the ability to scale much, much larger.

HIRE YOUR IDEAL CANDIDATE.

Once you have completed these four steps, you are ready to begin hiring your ideal candidate. This is where clarity in what you have to offer becomes vital to the process; what do you offer that makes you irresistible to those looking for work? Describe your culture and what a career map looks like for them when they join your team, including everything they can learn and what they will be doing within your company. Now you have painted a picture for your candidates so they can clearly see how they fit in your organi zation, why you need them, and how they can benefit from working with you.

In conclusion, your offer is about more than salary – you may en counter prospects that are looking for the most money, but hiring is not always about money. Multiple studies show that when attract ing great employees, many are not out looking for the most money. They are searching for a good salary that fairly compensates for their work, but they are looking for more than that; they are look ing for fulfillment and a sense of belonging. By learning to reverse engineer your hiring process, the pre-hiring steps will lead you to find the best people for your job and the ideal candidate that will truly become part of your team.

Excomag

FIVE STRATEGIES TO HIRE THE BEST PEOPLE.

Hiring the best people is one of the most important things you can do to grow, build, and scale your business, but you may not know the most effective steps to take to find the right people.

PHILE MALING CONSTRUCTION

PROFILE

Although the company has a few years of operation, it has seasoned personnel who have gained considerable guidance and experience in the general building environment for over five years.

In our quest to become one of the most reliable Civil Engineering and General building Contractors in our regions, we have internal ized the following key Quality Assurance Goals:

• As a minimum, we aim to meet our Client’s objectives efficiently and with great quality.

• Most importantly, we have an obligation to enhance a valuable, self-sustaining engineering construction company that our Cli ents, shareholders and employees can be proud to be associated with.

• Always considering the long-term implications to the environ ment the effects caused as a result of the solutions and activities we propose.

• To perform as a reputable engineering and development company in implementing relevant, affordable and sustainable solutions.

• To prove quality service by performing our duties in a profession al manner with integrity abiding by legal requirements and codes of practice at all times.

• Innovatively involving clients, suppliers and our partners in con struction industry with the aim of promoting the exchange of ideas that promote good practice.

Phile Maling Construction is a civil construction company trading under the registered name Phile Maling Pvt. Ltd. Phile Maling is a Zimbabwean based privately owned company that was established in 2018 with the goal of taking the current flagship in construction and growing it within the Southern African region by providing affordable and efficient construction solutions.

The primary function of the company is to deliver construction services to developers, funding agents, and development organiza tions. Our management and staff have a complimentary experience in project management and site supervision.

Our firm strives to provide service excellence, maintaining personal contact with the Client and providing a support service after com pletion of the projects.

Fields of operation

General Construction Activities: Construction of access roads, construction of buildings, construction of reinforced con crete structures, construction of water projects (bulk lines, pump stations as well as reticulation).

Electrical Activities: Installation, repair and service of air con ditioning and refrigeration, freezer rooms, cold rooms, air handling units, AVR’s, boiler and rooftop units.

Plumbing and Painting

Phile Maling trades primarily in Bulawayo and Matabeleland re gions of Zimbabwe. Their current physical address is listed below:

• Office 13 Monte Carlo Centre 12th Ave. and Fife St.

• Number 18 Essex Court J.M. Nkomo Street, Between Masotsha and Connaught Ave. Bulawayo

• +263 2922646393, +263 77 942 4832, +263 77 896 5569

• malingzone@gmail.com

Phile Maling Pvt. Ltd. is a Civil Engineering and general building Construction Company. It is a registered company specializing in Building, Electrical and Plumbing solutions.

BENEFITS

TECHNOLOGY

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Commonly used information technology equipment includes com puters, servers, peripheral devices, Internet connectivity equipment and phone systems. From basic computer terminals to IP-based telephony systems, information technology is an integral part of most modern business operations. Let us get into some of the major benefits of information technology.

COMMUNICATION.

Rapid communications can help increase productivity, allow for better business decision-making and ease a company’s expansion into new territories or countries. Email servers, routers, internal company billboards and chat services can serve as the backbone of a company’s communications.

These electronically based communication systems are used to dis seminate routine and critical business information in a quick and efficient manner. IT equipment can be used to send business status reports to executives, to update employees on critical business pro jects and to connect with business partners and customers.

