In 2024, after years of requests from peers and industry leaders, Dr. Divine Simbi Ndhlukula launched her debut book, Entrepreneurial
Success: Insights on Growing Business in a Fluid Economy. More than a business book, it is a manual for building resilient companies in uncertain markets, shaped by her decades of experience at the helm of SECURICO and Zvikomborero Farms.
The book blends story with strategy, offering insights that cut across sectors and speak directly to entrepreneurs, managers, and students navigating Africa’s fluid economies. From mindset and identity to people and processes, to financial discipline and execution, it lays out practical lessons on how to build systems that endure volatility and create long-term value.
The reception was immediate and powerful. Phillip Mataranyika, Founder and Group CEO of Nyaradzo Group, described it as: “a trove of wisdom, rooted in the heart of Zimbabwe, carrying universal lessons in perseverance and strategic foresight.”
Gloria, business executive, Difference-maker, Leadership Development Enthusiast, added: “Divine’s book is packed with practical wisdom for business leaders. Her resilience, moral courage, sheer determination, and focus on people are inspiring. She simply never gave up and built an incredible company, all with grace and joy. A delightfully written book.”
While Kesina Dumba, Dream Builder Coach, Speaker and HR Executive, noted: “This book is a manual for success in both business and life. It’s full of mentorship and wisdom, with your heart poured into every page. Meeting you in person is icing on the cake, but the book is the real deal.”
Below are five key takeaways from the book:
5 Key Takeaways
1. Mindset is strategy.
Clarity of purpose, values, and resilience form the foundation of leadership. In volatile environments, mindset steadies the course when everything else is shifting.
2. People and processes drive sustainability.
Hire for attitude, train for excellence, and embed routines that protect quality. Culture is built daily through accountability and the steady raising of standards.
3. Execution is the real differentiator.
Ideas only matter if they are acted upon, measured, refined, and improved. Growth depends on disciplined follow-through, not big visions alone.
4. Financial discipline is nonnegotiable.
Cash flow is the quiet partner of every successful venture. Sustainable growth rests on careful management of resources, especially in unpredictable markets.
5. Networks and community matter.
Mentors and strong connections can accelerate progress, while family and society are central to how success is defined and shared. Success is not built alone; it thrives within the strength of community, family, and society. As Trevor Ncube, executive chairman of Alpha Media Holdings, put it: “Well done for the courage and the discipline to write. I know there is more where this came from. You are not done yet.”
Entrepreneurial Success is not just a reflection on one woman’s journey; it is a handbook for anyone starting in business, for leaders navigating volatile economies, and for students who want lessons rooted in Africa but applicable everywhere. The book is available on Akello and at selected physical locations.
*For more information or purchase enquiries, email: info@divinesimbindhlukula.co.zw
