Peter Tanyanyiwa
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Herald Reporter
Zimbabwean entrepreneurs and corporate leaders are operating in one of the most interesting economic environments of this generation.
Capital constraints and rapidly changing markets have made resilience a necessity. Yet resilience alone is no longer enough. The next phase of Zimbabwe’s economic development requires, strong systems and intentional growth.
This is the focus of Builders Who Scale, a new business playbook by Michael Watyoka, a Financial Growth and Business Transformation Consultant with GrowWise Wealth Builders.
Watyoka holds an MBA in Finance from the University of Cumbria in the United Kingdom and is a multiple-award-winning MBA graduate from Washington Adventist University in the United States. He has worked with global Fortune 500 financial institutions including Charles Schwab Investments and UBS Wealth Management bank, supporting high-net-worth and institutional clients in building long-term financial strategies.
Unlike traditional business books that emphasize motivation, Builders Who Scale is positioned as a practical playbook. It is designed to help leaders move beyond survival-mode operations into scalable, sustainable business models, a transition that many Zimbabwean enterprises must now make to remain competitive and relevant.
Global Insight, Zimbabwean Relevance
What makes Builders Who Scale particularly relevant to Zimbabwe is Watyoka’s ability to translate global best practices into emerging-market realities. He currently serves as the first Black Executive Vice President and Board Member of the Maryland Writers Association since its founding in 1988, a milestone that reflects his growing influence in leadership and professional development.
Through a strategic partnership with the Maryland Small Business Development Center (SBDC), a U.S. government-supported institution that supports over 6,000 businesses annually, Watyoka works closely with corporate leaders and entrepreneurs on how to scale responsibly. His approach emphasizes systems, leadership development, and innovation frameworks, rather than growth at any cost.
Beginning in March next year, Builders Who Scale will also be used as a training syllabus and curriculum within structured business development programs, reinforcing its role as a working manual for serious builders.
Controlled Disruption for Volatile Economies
One of the book’s central ideas is controlled disruption the discipline of intentionally reviewing and improving business models before external shocks force change.
The book further distinguishes between soft innovation and hard innovation.
Soft innovation focuses on leadership mindset, culture, governance, and decision-making systems. Hard innovation focuses on technology, processes, and operational structures. Builders Who Scale argues that many businesses fail not because they lack tools, but because leadership systems are not strong enough to support growth.
Recognised by Africa’s Business Leadership
The relevance of these ideas was highlighted when Watyoka presented concepts from Builders Who Scale: A practical guide for leadership to turn vision into scalable, sustainable businesses at the CEO Roundtable Africa held in Victoria Falls, engaging senior executives and policymakers from across the continent.
Discussions emphasised that sustainable scaling is not only a business concern but a national development priority.
Interest in the book has already emerged among prominent Zimbabwean business leaders. Autographed copies have been ordered by leading investment bankers and business figures, including Nigel Chanakira and Trevor Ncube, underscoring the book’s resonance with high-level decision-makers who understand the importance of institutional strength and long-term value creation.
The book also carries a foreword by Rob Jolles an American five-time bestselling author and globally respected leadership expert who has been hired by many fortune 500 companies loke bank of America, Toyota corporation and many others, positioning Builders Who Scale as a serious contribution to international business thought while remaining highly practical for African markets.
Available in Harare Next Month
For Zimbabwean corporate executives, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and investors, Builders Who Scale delivers a timely message: scaling is not about becoming bigger; it is about becoming stronger, more adaptive, and more sustainable.
Print copies of Builders Who Scale will be available in Harare next month, with limited autographed editions already attracting early interest from senior business leaders. The book is expected to appeal to founders, board members, executives, and policymakers seeking practical frameworks for building institutions that last.
As Zimbabwe continues its journey toward economic renewal and industrial growth, Builders Who Scale offers a clear roadmap for leaders who want to build enterprises that endure and, in doing so, contribute meaningfully to the country’s long-term economic transformation.
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