IMPROVED WORKPLACE EFFICIENCY.

Streamlined workflow systems, shared storage and collaborative workspaces can increase efficiency in a business and allow employ ees to process a greater level of work in a shorter period of time. Information technology systems can be used to automate routine tasks, to make data analysis easier and to store data in a manner that can easily be retrieved for future use. Technology can also be used to answer customer questions through email, in a real-time chat session or through a telephone routing system that connects a customer to an available customer service agent.

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE OVER RIVALS.

Adoption of information technology resources allows companies to maintain a competitive advantage over their rivals. Companies us ing a first-movers strategy can use information technology to create

new products, distance their products from the existing market or enhance their customer services.

Companies that follow a low-cost product strategy can look to infor mation technology solutions to reduce their costs through increased productivity and reduced need for employee overhead. Businesses can also build-in information technology to their products that makes it difficult for customers to switch platforms or products.

COST REDUCTION AND ECONOMIC EFFECIENCIES.

Companies can harness information technology resources to lower their costs. Using IT infrastructure, redundant tasks can be central ized at one location. For example, a large company could centralize their payroll function at one location to lower employee costs. Economic efficiencies can also be realized by migrating high-cost functions into an online environment. Companies can offer email support for customers that may have a lower cost than a live cus tomer support call. Cost savings could also be found through out sourcing opportunities, remote work options and lower-cost com munication options.

Excomag

BUSINESS

OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.

Information technology, also known as IT, is a comprehensive term that includes all types of technology used to exchange, store, and use or create information.

THE WINTER AFFAIR SEGMENT

CITY OF BULAWAYO AND THE CREATIVE SECTOR.

BULAWAYO CITY COUNCIL

Vast business opportunities in culture, heritage value chains. (Mr. Kholisani Moyo, City economic development officer)

The Bulawayo City Council city economic development Mr. Kholisani Moyo is of the idea that there is so much business opportunities that can be tapped into in the heritage and culture value chain. In the face of fierce global competition for businesses and SMEs, whatever is unique cannot be replicated and that is a competitive edge because that offers a unique appeal to the global markets.

The city of Bulawayo which once was the countries industrial hub, also has a rich history and strong heritage based products that have a positive bearing for tourism development, traditional food value chain, unique fashion and design and entertainment platforms. Mr. Moyo believes that having traditional food, music clothes poetry and literature will also help develop township tourism and boost the economy in a massive way.

Commodifying heritage and cultural products is an opportunity en trepreneurs and SMEs can pursue to tap into this the cultural herit age value chain. Using and leveraging on technology to process and package traditional products as well as enhance quality standards to entice the market and tap into exports, exploiting indigenous knowledge to develop unique products.

In an interview with Ms. Charity Nyathi the Arts, culture and herit age officer where she rolled out and explained the legal affairs and policy framework grounds being covered by the city council. For us to understand what needs to be done, challenges and hurdles faced by artist must be clearly articulated. Artists across different genres have a challenge fully utilizing their potential due to lot of paper work clearances, bottlenecks and red tapes to consider although necessary can drain and demotivate creative entrepreneurs to pur sue such routes.

Taking for instance how in Bulawayo there is not much production enough to showcase and market Bulawayo through filmmaking and documentaries all this due to the fact that some places may be classified and more. Policy creation becomes an imminent thing to be addressed, laws and more. The city council is in the process of crafting a cultural policy for the city. However to achieve this there are four main (not only) key pillars to come up with such a policy:

1. DEFINATION.

From definition, what is the arts, culture and creative industry to begin with? This needs to be clearly defined so that it is known what is it that is being dealt with and be given a tailored solution that will be effective for the sector.

2. WHAT ARE THE SYSTEMS OF CREATIVE SECTOR?

This is a very important question because it deals with what is termed the creative sector and which are the hubs, spots zones that the sector is driven from, giving for example the City Hall area is a hub for artists and a tourist attraction as well. Other areas include the weaving sector, which is dotted across the city, local galleries, theatres, and venues fall into this definition, which is important de tail to ring fence and collect necessary data for policy formulation.

