Tsitsi Mutendi: Shining jewel

of leaving their full-time jobs to start their own businesses for fear of sinking deeper if the project doesn’t take off. Only a few are brave enough to leave their executive office jobs to become their own bosses, while juggling parenthood and work at the same time.
This was the case with Tsitsi, Jewel magazine editor, who left her job many years ago to pursue her cherished dream as a magazine editor. To her it was a blessing in disguise and according to her, God had bigger plans for her than just being a full-time employee. Speaking in an interview with Saturday Lifestyle from her home that also serves as Jewel Magazine offices in Avondale, Harare, Tsitsi who was donning a little black dress said being an editor, mother, housewife was the best thing that has ever happened to her in a long time. “Serious, this is my first interview about me, not the mag. I feel honoured and humbled,” she said.
“I work from home. It’s the hardest job in the world being a mom, wife and editor, but it is also the best. I really love it because it keeps me on my toes,” she said. Tsitsi, who spent eight years in the United Kingdom during her childhood years, said writing and reading books were her deep-seated passions.
“From Grade One to Six I was based in the United Kingdom before relocating to Zimbabwe with my family. I attended high school at Victoria High up to Form Six. I did correspondence with Unisa and later moved to South Africa for a job while studying. I came back four years later after transferring to Zimbabwe Open University and I have a BComm marketing degree which I completed in 2009.
“I used to work at Reflections and I enjoyed reading magazines and jotting down notes, which later pushed me to start my own magazine,” she said. Tsitsi said her favourite author is Wilbur Smith.
“When it comes to books I love the Bible but my favourite author is Wilbur Smith, I enjoy his books, the way he describes societal settings. Television is not my favourite but I love M-Net Series programmes especially Sundays and Game of Thrones is a must see for me,” she said Tsitsi, who is married to Daniel Mutendi, has a year-old daughter Jasmine Mufaro, said she was comfortable working from home rather having an office in the central business district.
“My husband is my boss at Jewel Magazine. He is the creative director at DanTS Media. It is the easiest and nicest thing working at home. I had a situation when I had to take care of the baby at the same time meeting deadlines and it was very difficult for me but I have set myself some boundaries,” she said. Tsitsi recalls the time that she first established her magazine and how she had to put her resources together to kick-start the publication.
“Surprisingly, I never studied journalism but with my marketing degree it goes hand in hand. It was in February 2011 and you know how it is when something is new and you are trying to make it appealing to the general public. At first, you are not sure whether it will make it especially in an industry dominated by other good publications.
“The first issue featured Chiwoniso Maraire since our thrust is to empower women. The magazine is targeted at women between 25 and 55 years,” she said. Despite her busy schedule, Tsitsi still makes time for church and she says she derives her strength from God. “I am a member of ZCC in Belvedere and actually I am part of Ruwadzano. I have my uniform and badge though I usually don’t wear my badge because of my work. One of the prerequisites is when you wear your badge you have cover your head among other things. I meet a lot of different people from different backgrounds so I have to fit in,” she explained.
Among her greatest achievements include publishing 16 editions of Jewel Magazine. “My husband is my boss. We have five permanent workers and 20 freelancers who include photographers, make-up artistes and this great team has contributed towards our success which includes publishing 16 copies of the magazine,” she said. Like anyone else, she also faces some challenges but she does not allow them to distract her from her work.
“One of the challenges that we often face is when advertisers pay us late but I am grateful for the support from friends and professional editors who always encouraged me to soldier on, pursue and realise my dream. I urge other women to do the same and never give up in their endeavours’,” she said.   
The editor loves to cook sadza with kidneys and muboora (pumpkin leaves).
“It is very tricky when it comes food, but I just love some dishes that my mother-in law prepares for the whole family, like rice with peanut butter and some road runner chicken,” she enthused.
Although she has acquired a lot of things is her life, Tsitsi confessed that a Mac-Book, was one of her precious and prized possessions.
“Apart from my husband and my daughter, if my house catches fire, definitely I would run for my Mac-Book. I love it because it is where my life is,” she said.
She takes inspiration from Og Mandino’s quote which says, “I am here for a purpose and that purpose is to grow into a mountain and not shrink to a grain of sand. Henceforth I will apply all my efforts to become the highest mountain of all and I will strain my potential until it cries for mercy.”