“I had to borrow from friends!”

Playing it safe isn’t what this tech entrepreneur would be known for or described as. It’s no secret that rocking the boat is something that gives me life, from a cooperate worker, to building something that would be known as Africa’s best exclusive marketplace company from Zambia has been far from easy.

Building a tech start-up in a country that is just getting accustomed to technology hasn’t been really easy, we noticed a gap in the eCommerce sector, with my partner, and we thought it would be great to jump on the opportunity and help solve some of the problems of online shopping.

But it has not been easy as we are a bootstrapping company; still trying teach people and how to shop online, make payments and trust that they will receive the products.

I left my job in South Africa when I saw an opportunity to build an innovation company that has E-commerce as one of its major subsidiaries.

One of many risks we took was betting everything we had.

Someone once said: “Entrepreneurship is making a bet on something you believe and doubling it as many times as you need to until you become successful. ” We took that and ran with it.

Against all odds we started approaching SMEs, as those are our main focus, so we can help them establish their brands and have a strong online presence through a trusted platform.

For over six months, we tried and only had one paying client to show for it. Sometimes it would go for months without any sales, no matter how we tried. We held on to the fact that this is the life we chose.

We slowly started getting recognition; we were published in Disrupt Africa as one of the key players in eCommerce in Africa.

Now, being named among Jumia and Takealot was a huge boost for our company and then….

A few months later Covid hit the country and we were forced to work in a world without movement. That was one of the darkest moments of my life.

To make matters worse, our start-up had been self-funded; some of our friends left, we had no financial help, we were running low on cash.

Some customers didn’t trust that we will deliver, they would rather make orders and pay on delivery and that would be a risk if they didn’t like the products.

But it’s during that time that Gettitonline.com started getting traction over essentials and easy delivery; our story started reaching the masses.

“Entrepreneurship is making a bet on something you believe and doubling it as many times as you need to until you become successful.”

Andie Malukutu

A few months later we landed deal with an established South African company that listed their products exclusively on Gettitonline.com and we started seeing a turn for the better.

In the beginning , we had a few people telling us of how it will not work saying Zambia wasn’t yet ripe for that type of market where many tried and failed.

But I am very comfortable with criticism and conflict, probably because I have gone to great lengths to see my dream come to fruition.

Perhaps that comes from growing up an orphan, I understood from a young age that no one is coming to save me but it’s up to me to break free and break through to build something that will transcend generations.

Being gifted and having a vision is costly emotionally, mentally and financially.

You’ll experience a certain level of isolation that will make you doubt yourself and your decisions. Building something worthy is spine fracturing and mind torturing.

But I got the message loud and clear; I told myself: “I’m the guy it always works out for, through my resilience and never ending will to keep pushing I gave up the idea of giving up, I remember there was a time I couldn’t even find the money for hosting the website! I had to borrow from friends.”

Gettitonline is still in its early stages, but the future and promising to be one of the best tech companies to come out of Africa. With its steady growth both from clients, customers and its team putting the best to always innovate and find ways to make life so much easier for the community it’s safe to say we are glad we took the leap; it was never easy at that time but we are on the right path. Finally.

"RISK AND GLORY!
(What’s your story?)"

Billionaire Tomorrow launches a new section capturing the sacrifice, spirit and splendour of the African entrepreneur.

This is a section written by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs. Each piece is a snapshot in the struggles and triumphs of those who swim against the tide to risk their own money for uncertain reward. The thoughts of an entrepreneur who fights his, or her, way past the naysayers, sceptics and reluctant lenders to stake their claim.

The way to reward and glory? All too often, this is a rocky road, fringed with thorns, with slithering snakes in the shady undergrowth.

You can earn from telling these stories too. If you write for Risk and Glory you get a chance to earn our new token – The Bil. The more people who read your story, the more tokens you earn. Send me 800 words of your story to me at Chris@billionairetomorrow.com.

Check it out.