Chronicle Editor
Peter Matika, Senior Reporter
FOR a country that often mourns the decline of its reading culture, it was a pleasant surprise in 2016 when a young author, Marshal Chiza just about filled up the Harare International Conference Centre for the launch of his first book.
He even managed to get the late musical legend Oliver “Tuku” Mtukudzi to grace the affair.
Ever since emerging as a young writer, Marshal has made it a point to remain relevant in the industry and beyond, as he has sought many other ventures.
“I am an entrepreneur,” Chiza said.
“So I see opportunities where others might see adversity. Essentially that’s what business is: filling a need.”
With that said, the thirst to redevelop a reading culture in the country led Marshal to establish a publishing house — Billionaire Publishers. The company has worked with names like Mudiwa Hood and most importantly, he says, helped other writers find their way to print and in some instances, profitability.
“Even the Bible says ‘ask and it will be given unto you’. Very few of us have grasped this concept. As a transformational coach, my job is to help my clients discover the power that lies within them, to remind them to ask for what they want, because we all deserve happiness, we all deserve our dreams, we just have to figure out how to ask,” he said.
When asked about the challenges he faced in business as a young entrepreneur, Marshal said it was a matter of perspective.
“I’m not going to tell you that it’s easy, nothing worth it ever is; but all these problems that we encounter on a daily basis are opportunities. When everyone else was wishing for the ability to answer phone calls from anywhere, Strive Masiyiwa was making a plan to establish Econet Wireless.
When he was met with adversity, he went to sow on more fertile ground, but he returned here to make the ground even fertile, he did not let his dream die but he fought for it.
“Today, Econet is one of the biggest commercial entities in the country, not because it was an easy road, but because one man saw an opportunity where others saw only hardship,” said Marshal.
Over the years, Chiza has evolved as an entrepreneur, despite starting off selling his writings and services as a transformational coach.
Presently his ventures include publishing and borehole drilling.
“It’s about freedom. Most people want money to cover the necessities, to be comfortable with their families, I work hard so that I can own my time, then I can figure out how to leave the world a much better place than I found it,” he added.
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