Diaspora Matters

An offer letter from cruiseship companies is a bankable product!

You can ask the US Embassy who ask for a legit offer of employment letter before issuing a work visa.

An offer letter is worth thousands of dollars, and here is the good news—Most of the income earned is send home…or spend home as cruiseship workers save on accommodation, food and other living expenses.

The US Embassy official was quoted in the press saying they expected to have issued 2000 visas to cruiseship workers by end of 2024.

Now dear Zbinites,

The Harare US Embassy is not the only one issuing visas—we have Maputo, Pretoria, Windhoek offices too.

And here is another interesting part—thousands of Zimbo job applicants recruited at walk in fairs in South Africa.

Is that all? Well cruiseship job recruitments did not start in 2024 but 2021—Reached a peak in 2022 where an estimated 6000 were recruited and to date the number could well be above 15,000.

Salaries: They vary depending on field but the lowest taking $600-800 per month x 6-7 months. The highest group depending on experience and qualifications on $5,000 per month. Difficult to get an average salary but my estimate is an average of US$1,500.

Do the Maths: 15,000 cabin crew x $1,500 and that’s $22.5 million per month of income earned by Zimbos on cruiseships. Maybe as an accountant, let me be conservative and whittle down the figures to US$10m per month or US120m per year.

No wonder why diaspora remittances were reviewed upwards in the preparation of the 2024 National Budget to US$2,4 Billion.

Banks: Just how banks especially those offering real estate mortgages—are missing this golden opportunity, a story for another day.

Homelink: A missed opportunity by Homelink and real estate agents to actively target and engage the cabin crew clients and explore opportunities.

For now let’s stick to the above 2 areas although the list is obviously long. You will be surprised that they are many financial institutions that crafted 2025 corporate strategies and left out cabin crew as possible avenues of new income.

Perhaps the key question could be how to target cruiseship cabin crew? You need innovations but not too difficult.

The experiment started in December 2023 where 3 plants provided 5kgs of harvest. Some of the seeds harvested were distributed to 40 members at 5 seeds per individual. Throughout the year hundreds have benefited from the seeds and now the time we have been waiting for has come. The rain season has come and hundreds of our members now going commercial.

The question could be why are we obsessed with the Madagascar Lima Beans? And our response is that it is the most economic plant as it does not require a lot of input costs such as fertilizers, pesticides and maintenance. The explosive growth rate and high yields, the solution most farmers across the continent are looking for.

And the plants can go on producing harvests on a constant basis up to 7 years provided there is constant watering. With Climatic Change now reality, food security across Africa can be easily secured at very little cost. For small businesses, the beans provide food and more importantly; capital. Go commercial and harvest several tonnes for sale and capital for businesses, secured.

Madagascar Lima Beans from Ruwa based Farai Aleck Katsere

Backyard Madagascar Lima Beans from Bulawayo based Trymore Nzou.

Progress from Ruwa based Lincoln Matongo.

The next update is coming in January when we assess the progress of our members.

It’s November and 8 weeks to go before year end—what an eventful year! So big corporates involved in crafting corporate strategies—review of 2024 Strategic Plans vs Actual Performance and truth is it’s difficult to plan in a VUCAH Economy. Even at national level we have seen budget deficits forcing authorities to re craft budgets and seek additional resources. In this economy—incremental approaches the most ideal. Plan for short periods like 6 months—and then make adjustments on the road.

The purpose of the write up is more on the financial side—simplifying it for non-finance folks, and generally get an overview of what’s coming in 2025.

We first simplify our review by looking at 2 critical financial reports, The Profit and Loss (P&L) and the Balance Sheet. We can ignore the Cashflow Statement for now,

Covid Impact on Balance Sheets:

When I assisted several small to medium sized companies on strategic planning last year—The Covid-19 Impact was very much still alive on the Balance Sheets with some Debtors from as far back as 2020 still appearing. Some debtors simply closed shop during the pandemic period. Some were struggling to pay and the question became—to continue pursuing legal channels or write them off?

Similarly some had material creditors which they were struggling to pay as they too were adversely impacted by the pandemic. Yes Covid-19 now history but a deep analysis of many a balance sheet shows unresolved after-effects.

