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Valencia Ndhlovu, Sunday News Reporter
THERE are a number of barriers that stand in the way of entrepreneurs in the country especially those who want to get into the business world as there is a higher rate of established and mature businesses all over.
Young entrepreneurs are also in the mix as they rank first among people that want to start new businesses.
Despite all the challenges, youths in Bulawayo have proved resilient and faced the business world head on without hesitation.
A number of reasons are behind why they decided to venture into different fields of work and create names for themselves in the business world.
From youths who sell clothes, jewelry, handbags, food and food delivery services and have taken up space and created loyal customer bases all over Bulawayo, the city’s youths are gradually graduating into established business people as they shift their minds from being employed to creating employment.Sunday News spoke to a number of youths around Bulawayo who spoke about what their businesses were all about and reasons behind the emergence of their enterprises.
Miss Rosina Nothemba Tapela a 23-year-old woman who has her own jewelry line called Malaika Pieces founded her company last year and it specialises in jewelry pieces for both men and women.
Her love for jewelry started when she was 16 and from there she started selling her jewelry which later paved way for her business.
She said business has always been something within her as she even sold candy, cosmetics, fashion items and something as silly as selling lyrics she googled from the internet at high school.
“It is very difficult to point the source of my inspiration, but I love creating things with my hands and to hear my customers’ feedback and comments like; ‘Wow, I’ve been looking for this for so long!’ or, ‘Thank you, I love the pieces, they are so unique.’ That has somehow kept me going. I guess the saying, ‘the happiest people are those who make others happy’ is true and applicable after all,” said Miss Tapela.She is employed but wouldn’t want to refer to her business as a side hustle as it’s her main company and she is very involved in its operations.
She further said Malaika Pieces was yet to venture into handbags such as macrame bags that she makes herself.
“They are so many reasons why many youngsters are hustling these days in Bulawayo, it could be passion, circumstances or just the modern age where financial independence is being preached so much.
“However, it is so encouraging and empowering as a young woman to have something going on for yourself and I love how so many youths have come up with different initiatives and support each other’s businesses no matter how small,” said Miss Tapela.
Not only have youths in Bulawayo been able to get business ideas by following their passions and sharing them with colleagues but they have realised the gap in society and got inspired to do something to help and in the process make money from it.
Juluka Sneaker care is one of those businesses that has emerged due to a gap in society and has proven to be very helpful to a lot of people in Bulawayo especially to sneakerheads.Mr Meli Jack Ncube (27) is the founder of the Juluka Sneaker care/laundry which deals with sneaker laundry, customisation, retail of second hand and new sneakers on order.
Mr Ncube graduated as a Mining Engineering Technician but got inspired to start his own business by the fact that he wanted the responsibility of owning and managing something of his own.
It was a business he wanted to venture in with his friends so they that they could get some extra cash and be able to fund other businesses that they will do in future.
Other business ideas around Bulawayo are fixated on the need for convenience as people around the city are living a fast-paced life and immediacy is a necessity.
Also, the need to create businesses that people can resonate with is a gap that Bulawayo youths have been filling up slowly but surely.Michelle Tanya Moyo together with her business partner Sphathokuhle Nozithelo Ncube manufacture homemade ice cream under their company Umaicecream. The ice-cream flavours are those that people all around Bulawayo are able to relate to. Some of their flavours are uMaDlodlo, iBhubesi, uMaMthembo and umchilowamakhosikazi. All these names are of significance especially in the Ndebele culture.
The advent of the Internet has made coming up with business ideas less of a burden as they are business ideas all over the cyber spaces.
Online Reporter
Londile Moyo