shloboe boe
Judith Phiri, Features Reporter
THESE days, not all young and upcoming entrepreneurs can maintain business discipline for their start-ups and ventures, which has led to a significant number of them failing dismally.
Business discipline refers to the operations and functions that are essential for a business to run smoothly.
It can also refer to the self-control and orderliness that employees and business leaders exhibit.
A disciplined entrepreneur retains a clear focus on their goals, not allowing themselves to become side-tracked by distractions or temporary setbacks.
They understand the importance of consistently channelling their efforts towards activities that contribute to their goals. The same can be said for Bulawayo entrepreneur, Mr Abel Mpofu (30) from Nkayi District in the sprawling Matabeleland North Province.
Having failed to acquire the required subjects considered a pass when he finished his Ordinary Level in 2011 at Emgwanwini High School in Bulawayo, Mr Mpofu who grew up in Cowdray Park ventured into different things and jobs such as being a builder, commuter omnibus conductor, as well as selling fruits and vegetables. Seeing that he was not making much from some of those odd jobs, Mr Mpofu then opted to be a cross-border transporter, commonly known as umalayitsha.
“I went to South Africa to look for money to further my education. I started doing embroidery and fell in love with it. I then came back home to go back to school and I managed to write the other O-level subjects so that I at least have five subjects,” he narrated.
Mr Mpofu then went to Bulawayo Polytechnic to study Electronic Communication Systems.
After failing to find a job after his studies, he went back to South Africa as a malayitsha. “At the beginning of 2021, I worked odd jobs getting R100 a day. My younger brother, who was also in South Africa, called me and told me that there was an embroidery machine being rented out for R4 000. We took the machine, and I quit my job,” he said.
“I remember, the first three days we only got one client who paid us R15. I spent a lot of time praying and marketing. I was stressed out about how I would be able to reach a target of R12 000 to R15 000 in two weeks to pay for the machine I was renting.”
Mr Mpofu said through all the confusion and worry, he did not know he would run into some luck. His business started to pick up and he was able to pay off his debts.
He said by June 2022, he had raised more than R80 000. “With the good job I was doing, I would get great tips from my customers. I bought my first machine while renting others to be able to meet customer demands,” he said.
“In a space of eight months, I was able to employ a full-time staffer. When 2022 was coming to an end, I got a good deal worth more than R100 000, unfortunately it didn’t go well.” Never losing hope, in February 2023, Mr Mpofu started saving money again and by July he had bought another machine.
He said by the end of 2023, he had gathered all his funds and decided to come back to Zimbabwe.
“I bought additional equipment such as high tech computers and decided to come and see if my business would perform well this side. When I came back and started working here in Bulawayo, I didn’t know what I was doing because I was trying to survive,” he said.
“In the beginning, I would make something like US$3 in a day, which made me lose hope when comparing with what I was making in South Africa in a day. I wondered if coming to this side was one of the worst decisions I ever made.”
Despite the wobbly start and being consistent with his love for embroidery, Mr Mpofu became persistent and registered his venture as Thabire Investment Private Limited, which provides different services such as embroidery, selling hoodies, caps, T-shirts and sweaters.
Power cuts were another challenge he was faced with for a business that was just starting. Mr Mpofu was not sure if his business would survive the test of time in Zimbabwe.
“I remember one time there was no electricity in the building we were operating from for a week due to a fault. It stressed me out, but I kept my faith and when electricity came back, I started getting orders as I had been marketing my business on social media platforms. So far, business is progressing well. I have secured a place to operate from and a good clientele base,” said Mr Mpofu.
He said business discipline has propelled his embroidery and logo design business to grow from humble beginnings of earning R100 a day to owning a business worth over R250 000. Mr Mpofu said he spent over R250 000 for all the equipment he has and hopes to recoup his investment in the long run.
“I only service the machines after six months, so throughout the year, the money coming through is used for other small things so I do see the returns coming back.
“When you have a vision and an opportunity presents itself, grab it. Start small, you will go far as long as you understand your vision. Have discipline in business and focus on investing more before spending,” he said. Mr Mpofu recently won an African Influencer first-runner up award under the Top Entrepreneur of the Year category.
Zimbabwe, just like any other country, has witnessed an increase in the rise of entrepreneurs as new types of products and services are being created by start-ups each year.
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