Meet Jerry Nyazungu: The Chartered Vendor Who Built an Empire
From selling airtime on the streets of Glenview to leading a multi-national consultancy firm, Jerry More Nyazungu's journey is a masterclass in grit, strategy, and relentless hard work. Here’s a deeper look into the man known as "The Chartered Vendor."
The Journey: From Vendor to CEO
Born in the rural areas of Watsomba in 1986, Jerry Nyazungu's path was far from easy. After his contract at a large organization was cancelled, he found himself on the streets of Glenview, selling airtime, cigarettes, and bananas to survive. "I did not want to be a vendor," he admits, "but that’s what I did in order to be the Accountant and Business Consultant that I now am."
During his days of vending, Nyazungu raised funds to educate himself, eventually earning a Chartered Institute of Secretaries (CIS) qualification. This earned him the moniker "The Chartered Vendor," a name he later used for his biography. This fusion of street smarts and formal education became the foundation for his future success.
In 2015, armed with his qualification and a laptop valued at just US$50, Nyazungu founded M&J Consultants. The company started in a shared office with his sister as the first employee, sitting on a stool. Today, the M&J Group is one of the fastest-growing consultancy firms in the region, with 54 employees and operations in Zimbabwe, Zambia, and South Africa.
The Nyazungu Business Philosophy
Many times I’ve seen entrepreneurs live in mansions whilst their businesses don’t have basic furniture. As an entrepreneur, you have to be willing to suffer for the first few years for your business to succeed.
"Businesses are built by people," Nyazungu insists. He is awed by entrepreneurs who tolerate mediocrity and attitude problems. His mantra is simple: **hire slow and fire fast**. To build a great business, you must have the right people on your team.
"Nothing will matter until you sell something," he says. Nyazungu believes that sales is the one department a founder should never fully delegate. "You should be the first salesperson in your company," he advises, emphasizing that continuous training and rehearsal are key to making sales part of the company's DNA.
On Success and Failure
For Nyazungu, success isn't just about money. He defines it as freedom: "Economically, Socially, Physically and Spiritually." He attributes his achievements to relentless hard work. "I never pray for success; when I pray, I just ask God for Wisdom, good health and strength to push myself to be the hardest working person in the room every time."
Nyazungu views failure as a critical part of the journey. He cites the initial attempt to open a Zambian branch in 2020, which had to be shut down due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. "My takeaway from that experience is that timing is everything in business," he reflects.
Q&A with The Chartered Vendor
"If one is an entrepreneur at heart, then money should not be a problem. My advice is to do anything to get the money and upgrade yourself until you can do what you want to do... Do what you must in order to do what you want."
"The book that has inspired me the most is The 10X Rule, written by Grant Cardone. Ever since I read the book, I doubled my goals, and my outlook on life in general changed."
"The most important thing is to care for your customers. You have to replace the word SELL with CARE. When you care about your customers, their success becomes your success."
"You have to work hard, learn as much as possible and sacrifice if you want to succeed. One of the mistakes I see young people make is that they are working to earn, not to learn. If you want to succeed, you have to work in order to learn, then you earn."
David (Solar Sales)