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Diaspora Matters

Our Post of the Year: Enable Others to Make Money

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You can afford to forget thousands of posts we have shared with the forum but not this one—enable others to make money!

This is the trending business model which is fast changing the lives of locals and foreigners investing in Zimbabwe. Interestingly the model is even reflected on our stock exchange where blue chip companies are using the model in one or the other.

Fastest Business Launches

Varum launched Pepsi launched in Zimbabwe a few years ago but quickly gained acceptance and now well established. Why? It is because they identified a key market—vendors and incorporated them in their business model. Of course they also included major retail shops but enabling street vendors played a huge role in fast establishing their brand.

MetroPeech Wholesalers established a new branch in Sunningdale along the Seke Road last year but the centre did not take long before traffic clogged their driveways. MetroPeech deals with small businesses who are interested in making money!

Stock Exchange Counters

The biggest company by capitalisation on the stock exchange is Econet is we incorporate Cassava. Traditionally their clients were those interested in communication. However with Zimbabwe being home to the second largest informal economy on earth, most business owners interested in making money using their data for business! Ecocash ran into trouble with authorities when enabling others to make money ran out of control.

The Delta counter clearly also takes advantage of the model through targeting thousands of shop and bottle store owners.

Forum Experiences

When we formed our crowdfunding company of mealie meal production, our initial plan was of supplying our products to big retail shops—however we ran into gremlins as big retailers rarely accept start-ups. End of story? Not at all as we discovered that we could partner with tuckshops and by enabling to make money, our market access challenges were sorted!

Imports

The most imported vehicles in Zimbabwe are Honda Fits, Toyota Noah and Wish. These are the cars that dominate our landscape and why? They enable others to make money! So those supplying service kits need not look any further than cars that give others money.

Plastics importation has shot up over the years because they are being used to make plastic tanks and hospepipes—key money making inputs for those interested in making money in agriculture!

Borehole drilling equipment also became popular for investors interested in making farming income.

Network Marketing

Perhaps credited with popularizing the enable others to make money business model. Top brands such as Avon, Super life and others did not struggle to gain market acceptance due to enabling millions of Africans to make money.

Have you been into OK Shops recently? In the past they used to focus on collecting money from consumers but through Mukuru, Senditoo, and other leading money transfer agencies—Ok Shops has joined the make others make money chorus. Chicken Inn Bucks is another addition to a booming money transfer business model.

The Chinese Community

Those involved in manufacturing have no final consumer in mind. Visit Granitesite, Southerton, Workington and Msasa  in Harare and observe them in Tupperware, carpets, rugs, hosepipes, tiles and other products. The model is strictly enabling others to make money.

The model is fast; helps bring fast returns, and helps gain quick market access.

  • Interested in a shop that sells sofas? Yes it’s feasible but be prepared to be very patient.
  • Interested in selling clothing directly to consumers? Then read how our mealie meal company changed its business plan.

A Zbinite Obey Nziramasanga opened a mutton cloth manufacturing business recently and he cannot cope with demand as he is enabling others to make money!

So find a way to tweak your business model to join the make others make money frenzy if you have one already.

To new investors, review your business plans with making others make money lenses.

This business model could be argued to be Business 2 Business but with deep variations. For instance where is the B2B when you are procuring a borehole drilling machinery? Your targeted clients are consumers at face value but in Zim every C is fast being replaced with a B or E for entrepreneur..

With high unemployment, eroded pensions, challenging economy and a host of other challenges—everyone being turned into entrepreneurs across the continent. This means you can employ the model in Angola, South Africa, Botswana and Malawi too.

In Africa practically everyone being turned into business operations in order to look for monies or even augment income. So we find the educated, non educated; the employed and unemployed, the young and old—essentially everyone making it the biggest sector on the continent.

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Victor Muchemwa

The author Victor Muchemwa

Victor Muchemwa is a Chartered Management Accountant, ACMA, CGMA and an award winning business coach and consultant. Author of 5 books and skilled in financial analysis, strategic planning, risk management, and business coaching. Contact +263 773 055 063
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