In a thought-provoking speech delivered on the 2024 Final Year Students Dinner of Catholic University of Malawi, outstanding entrepreneur and enterprise chief Charles Zimba emphasised the important position entrepreneurship performs in breaking free from financial constraints and constructing lasting wealth.

Drawing from his private journey, Zimba referred to as on graduates to not solely pursue standard profession paths however to think about entrepreneurship as a viable path to success and empowerment.

Addressing an viewers of vibrant, formidable college students poised to embark on their skilled careers on Saturday in Blantyre, Zimba shared how his personal humble beginnings in rural Mzimba formed his dedication to beat poverty and construct a thriving enterprise empire.

He defined that, for him, entrepreneurship was not simply an possibility—it was the important thing to monetary independence and creating sustainable wealth. Zimba, the founder and CEO of SICO Holdings, which spans industries from development to know-how, recounted his rise from a poor background to changing into a profitable entrepreneur.

He highlighted how his schooling on the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS) and subsequent engineering profession had been merely stepping stones towards his bigger imaginative and prescient: to construct an organization that would supply long-term financial alternatives for himself and others.

“Seventeen years ago, I was sitting exactly where you are—full of dreams, questions, and uncertainties about the future,” Zimba advised the scholars. “But I knew one thing: I wanted more than just a job. I wanted to be an entrepreneur, someone who could create something lasting, something that would break me free from the cycle of poverty.”

Zimba’s entrepreneurial journey started in 2010 when he based Sempha Construction. Despite preliminary challenges, he persevered, rising the enterprise from a modest startup right into a conglomerate with pursuits in development, actual property, logistics, water administration, and know-how. What began with only a handful of staff has now expanded to over 100 everlasting employees and greater than 500 short-term employees, with operations in South Africa, Zambia, and the UK.

One of Zimba’s key messages to the scholars was the significance of getting a transparent imaginative and prescient. Reflecting on his personal success, he emphasised that entrepreneurship requires greater than only a enterprise thought—it calls for a powerful, unwavering dedication to a long-term objective. “Where there is no vision, the people perish,” Zimba quoted, referencing a verse from Proverbs 29:18, to underscore the significance of readability in a single’s entrepreneurial journey.

He additionally inspired college students to work laborious and stay targeted on their objectives, regardless of the inevitable obstacles and setbacks they might face. “A dream is not what you see in your sleep,” Zimba mentioned. “It is what keeps you awake at night. It’s about finding something that drives you and pushes you to work harder and smarter every day.”

Zimba cautioned the scholars in regards to the challenges of entrepreneurship however urged them to not be discouraged by setbacks. “Being an entrepreneur is like eating glass and staring into the abyss of death,” he quoted Elon Musk, the world’s richest particular person, who has been vocal in regards to the excessive difficulties of constructing a enterprise.

The enterprise mogul acknowledged that the journey to entrepreneurship is fraught with challenges—starting from capital shortages to social stigma—however inspired the scholars to persevere. He suggested college students to begin small however assume large, emphasizing the significance of persistence, steady studying, and looking for mentorship alongside the best way.

“Many will tell you it’s impossible, that you’ll never succeed in business, especially here in Malawi,” he mentioned. “But don’t let that discourage you. Your determination will drive you to succeed. Start small, find a mentor, and continue learning. The capital will come if you stay focused.”

Zimba additionally offered sensible recommendation for these considering entrepreneurship, urging college students to take calculated dangers, search steerage from profitable enterprise folks, and develop a stable marketing strategy. He inspired graduates to make use of their time correctly, to put money into themselves, and to give attention to constructing networks that might assist them of their entrepreneurial endeavors.

“The capital will come, the opportunities will come, but you need to be prepared,” Zimba mentioned. “Start with a solid business idea, consult with those who have succeeded before you, and never stop learning. Every successful entrepreneur was once in your shoes.”

In closing, Zimba issued a strong problem to the graduating class. “You are the ones we have been waiting for,” he mentioned, inspiring the scholars with a way of duty to create optimistic change. “Action without vision is merely passing time; vision without action is daydreaming, but vision with action can change the world. And I believe you will change the world.”

The speech left a long-lasting impression on the scholars, lots of whom had been impressed by Zimba’s phrases. “His story is proof that anything is possible if you have the right mindset and the will to work hard,” mentioned Maria Chirwa, a final-year scholar of Business Management. “It was inspiring to hear someone who started with nothing build such a successful business. It makes me believe that entrepreneurship is not just a dream—it can be a reality.”

As Zimba concluded, it was clear that his message had struck a chord with the graduating class. His name to motion—paired with sensible insights on the significance of imaginative and prescient, laborious work, and persistence—left the scholars energized and able to face the challenges of the world with the mindset of entrepreneurs.

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