The Sunday Mail
Ishemunyoro Chingwere
Business Reporter
Not once, but twice, 32-year-old entrepreneur Mr Victor Matiyenga’s name was called out and the businessman straddled his way to the stage to pick awards that recognised the outstanding journey that he has walked with Exquisite Cars (Pvt) Limited.
The occasion was the Zimbabwe Business Awards annual ceremony.
Mr Matiyenga, who is the managing director of Exquisite Car Sales was crowned Businessman of the Year (Automotive Services) and his company was honoured as the Company of the Year (Automotive Services).
For the uninitiated and even those that have known him, the temptation is to think that the gongs came on a silver platter as his father, Mr Washington Matiyenga, was in the automotive industry and thus gave the younger Matiyenga a soft landing.
But far from it, this did not come easily.
The success he is now being honoured for, is a culmination of a 10-year apprenticeship under the senior Matiyenga’s, wing — part of which was not as smooth as some would think.
Exquisite Car Sales, is one of the leading automotive industry players in the country, which prides itself in top of the range vehicle sales and valuations.
It’s a journey which started with Mr Matiyenga being denied the opportunity to pursue a university degree on which he hoped to launch a “fancy” white collar career.
Apart from being denied the opportunity to pursue “a normal career development path”, young Matiyenga grudgingly joined his father at his car selling business.
His solace was that he will at least have a grand arrival at the company and be treated like the prince he was.
But more disappointment was in store for the youngster. Mr Matiyenga soon got used to not only being denied a senior management position next to the boss — his father, but was so low in the pecking order that he was not even allowed to engage with clients.
The reason being, his father reasoned the boy knew nothing about the automobile industry and thus there was no value in having him engaging with clients but rather would do better off assisting with car wash duties.
“Here am I, budding youngster, denied the opportunity to pursue a path that should have taken me to University because my father reasoned that there was no point taking that long route when in the end I will still need to come back and establish my own business,” said Mr Matiyenga as he sat down for an interview with The Sunday Mail Business.
“Naturally as the decision was made at home that I join the old man at his business, I thought that I was going to immediately become the deputy head of the company.
“But alas, he had his own ideas. I wasn’t allowed near customers or to sell cars because the old man said I knew nothing about the automobile industry. He said I needed to learn the ropes from scratch and that meant joining the guys who were responsible for car washing,” he said.
Having started off in 2008 where he was confined to car washing responsibilities, Mr Matiyenga would, two years later, get promoted into being a sales representative, a position which meant he was now engaging with clients but most importantly began to widen his scope of the industry.
It meant that his salary and commission was improved and he began saving with a view to then start his own business.
In 2012, a further cap would come his way as he joined the father in travelling to South Africa where the two would source cars for resale.
“The work that I had hoped to start with, only came in 2012, that is when I started to accompany the old man to Johannesburg and Durban to buy cars,” said Mr Matiyenga.
“From there I began engaging suppliers and it is during this period that I learnt to grade cars to an extent that whatever we certify now, we are sure it won’t give our clients problems,” he said.
One of the biggest challenges that afflicts the automobile industry particularly when it comes to second hand vehicles are suppliers who tamper with the mileage and those that sell accident damaged vehicles but are not honest enough to reveal this information.
All these pitfalls, Mr Matiyenga experienced them in his early days in the industry and he can easily identify these before falling prey.
Despite his apparent success which has brought with them national recognition, he says there is still a lot to be achieved.
“The future should see us go across borders and open shops,” Mr Matiyenga says, “we are targeting service centres where we not only sell but maintain the cars.
“We are at a stage where we feel we must now apply for a dealership licence and sale brand new. However, unlike others, we want a situation where we can do all brands instead of focusing on just one,” he said.