Climate Change Impact:

Unprecedented dwindling of water levels at Kariba directly emanating from Climate Change and the impact felt on operating costs—Energy costs up as companies invested in alternative energy. The impact felt industry wide jerking up costs of doing business. As if this was enough—joining the bandwagon—Elnino inspired drought during the 2023/2024 Agriculture season. National forex allocated to cereals imports further ballooning the trade deficit. Impact on disposable incomes and did the devaluation came as a surprise?

Non Compliance Penalties and Garnish Orders:

Struggling to balance the books and forced to sell products and services at economic sense forex rates, offloading goods onto the informal sector for survival and all sorts of financial management gymnastics. The result –garnishes from bank accounts further compounding the woes of the working capital position.

External Regulatory Changes:

Covid-19 After effects+ Climate Change+ Other conditions=less income(tax) available for the nation. Therefore triggering a volatile environment where survival strategies by individuals and the corporate sector attracting Statutory Instruments Regulations—some coming at short notice, some catching everyone by total surprise—further fuelling uncertainty. Companies adjust to a new environment—but not for long—and there is a big quake—and you have to adjust to the new reality. Essentially moving in cycles of uncertainty and constant adjustments and realignments.

So impact on income ((increased competition (some of it from smuggling of goods by the informal sector), low disposable incomes, fluid regulatory environments etc)) and on costs we have inflation+ Covid-19 After Effects+Climate Change+Other conditions such as increased cyber threats, thefts and others.

Hail the financial professionals helping in decision making to keep companies afloat. Cost containment Yes, but feed forward control strategies complex in 2024 and expected to be more complexar(sic) in 2025.

So in short this is the financial performance overview we get from the above analysis. Now in strategic planning we do not start from the Balance Sheet—in fact the financials come last—it’s the corporate activities, skills, systems and business models employed that will determine the success of organizations in 2025. They are later summarized in financial form.

And there are many approaches employed in strategic planning, however don’t forget to analyse the balance sheet….in most cases by the time you reach the balance sheet—you would have exhausted all the energy on reviews and brainstorming with fatigue inevitable.

It is always tricky to conduct business online as one can do business and be surprised by poor service or in some cases money disappears. And in some cases, there could be no recourse or where it exists, it comes at great inconvenience.

There are no regulatory standard bodies in the informal sector. It is a jungle!

So to help you conduct business smoothly, we have a pool of subscribed businesses where we hold each member accountable for their business conduct. If we receive many complaints, we make follow ups and even deregister them. Noone wants to be deregistered as they lose many benefits.

So send your business inquiries to Whatsapp +263 773 055 063 and our members will promptly respond.

Mvurwi Delight:

Little is known about this town located 93km away from Harare. There are no major cities located to the West of Harare and perhaps this could explain why the area receives scant attention. However the town is in transition to full awakening and in future you are going to refer back to this post!

And on the 13th of October 2024 we had business in the town of 16,000 residents according to the 2022 census:

Here is a snap shot of Mvurwi.

1.Traditional Economy: Farming has traditionally been the anchor of the economy of the town. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Tobacco Auctions were decentralized and this boosted the fortunes of the town which now hosts more than 5 Auction Floors. Instead of transporting tobacco to Harare Auction Floors, Mvurwi has become an option.

Business reaches crescendo levels during the tobacco selling season and takes a dip during the offseason.

2) Chrome City: In addition to Tobacco Auction Floors, Chrome is the new attraction and you don’t need to look too far. The huge number of flatbed trucks along the highway provides endless evidence. The Chinese dominate most of the chrome deals.

3) Construction Boom: Where are the funds from tobacco and chrome going? Arguably real estate with a construction boom and some of it visible as you enter Mvurwi. Look to the right and there you will find a lot of new properties coming up. Some even putting up mansions.

The town is fast expanding…unfortunately most of Mvurwi secrets hidden from the highway that passes through the town. There are 3 large dams and other opportunities such as agro-processing and minerals processing.

Find locals who can show you around the town and you will be amazed by the size and scale of the town.

I expected our tour around the town to last at most 10 minutes, but was surprised when we surpassed 40 minutes.

