Online Reporter
Arron Nyamayaro
WOMEN entrepreneurs have been urged to embrace business partnerships and alternative forms of capital beyond money to drive sustainable growth.
The call was made by Sharpe Business Academy chief executive Dr Rutendo Mudzamiri, at a women empowerment, funding and investment conference in Harare yesterday.
More than 400 women running small businesses from the country’s 10 provinces attended the conference.
They came from sectors such as poultry, piggery, rabbit farming, tombstone manufacturing, small-scale farming and early childhood education.
Dr Mudzamiri said entrepreneurs should rethink their understanding of capital, noting that financial resources alone are not enough for business success.
Drawing from her experience in mobilising over US$24 million in funding, she challenged the common belief that structure comes after growth.
“Too often, small business owners delay professionalism (saying) ‘I’ll organise when I grow’, ‘I’ll track numbers later’ and ‘I’ll formalise when I get funding’,” she said.
Dr Mudzamiri said businesses must adopt discipline and structure from the outset, adding that failure to grow is often linked to disorder rather than size.
“The principle is simple: businesses do not fail to grow because they are small, they fail because they normalise disorder’,” she said.
She also highlighted the importance of being “bankable”, stressing that effort alone does not attract funding.
Entrepreneurs must understand their numbers, track performance and clearly outline growth strategies to build credibility, said Dr Mudzamiri.
She expanded the concept of capital beyond money, citing reputation, relationships, execution and knowledge as key pillars for sustainable success. These, she said, position entrepreneurs as value creators capable of attracting opportunities.
“Without credibility, visibility has no economic value,” she said.
COMESA Federation for Women in Business chairperson, Ms Edna Mukurazhizha, encouraged women to believe in themselves and formalise their businesses to unlock funding opportunities and remain competitive.
Businesswoman Ms Joanna Sharpe, emphasised the importance of choosing the right partners, warning against building enterprises with unreliable associates.
“You need a better partner who can assist you when you fail or go down,” she said.
Sharpe Business Academy chairman, Mr Kenneth Sharpe, said his vision is to empower people and lift communities from poverty into prosperity, while encouraging entrepreneurs to remain grounded in their values.
The conference focused on grassroots funding models that reach women where they live, trade and build, including real estate and asset-backed pathways to long-term security and financial independence rooted in savings discipline, credit access and ownership.
Among the participants were Ms Esther Tarasana (49) of Chitungwiza, who runs a tombstone manufacturing business, Ms Leah Gaadzikwa (52) of Musami in Murehwa, who is involved in poultry production and cross-border trade, and Ms Susan Siby (39), who operates an infant school in Murehwa.
