When COVID-19 swept across Zimbabwe, life stopped. Dreams paused and Churches closed. It was 2020 thats when I started Kilomarket and in 2021 that’s when I registered it. But if I’m honest, my business was mostly an idea and a prayer. Most days, it was just me and my laptop, hoping for miracles, hustling for every client, feeling like I was pushing a broken-down car up a hill.
Back then, I didn’t even have my own office. My brother, Tawanda Mashamba, who had started Avance Business Consultancy in 2018, gave me a table in his office. That table became my “headquarters.” It was a gift, but also a lesson in humility. There’s something humbling about building your dream while working at someone else’s desk. Still, I was grateful, and I made that little space count.
Those early years, I tried to build something on my own. There was no real growth, just noise and frustration. Sometimes I thought maybe this whole thing wasn’t for me. I was waiting for my big break, not knowing that real growth was waiting somewhere else.
When churches began to open again in 2022, everything changed. I was called to serve as a youth leader and, later, as a deacon. I didn’t walk in with confidence I walked in with questions and doubts, and a heart still hurting from disappointments. It is then that I quickly learned that leadership isn’t about being the loudest in the room or having all the answers. It’s about showing up when you feel small, serving when nobody is clapping, loving people even when it’s hard.
In those late-night meetings and tough conversations, I discovered my first real lesson: leadership is service, not a position. You sweep the floor before you stand at the front. You listen before you speak. At church, nobody cares about titles. People see your effort, or your lack of it. So, I started to put my heart into serving others, not myself. That’s when things started to shift, both at church and at Kilomarket.
As I grew into my role, I realised another powerful truth: people matter more than any business plan. In church, you learn quickly that people remember how you made them feel, not what you said. I stopped chasing numbers and started caring for people, real care, not just “customer care.” I checked up on clients, just like I checked up on the youth. Relationships turned into opportunities. Trust turned into growth.
I failed, sometimes in public, sometimes in private. Projects collapsed. Ideas flopped. Sometimes, I let people down. There were moments when I wanted to disappear. But this led me to another lesson: you have to own your mistakes and grow from them. Whether you’re running a youth group or a business, the real test isn’t never falling—it’s getting back up, owning your mess, and learning out loud.
I used to think big talent was the answer. Now I know that consistency is even stronger than talent. In Zimbabwe, in business, in life—the people who keep showing up are the ones who win. There were days I wanted to quit, but I kept going. Kilomarket isn’t a big company with boardrooms or a board of directors. But today, we’re not where we started. We’re growing. It’s not just me and my laptop anymore. Over time, Kilomarket has employed about ten people, and right now, we’re a team of four. That little table in my brother’s office was the beginning, but now we have a small team, a growing family, and a bigger dream.
If you’re reading this and wondering if your time will ever come, hear me: don’t wait for perfect. Start where you are. Sweep the floor. Serve someone. Care deeply. When you fall, get up and learn. Don’t stop. Real leadership is not about being in charge. It’s about showing up, sweeping the floor, and serving even when no one is Watching: especially when no one is watching. In the end, your journey will not just change your life. It will leave a mark in the lives of others.
And we’re just getting started—the journey of leadership and growth in Africa is far from over.
