From hairdresser to successful businessman

MR Brilliant Ncube, a former hairdresser from Mathambo village in Lupane, has built one of the fastest-growing funeral service businesses in Southern Africa.

He started the Kingdom Blue Funeral service with savings from his hairdressing business and now runs the enterprise, which has 12 branches in South Africa, 14 in Zimbabwe and one in Botswana.

Mr Ncube (39), who was a hairdresser 10 years ago, is also involved in manufacturing and cattle ranching, keeping 104 cattle at his homestead in Lupane.

But he is not stopping there, and is hoping to expand his business empire to other Sadc countries, and has also ventured into the healthcare sector with plans to construct clinics.

He has already created numerous job opportunities for locals, including those in his new chicken project that aims to supply eggs to Zimbabwe’s tourism industry.

Since opening its doors in South Africa in 2012 and in Zimbabwe two years later, Kingdom Blue Funeral continues to grow in leaps and bounds.

Kingdom Blue has two branches in Bulawayo where the business is headquartered. There are branches in Harare, Gwanda, Victoria Falls, Tsholotsho, Masvingo, Gweru, Beitbridge, Checheche and Lupane.

“I observed that we have many citizens within the region who work outside their countries either legally or illegally. When they die, their families struggle to repatriate their bodies, and therefore my mission is to complement regional migration,” he said.

Mr Ncube did not close his hairdressing business, and it is now being run by his two wives, while he focuses on the funeral and manufacturing businesses.

“I started as a hairdresser and through savings from that enterprise, I ventured into the funeral services business,” said Mr Ncube.

“I have quite several other businesses which include manufacturing where we do office furniture and coffins.”

Mr Ncube said his ultimate goal is to cover all Sadc countries by 2030.

Kingdom Blue has also created direct and indirect job opportunities for hundreds of Zimbabweans at its various offices dotted within and outside the country.

The company has also created employment for part-time agents to sell the various funeral packages.

Many citizens, including the unemployed and informal traders, have access to life insurance through Kingdom Blue’s affordable and flexible packages.

A pilot project is underway in Mashonaland Central where the company has partnered with First Lady, Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa’s Angel of Hope Foundation to construct a clinic in Chiweshe.

Mr Ncube said the private sector should partner the Government to boost service delivery and community development.

Mr Ncube has built modern houses at his homestead in Lupane, which locals refer to as Mazheke Palace.

He hopes to grow his herd to 5 000, with plans underway to establish an abattoir and cold rooms at his homestead as well as butcheries across the country.

To complement his cattle project, Mr Ncube runs a prototype chicken project with 540 layers and his target is to reach 30 000 within six months.

Mr Ncube has created over 40 jobs for locals at his homestead and envisages creating more than 300 jobs.