Let’s be honest, most Zimbabwean businesses don’t fail because of sanctions, the economy, or “the system.”
They fail because tisu tinozvigadzira!
The moment you start hiring sekuru, baby mama, or your bestie from Form 2 — it’s game over.
This is not a rant. It’s a reality check straight from the kombi of experience.
Business is Not a Charity – Haisi NGO
Your business is not a halfway house for every cousin who just finished “revising” their O-Levels for the fifth time.
You’re not a humanitarian organisation — you’re trying to build a real hustle here!
But every time you hire someone just because they share your totem, you’re basically hiring future stress.
And then when customers complain? You say, “Ahh, just bear with him, he’s still learning.”
Learning what? Customer repellent?
If You Can’t Fire Them, Don’t Hire Them
Let’s get to the heart of the matter.
Hiring someone you can’t fire is like giving your ex your Econet PIN code – it will end in tears.
Whether it’s your wife, your brother-in-law, or that guy who once bought you a drink at Highfield in 2003 —
If you’re not ready to let them go when they start costing you money, don’t bring them in.
That’s not business. That’s emotional blackmail with a payslip.
Why You’re Scared to Make the Cut
Oh, you know they’re useless.
They report late, argue with customers, eat sadza in the stockroom, and spend more time on TikTok than they do working.
But you’re afraid to fire them because:
- “Ko vanhu voti ndave kudada?”
- “Auntie vachatukwa.”
- “Mumusha motaurwa, mogarwa meeting pasina Christmas.”
So you suffer in silence, while your profits scream for help.
You started this business to build a legacy, not to become the family’s emotional ATM.
How to Handle It Without Causing a Family Meeting
Okay, here’s how to do it smartly:
- Set Expectations from Day 1
Tell them straight: “This is work, not kitchen party.”
You’re here to produce, not to socialize. - Document Everything
Don’t just complain to your spouse. Keep records.
So when it’s time to let them go, it’s not you – it’s the evidence. - Offer Support, Not Sympathy
You’re not a villain. Help them find a role that fits — maybe somewhere else.
Just not in your business.
Be a Leader, Not a Lifeline
Dear entrepreneur, stop keeping dead weight on your payroll because you’re afraid of gossip.
Your business is not a daycare.
You need soldiers, not sympathizers.
If you want your hustle to survive ZESA cuts, inflation, and all the other economic Avengers — logic must lead.
After all, if you wouldn’t eat sadza yegora just because Gogo cooked it —
Why keep a staff member just because “ane blood?”
Click link to watch our video on this topic: https://youtu.be/VJ9ZLb7KXnw
