Hello Reader, I had a conversation recently with a marketing colleague who’s been contracted to lead the marketing for someone’s business. Their funnel starts primarily on Instagram. They’ve created social media accounts in the company’s name and are mainly posting skits as content. When I asked what they hope to achieve with all these social media posts, it became clear that the main goal—for now—is simply to grow their following. While he mentioned that each post includes a call to action,...
8 days ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, In the very beginning of my blogging journey, I had a conversation with someone very dear to me — someone whose opinion I deeply value and trust. I was excited as I shared my idea and explained what I was thinking. The first thing they said? That it wouldn’t work. They listed all the reasons why they believed it was bound to fail. Their words cut deep. Because I trusted them, I took their advice and shelved the idea. But… I couldn’t let it go. Something inside me kept stirring....
15 days ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, If you noticed, last week I didn’t send out my weekly letter. I was so worked up about it because I told myself from the start that I’m always going to write this letter weekly. It was a promise I made to myself, and missing it felt like I was letting myself down. But the reality is, sometimes life just gets in the way. And no matter how committed you are, no matter how good your intentions, there are days when you simply can’t do what you set out to do. The solopreneur's...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, A memory came to mind recently—an unexpected encounter with a former classmate about ten years ago. I had just handed over my parking fee to a marshal in Harare’s CBD and was about to walk away when I heard someone call out, “Shungu! Hi!” I turned around and saw a woman about my age walking towards me, waving enthusiastically. Her bright red lipstick and noticeably uneven makeup framed her face in a way that was hard to ignore. As she got closer, I suddenly recognised her. We...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, I’d just spent a good 30 minutes scrolling through Facebook. I’d scroll, read something, then drop it halfway, scroll again, read another thing, maybe hit refresh, and repeat the cycle. Nothing really grabbed me. I figured maybe it was because I’d unfollowed too many so-called digital creators. So I moved on to my email. I mean, I’ve got emails to scroll through too, right? But the good thing about email is, I don’t have to scroll as much—mainly because I’m not dealing with a...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, This morning, I came across a story about a young woman who returned to her 9-to-5 job after nearly two years of running her own business. I hesitate to say “trying to set up” because, from what I gathered, the business was already up and running. But despite that, she felt burned out—tired of chasing sales and wondering when the next brand deal would come. In the end, she chose the stability of a steady paycheck, a structured routine, and better health insurance. Of course,...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, My journey in building ZimbOriginal has taught me something most people underestimate: selling is hard! Building a product—and not just any product, but a good product—is only half the work. And trust me, that’s the easy part. The other half—selling, getting someone to reach into their pocket and hand over their money—is the real challenge. If you’re good at marketing and selling, you have something special. In fact, if you’re thinking about a business idea, you could make big...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, Here I am, three episodes deep into this podcast, but it’s not quite hitting the mark like I expected. The content and ideas being shared are great, yet something feels off. I can’t quite put my finger on it. If I hadn’t already read several issues of this creator’s newsletter, I probably would have given up after episode one. Then it hit me. I remembered another podcast episode I listened to recently, and that’s when I finally understood what was wrong. In that episode, the...
4 months ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about change—specifically, how content creation is evolving at lightning speed. And honestly? It’s overwhelming. I keep researching, trying to understand my fears, but the internet works in a loop. The more I search, the more I’m fed stories that reinforce those fears. And so, the spiral continues. Writing vs. Video: Do We Even Read Anymore? I love writing. It’s where I feel most at home—crafting thoughts into articles and newsletters like this...
4 months ago • 3 min read