Zimbabwe Newspapers: Bad News is Good News

Zimbabwean journalists aren’t interested in writing any Good news in the newspapers. They don’t look for it and i suspect, even if they found it, it wouldn’t make it into the paper. That said…there is A LOT of good news and business opportunities in the papers. Not intended, but it’s there – especially for businesses.

Shocking right?

Of course, to see it, you’ll have redefine what good and bad news really is for your business.You’ll have to learn to see the opportunities revealed in the bad news.

For instance if you read that businesses are closing down. Is that goodnews or bad? Depends.

• Can i buy assets cheap from the business that just closed down?
• Maybe that means less competition for me.
• Can i find out why they closed and avoid the same mistake – free education
• What if i can go after their experienced and qualified employees, that ordinarily maybe hard to find…
• Or what if…i think you get the picture.

The point is businesses exist to solve problems. No problems, no opportunities and no businesses. Entrepreneurs, Businesses and institutions and even economies fail when they start to take bad news at face value. That’s when they become problem conscious. They start to blame MDC/ZANU PF, they blame their parents, their pastor etc. You’re not like that are you?

Here’s how i look at it

Bad news happens when needs arise. Good news happens when someone saw the need, ignored the negativity and turned it into an economically viable solution. You’ve got to decide how you’ll interpret the news around you. They’ll be lots of good, or bad depending on what you’re looking for.

Max

p.s. Here’s an example. You want to start a business but you’ve got no money? Well if you’re creative and determined here’s how to turn that into good news!

No Business Opportunities in Zimbabwe?

No Business Opportunities in Zimbabwe?

Really? Must be my imagination then… I keep seeing them everywhere. All you need do is open your eyes and think a little outside your box.

We have one of the 7 wonders of the world- it’s proven to attract millions of visitors a year. The factors keeping those millions away wont last forever. Or better yet, maybe you should just wait until the opportunity becomes obvious to the whole world?

Enough natural resourcesto make everyone in this tiny country filthy rich. Put your thinking cap on. Make some calls, do some research. Are you the one to take advantage of these resources? Someone has to. And someone will.

Small country, nationwide media. For example, whatever you’re selling – your marketing can literally reach the whole nation with a relatively (by comparison) small budget through national media. 2 or 3 newspapers. There’s just one TV channel to worry about. National media coverage costs less than ‘community coverage in the first world!

Where else can you hire someone for less than a dollar a month?A skilled person. I’m not saying it’s right, but it is happening. Offer half decent salaries and you’d have some of the best employees the country has to offer.

Innovation is easy.A third world country with a educated and literate population (including diaspora). Basic technologies and facilities are not available. Whole industries almost don’t exist. What, you’d rather try to innovate in the first world, where your best idea was probably already done about 5 years ago? Where you’re competing with mega businesses? Where innovation is a way of life?

Half the population in the Diaspora.Setup partnerships both ways. If your business has potential, talk to your brother in the UK. 200 pounds may not be a a really big deal. In Zim, that could cover salaries for 5 – 10 people! You’d have a bigger advertising budget than most BANKS. If you’re living overseas, you’ve got no excuse.

So easy to gain a competitive advantage.Imagine a place where something as simple as high speed internet can be a competitive advantage? Where really understanding strategy and marketing (direct response) is like understanding magic. Where having a Paypal account makes you the only person who can buy products/services from the internet? Where having the right accent is taken as being educated?

Come on. I could go on, but that’s enough ranting for one day.

Or you can focus on the politics. Put your hope in Gideon Gono, Morgan Tsvangirai, Zanu PF – none of these people will make you rich. Trusting in politicians almost guarantees failure. Trusting in the media, no matter which one will DEFINITELY disadvantage you.

It may not be easy, the challenges are real, very. But so are the opportunities. Be unconventional. Be a positive leader. Be smart. Be unselfish and bold. No one except God will hand success to you. And even then, you’ll still have to take it.

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