10 Questions with Dr Strive Masiyiwa (a series)
There are so many ways I could write about Dr Strive Masiyiwa. We at asante4life, have chosen the question and answer format, so that all the information we have on this extraordinary individual can be well structured, and answer life's most critical questions for you our reader.
We did not interview him, instead we have gathered information from his writings and other informative sources to bring to you the best out lines of all times. Enjoy.....
We did not interview him, instead we have gathered information from his writings and other informative sources to bring to you the best out lines of all times. Enjoy.....
How did it all start?
I was born in 1961 in Zimbabwe, which was then called Rhodesia. When I was seven, my family fled the country as Ian Smith's embattled government began to crumble. We then settled in Kitwe, a city in north central Zambia known for its copper mines. My mother was an entrepreneur with interests in retail sales, small-scale farming, and transportation. And my father worked at first in one of the nearby mines but later joined the family business. By the time I was 12 years old, my parents could afford to provide me with a coveted European education. They sent me to private school in Edinburgh, Scotland. When I graduated in 1978 from , I traveled back to Zimbabwe , keen to join the guerrilla fight for independence. But a cousin in the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army, later to morph into Mugabe’s Zanu-PF, advised that independence was nearly won. The new country would need people to run it. And so I scored a scholarship to university in Wales. In 1984, I returned with an engineering degree to Zimbabwe, which was then four years into its nationhood. I worked briefly for the government telecom company, but state enterprise frustrated me.
I was born in 1961 in Zimbabwe, which was then called Rhodesia. When I was seven, my family fled the country as Ian Smith's embattled government began to crumble. We then settled in Kitwe, a city in north central Zambia known for its copper mines. My mother was an entrepreneur with interests in retail sales, small-scale farming, and transportation. And my father worked at first in one of the nearby mines but later joined the family business. By the time I was 12 years old, my parents could afford to provide me with a coveted European education. They sent me to private school in Edinburgh, Scotland. When I graduated in 1978 from , I traveled back to Zimbabwe , keen to join the guerrilla fight for independence. But a cousin in the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army, later to morph into Mugabe’s Zanu-PF, advised that independence was nearly won. The new country would need people to run it. And so I scored a scholarship to university in Wales. In 1984, I returned with an engineering degree to Zimbabwe, which was then four years into its nationhood. I worked briefly for the government telecom company, but state enterprise frustrated me.
How did you start your first business?
At 25, With a friend, we agreed to each set aside every month what would have been the equivalent of $75. We went around the suburbs fixing broken lights, and gates. We invested every cent, into doing bigger and bigger projects.
In just four short years I had gone from cobbling together $75 from friends and a relative to start a small electrical contracting business, to a burgeoning multimillion dollar, national business with almost 500 employees.
At 25, With a friend, we agreed to each set aside every month what would have been the equivalent of $75. We went around the suburbs fixing broken lights, and gates. We invested every cent, into doing bigger and bigger projects.
In just four short years I had gone from cobbling together $75 from friends and a relative to start a small electrical contracting business, to a burgeoning multimillion dollar, national business with almost 500 employees.
How did you grow?
For me, nothing has really changed in terms of those basic principles: you start with what you have, you do what you can, you invest what you get, so that you can do bigger and bigger things. From there we built an engineering company, and soon moved to telecommunications.
For me, nothing has really changed in terms of those basic principles: you start with what you have, you do what you can, you invest what you get, so that you can do bigger and bigger things. From there we built an engineering company, and soon moved to telecommunications.
What knowledge did you use to grow this business?
Although my partner and I were both engineers, I had retreated from the engineering side to finance. The only numbers that interested me, then and now are financial numbers. I had come to realise that the most important thing in running a business effectively is through financial reports. This is when I started using the motto: "It’s all in the numbers. Show me the numbers"
I had learnt the art of raising money from banks, and had now secured an investment from The International Finance Corporation, an arm of the World Bank.
Although my partner and I were both engineers, I had retreated from the engineering side to finance. The only numbers that interested me, then and now are financial numbers. I had come to realise that the most important thing in running a business effectively is through financial reports. This is when I started using the motto: "It’s all in the numbers. Show me the numbers"
I had learnt the art of raising money from banks, and had now secured an investment from The International Finance Corporation, an arm of the World Bank.
How did you find out exactly what to work on?
Although I had worked for our national telecoms company, called PTC (now TelOne); since leaving them, I had not had anything to do with telecommunications as an industry, because my business was in electrical power construction work. I had however kept subscriptions to all my professional magazines on developments in telecoms. I knew that Mobile Communications was beginning to emerge as the next frontier. And yet in Africa, there were less than 5 countries that had built such networks, at the time. Most countries only had state owned fixed line operators providing poor, poor service. I wrote on our boards and I told our people, I said, our mission is to provide telecommunications to all the people of Africa I began to put together a business plan for a network in Zimbabwe. I travelled to trade shows, and I visited manufacturers, and operators, to gain greater understanding. That was 1993.
Although I had worked for our national telecoms company, called PTC (now TelOne); since leaving them, I had not had anything to do with telecommunications as an industry, because my business was in electrical power construction work. I had however kept subscriptions to all my professional magazines on developments in telecoms. I knew that Mobile Communications was beginning to emerge as the next frontier. And yet in Africa, there were less than 5 countries that had built such networks, at the time. Most countries only had state owned fixed line operators providing poor, poor service. I wrote on our boards and I told our people, I said, our mission is to provide telecommunications to all the people of Africa I began to put together a business plan for a network in Zimbabwe. I travelled to trade shows, and I visited manufacturers, and operators, to gain greater understanding. That was 1993.
What is your purpose in life?
To give Glory to God. I cannot separate my spirituality as a Christian from my work. My work is my ministry. And I use it to preach the gospel, get people to Christ and give God all the glory.
To give Glory to God. I cannot separate my spirituality as a Christian from my work. My work is my ministry. And I use it to preach the gospel, get people to Christ and give God all the glory.
What can you account your success to?
God. I am always guided by the Holy spirit. And before making a decision in my life, I have to talk to my Father. He is a major player in my business.
God. I am always guided by the Holy spirit. And before making a decision in my life, I have to talk to my Father. He is a major player in my business.
What good habit can you account your success to?
The ability to get and use information. I always work on being informed of the current news. I give credit to my mother who made me watch news and laiter give her an outline. To this day, I read a magazine with a note book and pen. And I read, I read a lot of books.
The ability to get and use information. I always work on being informed of the current news. I give credit to my mother who made me watch news and laiter give her an outline. To this day, I read a magazine with a note book and pen. And I read, I read a lot of books.
How do you filter through all the information available today for the legit information?
I watch news from different channels and from different angle for clarity.
I watch news from different channels and from different angle for clarity.
Was there a time you thought of giving up?
Yes, once, when my wife wanted to quit. But then she changed her mind in the morning and I followed her. You can't do these things alone.
Yes, once, when my wife wanted to quit. But then she changed her mind in the morning and I followed her. You can't do these things alone.
Reference
Book: Breaking through, Dr. Strive Masiyiwa
Book: Breaking through, Dr. Strive Masiyiwa
Read more: http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/biography/M-R/Masiyiwa-Strive-1961.html#ixzz56tyQsxbY
Read more: http://www.ozy.com/rising-stars/the-trials-tribulations-triumphs-of-strive-masiyiwa/30183
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