What happens in Africa...

Some of the reasons why Africa will struggle to sit at the table with first world countries have absolutely nothing to do with colonialization, the white man or even witchcraft. These seem to be our three biggest scapegoats for Africa’s problems.

One of these reasons is the sales agent I met at a reputable car rental company in a certain sub-Saharan Africa country. When my colleagues and I approached this sales agent as potential customers, he gave us the rental rates of type of vehicle we wanted. After we remarked that the rates were a bit on the steep side, the sales agent did not make an effort to explain the pricing or explain why their cars where worth that much or offer a more affordable vehicle. No he did none of that, for him that sales was over and closed. What he did was to point to a Black Sienta parked at a distance and offer a more affordable alternative, which as you guessed he OWNS! He has his own car rental ‘company’ stationed a stone throw away from his place of work.

I am all for side hustles, I am a firm believer of the power of the hustle, team side hustle for life BUT try not to hustle during your 8-5 (unless it is lunchtime), try not to hustle in the same industry as your 8 – 5 and certainly do not syphon customers from your 8-5. No, that is just ugly and wrong on so many levels.

There is a Shona saying that translates to “a goat gains weight from eating the grass around the place it is tied” but I really do not think that the elders were encouraging us to be our employer’s direct competition and steal their clients. They did not mean do your job in half measures so that you side gig can prosper.

I think I wouldn’t be blogging about him if he had offered us chickens or accommodation, that is, using his employer’s customers as a source of customers without taking his employers customers. That would have been better right?

I can understand that a lot of people develop their hustles from their places of employment, probably because one becomes well versed in the value chain or operations of your employment but my humble advise is - by all means go ahead and use the knowledge you have acquired in your place of work (if it is legal to do so) but resign and set yourself up in an honourable way.

Do not be this sales agent doing a disservice to his employer, to his nation and to the entire continent!!!

It in these small acts of theft, clothed in dishonesty and complacency that we slow down our own progress.