There is the old ghetto suburb (kumusika), then middle density and low density.

And if you have a long horizon real estate investment vision, grab a piece of land in this fast developing sleepy town.

Yes for now land is affordable, but it’s not for long.

Locals are waiting for a gas and oil exploration boom and they are keeping their ears to the ground. And this could be the economic propeller, the warthog speed economic accelerator.

What were SA registered cars doing in the town?

Chrome, Chrome, Chrome Traders ..so they are travelling all the way from Mzantsi, passing through Harare and heading to Mvurwi? There should be a magnetic field pulling them…and its now an open secret.

We need to cultivate the spirit of taking interest in all areas around us, even making efforts to visit and observe developments on the ground.

Viva Mvurwi Viva.

So the Madagascar capital is called Antananarivo and shorted to Tana.

And last year around October I bumped into what I thought was a wild bean plant ….why wild? The rate of growth was something I had never seen before….rocket speed, bullet train speed growth.

And the plant captured on the photo is responsible for starting the Madagascar Lima Beans Farming Revolution in Zimbabwe.

Mrs Tana turns a year old and has been baptised by the 2024 first rains that came yesterday.

Mrs Tana has given birth to more than 10,000 bean seeds, with some of her kids being distributed to more than 500 Zbinites.

Her kids and grandkids have traversed the length and breath of Zimbabwe to corners such as Byo, Chiredzi, Mutare, Vic Falls and Lupane.

Some of her direct relatives have crossed the borders reaching as far as Cape Town.

Mrs Tana is expected to be responsible for producing hundreds of tonnes during the 2024/2025 Agricultural Season and expected to reach hundreds of Metric Tonnes with some exports by end of 2030.

Dear Zbinites, when Madagascar Lima Beans goes viral by end of 2025, refer back to this photo and the name is Mrs Tana.

Her life expectancy expected to be 7 years and ends in 2030.

At 120,000 active membership, the Zimbabwe Business Ideas and Network forum has become the biggest business forum in Zimbabwe. Our focus is on startups with a good number of medium scale businesses.

Our growth has taken us a good decade as its complex to network strangers. The good news is we keep pushing with our target of a million active membership by 2030. The high engagement by our membership is highly encouraging as this also allows us to easily conduct surveys. And one of the surveys was on the riskiest businesses in Zimbabwe and our findings are captured below;

1. Mining
2. Mabhero (Second hand clothing)
3. Betting
4. Online Forex Trading
5. Crypto Currency Trading
6. Ponzi schemes (E-Creator, MMM and others)
7. Transport businesses(Kombis, mshikashika and trucks)
8. Boutiques
9. Tuckshops
10. Fish Farming

Of course these are general responses from more than 400 members. The observation is lack of researches before plunging into business. Many are just plunging in and meeting the same fate of failure. Those doing enough researches and through experience, are thriving in most of the sectors considered too risky. Take for instance online forex trading-this is a complex area where one needs to spend a considerable amount of effort in learning before starting earning returns.

You do not just join the mining industry today and tomorrow profits are flowing. Get rich quick mentality is often disastrous. Every business is risky and remember the adage-the higher the risks, the higher the profits. We can add the experience curve to the mix. Get the skills and experience and eventually it will work out no matter the business that you choose.

Headwinds are blowing across the world with so many changes taking place resulting in some cases, companies laying off employees.

Now the question is what next after retrenchment especially when it’s coming as a surprise?

We cover below some of the tips that can help you survive or even thrive;

• Take time off and clear your mind. It can be a holiday, or short trip to your rural area. Just move away from your normal environment. Relax and then plan the way forward.

• When you return, if funds permit—seek the services of a professional coach who has travelled the same path you will be travelling. Where this is not feasible—look for peers with the same experience.

• Your whole family should be involved in shaping how you will navigate the tricky waters where no regular income will be coming. And this is the most difficult part as often this includes downgrading lifestyles to suit the new environment. This sometimes includes the most complex part of changing schools for your children. Changing from a private school to a boarding school will cause the biggest stress in the home. Returning from colleges abroad to local ones can trigger Blood Pressure and other diseases both for parents and affected young ones. One could be pressured to maintain lifestyle by using all savings and gratuities in order to manage the stress—but this hardly works.

