Musiyiwa: Byo’s techie start-up
PEOPLE hunched over greasy computer screens, crunching data, writing codes: The scenes are familiar to anyone who has ever been to an internet or computer shop in Silicon Valley. But this isn’t San Francisco. It’s Bulawayo!
And these hunched “computer geeks” mixed with regular Joes and Janes wanting access to the World Wide Web are at a little shop in the CBD.
Inspired to by a basic computer lesson 11 years ago, Elwin Tapiwa Musiyiwa launched an IT business offering internet services and a wide range of IT solutions. Today he is well on his way to becoming one of Bulawayo and Zimbabwe’s tech kings!
As a bubbling 16-year-old high school student, Musiyiwa became somewhat of a “techie” dreamer! And his “techie” dream is today the popular DP.com, a company offering an array of IT-related services.
At 27 years of age, Musiyiwa is today one of the city’s youngest businessmen: not a hustler but a bona fide businessman!
An Elite High School Alumni, Musiyiwa is the founder and manager of DP.com in Bulawayo’s Central Business District and has already been operating the business for the last four years having established the company at 23.
At first sight, Musiyiwa or “Taps” as his friends prefer to call him, is what residents of the Silicon Valley would call a “tech nerd”, someone who is “exceptionally skilled with, knowledgeable of, or enthusiastic about technology”. But after a series of conversations, one realises that he is more than just a tech nerd operating more than just techie upstart. The young entrepreneur is man of vision, a man with a plan for his life and his business.
“When I was 16, I was in an IT and Computer lesson at Elite High School. There wasn’t much to the lesson but I became intrigued with the IT and all that comes with it. From that day, I became fixated with it and decided early on to start and run an IT business as soon humanely possible,” Musiyiwa told Sunday Life.
But before DP.com became a reality, Taps first ventured into the culinary world as a Chef with a local establishment then did a little work supplying video shops like Video Ezy and Eskimo Hut. During that time, all he cared about was raising enough capital to start his own IT business.
“After school I worked a bit as a Chef and then began supplying video shops like Video Ezy and Eskimo Hut. To me these jobs were a means to an end: I was looking to raise funding to start my company,” he said.
But the journey has not been the easiest for the genial businessman. In the four years he has been in business, Musiyiwa has invested in excess of USD30 000. He has invested his time and a good portion of his life in pursuance of his tech dream. He has had to work hard and focus on the one goal even when chips seemed down or his dream began to look like nothing more than that: a pipe dream!
“From my earliest days of starting DP.com four years back and building into what it is today, I have realised that success is down to six key attributes; planning, focus, self-belief, a positive attitude, love for those around you and working tirelessly and patiently,” Musiyiwa revealed. Challenges
Business is all about taking risks. “You start business with a risk, you continue business with a risk and you shut down with a risk,” he notes.
When all other ICT and internet service providers and vendors were happy making money from third party products or closing down due to the ever-increasing costs of data, Musiyiwa took the risk of expanding his business and adding more services and equipment. Today, DP.com continues to come up with innovative solutions to make its space known in the market.
New Horizons
For over four years, DP.com has provided innovative software solutions, world class consultancy, support and internet services. It currently serves a significant number of customers per day. Its clients include some of the largest enterprises and public sector players in the region.
“To many people, the ICT sector may seem stagnant but at DP.com we believe that there will soon be a boom and we want to be in the game when this happens. I envision DP.com becoming a leading player in the ICT sector. Globally this sector is continually evolving and improving and we believe we are primed and ready to become a major player both locally and beyond,” Musiyiwa says. Social Responsibility
The company will soon be launching a mentorship programme for primary school children with a passion for ICT. Musiyiwa said DP.com will be embarking on a programme to capacitate these primary school children with more than basic computer skills.
“My company is currently working on designing a programme that will see us capacitate primary school children with ICT skills. We are not just looking at basic computer skills but a little bit more to enable them to preserve and grow their passion in ICT,” Musiyiwa says.
Musiyiwa’s long term vision is to grow the business, which currently employs two full time staffers, into a modern-day computer centre offering IT solutions, accessories and services. DP.com already offers gaming and will soon be venturing into online gaming.