3. PROTECTION OF THE SECTOR?

The sector is highly intellectual and needs protection as well, how can the local authority play a role in protecting these artists, works and the sector at large? Borrowing from government policy and laws alongside the internal laws of the city a policy can be drafted that is effective for the sector. Protection is not only limited to intellectual but also property and human capital as well, for example mkambo markets, city hall.

Policy framework for arts and culture. (Ms. Charity Nyathi- Arts, Culture and Heritage Officer)

The Bulawayo city council does not only have an economic blue print, it is also a policy maker at local government and national level. The city has programs, festivals and initiatives aimed at supporting the arts and culture sector in Bulawayo and beyond.

However at policy level what is it that the authority or council is doing?

4. STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENTS.

Engagements are currently on going across the city with different stakeholders; to seek findings, read out and draft this policy will require a broad based conversation. Consumers, investors, market players, institutions and businesses that have a keen interest in the sector are being engaged to have an understanding and apprecia tion of what is best to create the policy the best effective way.

Other key stakeholders include institutions like the Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe, National Galleries of Zimbabwe, National Arts Council, and various arts associations within the city. These have a mandate to support and promote culture, arts and might be the best place to engage the groups of artists in the city.

Charity Nyathi

Kholisani Moyo

REFORMING THE ENTREPRENEURIAL CULTURE OF THE CREATIVE SECTOR.

1. Value proposition

What value are you offering?

What’s compelling about your proposition?

2. Customer segments

Who are your customers? What do they think? Feel? See? Do?

3. Channels

How are your propositions pro moted, sold or delivered? Why will they work?

4. Customer relationships

How do you interact with them through their journey?

5. Revenue streams

How and through which pricing model is your business capturing value? How will you earn revenue from the value proposition?

6.

Key activities

What uniquely strategic things do you really need to do to be able to deliver value and perform well?

7. Key resources

What assets are indispensable in your business model?

8. Key resources

Who does what you need but do not do so as to keep focusing on your key activities?

9. Cost structure

What are the business’s major cost drivers and how are they linked to revenue?

You must take control of your business practices so you understand what works and what does not. In order to get a good handle on what is and is not working, you have to be consistent in the execu tion and review of those processes. If you are not, you will not know with any degree of certainty what is going on.

Being consistent in business builds trust and improves efficiency. Consistency is important, especially in challenging times when peo ple want certainty and reassurance.

Your Plan – follow it consistently.

Your business plan will define your purpose, vision, goals and strat egies to achieve those goals. Changing circumstances may force a rethink of certain aspects of the plan but business direction and niche should remain consistent. Follow your plan consistently. Changing your plan too early or not following it through will incur costs without the resulting benefits.

Your Brand and Promise – define it and stick to it

Your brand is more than your logo, images, colors and fonts – your brand is reflected in everything you do and every interaction with your customers. Creative entrepreneurs get bored easily, but we must resist the urge to change our brand frequently or unneces sarily. A consistent brand appears professional, reliable, and trust worthy.

Consistency keeps your customers happy

Consistency in product and service delivery generates trust and demonstrates professionalism. For example, if we sometimes deliver late or if quality is variable then those inconsistencies will affect our reputation, customer perception and retention.

Consistent Marketing and Customer Interactions.

You may decide to ramp up your social media engagements and post on social every day, an entrepreneur must be a person who understands the power of social media and that front requires a level of consistency. Be visible and active but consistently, you never know who is watching.

Better to be less frequent, but more regular.

Consistency is one of the most powerful disciplines to create success. Conversely, the ab sence of consistency is one of the fastest killers of success. Entrepreneurship is not a lot tery. Luck is not a variable you can count on. At the 2022, Winter Affair closing ceremony the firebrand Mantate Mlotshwa gave a speech on the importance of consistency, a recipe that has worked for her.

Be consistent in all areas of your business.

Your business is a machine that runs on systems and processes. How well your business runs depends on how consistent you are in all departments of your business.

MPI NDEBELE

MANTATE MLOTSHWA

CONSUMER PROTECTION. LAW

Edias E. Homera

→ 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 com petitors 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 consum ers 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 organi zation 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 pro duction 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 assert ed 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 princi ples 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

Consumer protection is the practice of safeguarding buyers of goods and services, and the public, against unfair practices in the market place.