• Venturing into business: If you already one foot in business, then it’s a bit better to adjust as you will have full-time focus. If you are starting a business from scratch then you need to be extremely humble—and its not easy. From c-suite to the streets very humiliating—but if you accept humility—beyond it lies your break through. If start a soap making business—make sure you know how soap is made. You should know all the formulas before hiring staff. Avoid the pressure to Start BIG in line with your previous high class status. If farming then start from a small scale and get your hands dirty. Many regret skipping the dirty hands phase—and payback is losses.

• Pay the School Fees: Many just plunge into business without engaging experts. Not bad to do so but there are school fees to be paid and it’s called experience. The streets will teach you the hard lessons packaged as losses. If going into fish farming—engage experts for a small fee. Or pay a small fee to those already in the business and learn the whole cycle.

• No fast returns for newbies: You are supposed to be earning a salary right? Then you invest looking to cover the salary gap right? Well all the investment can be wiped out as the rate of success in business has been documented as 20% over 5 years. The rate of success is 1 in every out of 5. Study the risks in areas you would like to venture in—but this should not deter you from giving it a shot.

• Avoid Ponzi Schemes and Partnerships: The pressure to quickly earn income and maintain previous lifestyle likely to lead you into more misery. Online forex trading could be sold to you as a fast returns business, Bitcoin too. If you intend to venture into it then take time to learn and master it. You could easily fall into the trap of partnerships with unscrupulous characters. It’s better to start slowly and learn on the road.

• Balancing Cashflows: We covered this in detail in our 2022 Business Opportunities for Zimbabweans Book. You will need to juggle businesses that bring daily cashflows, monthly cashflows, quarterly cashflows and long term cashflows.In summary—short run cashflow cycle, medium term cashflow cycle and long term cashflow cycles. This should determine your investment decisions and a very complex area.

• Make new acquaintances: Maintain solid relationships with ex colleagues as they could be some of your potential partners and clients. Be humble enough to reach out to them. In addition join business forums and actively participate—your new colleagues will teach you a lot about business and street science.

• The Good News Phase: Yes the new life will mentally drain you—losses inevitable but don’t give up. You will eventually hit the target after many misses. You will eventually graduate and forget about the trials and tribulations. Its a lone and difficult road but you will survive like others before you.

After successful trials on Madagascar Lima Beans, our farmers are now patiently waiting for the coming of the rain season which is expected to commence in October 2024. We have gained valuable experience over the past 12 months building up seeds for planting in the 2024/2025 Agriculture Season.

More than 300 farmers expected to go full scale commercial farming and our conservative estimates is we could collectively produce 300 tonnes by April 2025. Figures expected to continue to increase over the coming years.

Meanwhile we also introduced another bean variety with Madagascar roots-the Gros Pois variety which is the premium version of Lima Beans. So how has been progress? Well the trials began in July 2024 and seeds distributed to 100 members and there are signs of progress.

We will be sharing results in due course. The good news is that we will be using experience acquired from the speckled lima variety.

Madagascar Lima Beans Farming Trials Verdict

It started as a research experiment to see whether the Madagascar Lima Beans can be grown commercially? And our forum had over 200 members signing up receiving 5 bean seeds each for trial farming on a project that ran from January 2024 to August 2024.

So how has been the progress to date?

Our results do show great success from our members dotted around the country. Good harvests recorded especially from those who planted around January and February 2024. An average of 300 grams per plant recorded for beans planted on land and buckets. The good news is that the beans were grown organically (no fertilizer applications).

Frost bite did affect many plants during the winter period but our members who had planted early did register good harvests. Planting in winter is discouraged after witnessing a lot of plants dying due to frost bite.

The surprise success came from bucket planted seeds which was an experiment and the good news is the bucket plants survived frost bite.

Now that most farmers now have seeds for upscale to commercial farming—we are now eagerly awaiting the onset of the next rain season as most of our farmers do not have access to irrigation water.

The best farming period is September to December using experience from last year. The experience gained by our farmers expected to improve yields as they go full commercial with some farming on bigger spaces of land such as farms, plots and rural land.