Listen to advice and get wisdom, goes the biblical verse Proverbs 19 v 20. The baseline from the roundly accepted book of the Holy Bible is that the fertilization of ideas is the panacea for success, at least in as far as business is concerened!
When Tinashe Masike a self-taught Harare phone technician advised his colleague co- tenant of the business loopholes in his printing and photocopying business he was met with total ridicule.
His advice was not only unqualified but very much unwelcome. However as a staunch Christian and determined entrepreneur, young Tinashe thought he had noted some key loopholes that his co-tenant of years can address to spur his business further.
‘‘If you think running a photocopying and printing business is easy, then start it at once. I can sell you one of my photocopying machines,’’ Tinashe recalls what he was told in no polite language as the person felt to have been challenged.
However this marked a major mile stone for Tinashe. He grabbed the chance to delve into the photocopying, designing and printing industry by buying the old machine jealously sold to him by the person who he had wanted to support through advice, back in October 2016.
“ It was by accident that I ventured into the printing and photocopying business. However everything is for a purpose. The arrogance that I got from someone whom I have been trying to assist propelled me further in as mush as business is concerned.
“I am a very business-focused person and I was comfortable then with my phone repairing business. This person had my feelings and just like anybody around me I wanted to see his business prospering. However he was not forthcoming in my frank advice but perhaps God had a plan considering the outcome that was to come,” says Tinashe
The Prophe Emmanual Makandiwa disciple notes that he gave due consideration of his co-tenant ‘s collegue.
He says the business was not functioning optimally and wanted to take a pro-active part in its resuscitation.
After buying the old photocopier, Tinashe says he then offered phone repairs and photocopying services addressing the shortcoming he had noted earlier.
The business load became heavier as he was working own his own forcing him to employ two other assistants.
From then the forward looking Harare bred Tinashe did not look back. He had been operating under an unregistered company as Fyntech Technologies and had to resort to Flame Focus when he then registered in 2017.
His paternal grandmother who has a stake in his upbringing and challenges encountered through growing up without his own biological mother were the source of influences.
“Addressing the challenges that I had noted earlier, the photocopying business grew exponentially and I managed to buy a better second hand heavy duty photocopier form South Africa in June 2017. “I then introduced related services such as binding, lamination , graphic designing and as the service demand grew, our employees increased and today we have six full time employees, “ says Tinashe.
Tinashe recalls the challenges encountered in the start of his business journey, mainly before have the adequate regulatory papers and has a word for upcoming young entrepreneurs.
“ Regularistaion in as much as it may be hard is very key for a serious business person.
“Before formally creating a company people would take big advantage of us. Imagine a client refusing to pay you as agreed simply because you are not a properly registered company despite that the client was well aware of your status when he approached you. We actually counted major losses that could have made us close shop.
“Corruption is on the major rise and even when the regulators become aware of your status, they will daily besiege your business asking for bribes,” recalls the Flame Focus Boss
Flame Focused, premised on the idea of maintaining steadfast business focus even in dire business times now boasts of innovative binding, lamination, graphic designing, executive binding, digital printing, corporate and personalised services branding.
The 29 year-old single director thanks Prophet Emmanual Makandiwa who he regards as his spiritual and business mentor for his success.
He recalls how the UFI organised 2015 Billionaires Mindset Business FORUM held in 2015 horned him. The forum had Zimbabwe’s entrepreneurs Nigel Chanakira and Shingi Mutasa as high profile speakers.
The over ambitious entrepreneurs looks forward being the esteemed choice I the industry covering the whole country in the next five years
He maintains that Prophet Makandiwa is the springboard for his rising success and careers