“I believe entrepreneurship is not only about creating wealth, but also about creating opportunities and leaving a positive legacy. For me this ZNCC recognition represents much more than an award. It is a return on effort after more than 10 to 15 years of sacrifice, persistence, learning and building.

It represents the journey from selling chips at a small food outlet to creating an enterprise that employs several people, develops skills, supports communities and contributes towards national development,” said Sigauke.

Ngoni Dapira

THE old adage that says ‘if at first you don’t succeed try, try again’ is a classic proverb that encourages perseverance in the face of initial failure. The 2026 Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) national Business Awards Young Entrepreneur of the Year recipient, Tapiwa Sigauke, attests this adage as he opened up on his journey into business.

Sigauke (black suit with glasses) sitting with other receipients and guests at the national awards in Victoria Falls.

Sigauke who had first scooped the Manicaland ZNCC Young Entrepreneur of the Year award earlier last month last week Thursday went on to win the national award during the national ZNCC Presidential Dinner and Awards Ceremony held in Victoria Falls. A graduate with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and Communication from Midlands State University attained in 2009, Sigauke said like most educated youths, in the wake of limited job opportunities in the country, he tried applying for jobs within his profession but failed to get a job in five years. That is when he had to become a jack of all trades trying out new ventures and other fields.

But at 41 years old now, Sigauke speaks with the conviction of someone who knows exactly where he wants to go. His ambition is to become a respected player in the earthmoving and construction business, where he is the logistics director of Rodmc Construction and Earthmoving, an indigenous Zimbabwean company specialising in earthmoving equipment hire, civil engineering construction and the supply of building aggregates.

“You do not just wake up running a business. It takes a lot to venture into something and invest towards it,” said Sigauke.

Like many aspiring young entrepreneurs, Sigauke said he entered an industry facing significant challenges, but he believes challenges are part of the journey rather than reasons to give up.

“I believe life is about overcoming your fears. Whether it’s fear of the unknown or worried that you will not make it, you can’t let that fear stop you from chasing your dream,” he said.

Narrating his business journey, Sigauke, born and bred in Mutare, who is the last born in a family of nine, said the ups and downs he faced in his life have taught him lessons that extend far beyond running their company, but valuing friendship and networking. Whilst some last born children are spoilt and out for grabs to inherit and be spoon fed, he said he always wanted to stand on his own feet.

“One of the most important values has been patience. You cannot rush certain things in business. When you rush, you are likely to mess up something that could actually work out better in due course. The most important thing I’ve learnt is patience.”

However, before venturing into the earthmoving and construction industry, Tapiwa started his business journey from a modest beginning of running a small fast food outlet where he sold fresh chips. Through discipline, hard work and reinvesting into his vision, Tapiwa transitioned from the fast food business into the car sales business, starting with just one vehicle acquired through savings generated from his fast food business. With determination and a strong entrepreneurial mindset, he grew the car sales venture into a successful business.

During that period, he also worked as a logistics manager at Mainland Transport in Mutare, where he gained valuable experience in transport management, operations and business coordination. His experience in logistics and transport strengthened his understanding of the earthmoving and construction business systems and prepared him for the journey ahead. It was from this foundation that Rodmc Construction and Earthmoving was born in 2016. They started the company together with his friend McDonald Chasaya who is the operations director. They worked together at Mainland Transport and both shared the same vision of running their own business in the sector.

“In our early stages, Rodmc relied on hiring machinery from other cities to execute projects. However, through perseverance and the principle of building brick by brick, we acquired our first machine in 2017. From that milestone, Rodmc continued to grow steadily and has expanded its fleet, now owning much of the earthmoving equipment required to successfully execute projects across different sectors. We are now employing over a 100 people and creating opportunities for many others through skills development and training,” said Sigauke.

He said at Mainland Transport, he was also involved in the rehabilitation of the Victoria Falls Airport, which gave him exposure to undertake major infrastructure projects. He also worked in collaboration with other companies to build the NSSA building in Chipinge, so they started their company with a lot of experience and exposure in the industry.

Rodmc Construction and Earthmoving has participated in several projects that have contributed towards infrastructure development in Manicaland and beyond. The company has built a strong presence through consistent engagement and service delivery with local authorities, including Mutare Municipality, Mutasa Rural District Council, Chimanimani Rural District Council and Chipinge Rural District Council.

“Some of the major projects we have done as Rodmc are the installation of the Dangamvura water pipeline, which significantly improved water supply for Dangamvura and we have also done numerous road rehabilitation projects in and around Mutare and Mutasa Rural District Council. We have done various earthworks projects within the mining sector, including work associated with Caledonia Mining Corporation. We were also part of the rehabilitation and refurbishment of the Grand Reef Airport in Mutare in preparation for the Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo,” said Sigauke.

On corporate social responsibility he said Rodmic on several occasions has also provided support during mining-related emergencies by availing earthmoving equipment to assist in rescue and recovery efforts involving trapped miners. Through these interventions, the company has contributed towards saving lives and assisting affected families during difficult moments.

His vision extends beyond his own success. He hopes that one day their earthmoving and construction business will create opportunities for others to grow in the sector.

As a two-time ZNCC award winner, the first being in 2019 where their company was recognised as the second runner-up in the Small to Medium Enterprises award category and the second his recent award, Sigauke said as a budding young entrepreneur he believes resilience is one of the most valuable qualities any aspiring young businessman must have.

“I believe entrepreneurship is not only about creating wealth, but also about creating opportunities and leaving a positive legacy. For me this ZNCC recognition represents much more than an award. It is a return on effort after more than 10 to 15 years of sacrifice, persistence, learning and building.

It represents the journey from selling chips at a small food outlet to creating an enterprise that employs several people, develops skills, supports communities and contributes towards national development,” said Sigauke.

He said he also believes mentorship and collaborations are critical for young people entering the business world.