"My drive to be a billionaire of tomorrow!"

I was fueled by the desire to have a better life and become rich. My entrepreneurship journey was ignited in primary school.

I was the last born in a family of five. Mine was a humble family and with limited financial leverage to ride on. Despite growing up in one of the most decent suburbs in Harare, the capital city of Zimbabwe, my family financial situation was far from the glitter and glamour just down the street.

I was fueled by the desire to have a better life and become rich. My entrepreneurship journey was ignited in primary school. The passion made me realize business opportunities. It led to my first trading business in high school, where I bought and sold wares on demand.

I joined a high school club that nurtured students with an entrepreneurship mindset. This prompted my father to buy me books, which guided me. Books written by real people, with real experiences

The entrepreneurial vision grew when II explored the stock market. Aged fifteen, without an academic qualification but armed with cultivated and imparted knowledge, I started trading stocks. Not only for me, but also on behalf of my family and friends, splitting the profits equally.

The year 2008, saw me taking a radical move. I dropped out of high school after ordinary Level exams to concentrate on the entrepreneurial dream. While stock trading, I saw inefficiencies in the Zimbabwe Stock Market’s system and the need for automation and technology improvements. I pursued the idea, eventually leading to the formation of Chengetedzai Depository Company Limited. While a teenager, I became a shareholder and co-founder of Chengetedzai. In 2021, the company’s deposits were over $10 billion, and trade settlements were beyond $5 billion.

I believe books, experienced people and personal experiences are some of the best resources of learning which are not fully exploited. Books allowed me the knowledge of people I would never meet. I also learned to seek information from experienced business people. I would frequent golf courses and corporate events, where influential minds would be. Experience is a great way to learn, but what you do with what you learn matters most.

I received several prestigious awards: In 2014, the Global Student Entrepreneur Award (Zimbabwe National Champion) and the Junior Chamber International (JCI) Zimbabwe Creative Young Entrepreneur of the year. He was recognized with the Global Student Entrepreneur Award 2015 (Global Finalist) in the following year. The year 2018 saw me featured in the 2018 Forbes Africa 30 Under 30, won the World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Shapers Youth Awards: ICT Sector Entrepreneurial Award, received the Africa Youth Awards: Most Influential Young African, and was the Junior Chamber International (Zimbabwe): Top Outstanding Young Person.

In 2020 Samuelle was awarded the Institute of Corporate Directors: Most influential Young Corporate Director of The Year (Innovation and ICT 2020) and won the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce: Businessman of The Year 2020. He was also the second runner up in the Zimbabwe Institute of Management: Businessman of the Year 2020 and the Institute of Corporate Directors: Most Innovative Board of the Year 2020. In the year which just ended, 2021, he was recognized as the Institute of Corporate Directors: Most Influential Young Corporate Director of The Year (Innovation and ICT 2021), received the Zimbabwe CEO’s Network: Outstanding Young CEO of The Year 2021 award and won the Zimbabwe CEO’s Network: Record-Breaking Outstanding CEO 2021.

My African Dream is to empower Africans to innovate and become global industry players. It is high time that Africa becomes a wealth generator for itself rather than a begging continent.

Samuelle Dimairho - Co-founder of Chengetedzai

I acquired the degrees because I wanted to use the knowledge and keep the promise made to my parents of furthering his formal education. In the commercial field, formal qualifications are needed to meet the industry’s regulations and to hold certain positions such as directorship in a company. I hold a Bachelor’s Honours degree in Applied Accounting from Oxford Brookes University and an ACCA Chartered Certified Accountant qualification.

When I was very young, I wanted to be a pilot, but he was not good at science. However, In February 2021, I started my private pilot license lessons. At the beginning of 2022, I earned a Private Pilot License.

I did not have fortune handed to me on a silver platter but wrestled prejudice, limitations and discouragement at every stage. I want to be a billionaire of tomorrow!

Chengetedzai Depository Company Limited is a limited liability company incorporated in terms of the laws of Zimbabwe and was formed to establish and operate a central securities depository for the Zimbabwe securities industry.

"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.