BUDDING entrepreneurs have been exhorted to conduct meticulous market research and anchor their businesses on providing solutions to people's everyday challenges.

This was revealed at the Venon Chamba Business Seminar held last Friday under the banner "exploiting business opportunities".

Hosted by business mentor and motivational speaker, Pastor Venon Chamba, the seminar sought to inspire entrepreneurs, and mentoring attitudes when conducting business in the local business environment.

Serial entrepreneur Mr Mudiwa Hood emphasised on the need to shift mindset and be confident when one embarks on an entrepreneurship journey.

"For you to be successful in business you need to be a positive thinker, there are so many opportunities in Zimbabwe but here you are, you do not have a company, nothing registered, the furthest I can do is to encourage you to do something. For you to transform and become successful, it has to come from you, be positive and say that I can make it," said Mr Mudiwa Hood.

The speakers spoke at length on how to harness and exploit business opportunities in a difficult operating environment.

The Venon Chamba Business Seminars have been held since last year and have grown exponentially to command a large audience across the country.

Weighing in on the need to harness business opportunities in Zimbabwe thought leader and human capital trainer, Advocate Arthur Marara said business revolves around providing solutions to problems and entrepreneurs should conduct intensive market research before investing in a business.

He also said that business was simply about providing profitable solutions to problems.

"Everyone who is in business is trying to solve a problem, any company that you can think of is providing a solution, try by all means possible to be a problem solver when establishing your business, market research is something that everyone must work on, you need to discern to the needs of the market , identify the pain point and centre your business on solving something that is troubling people and I guarantee you that your business will succeed.

"What you simply need to do is provide a solution, when you wake up think of problems you are seeing and what solution you can provide.

"When we talk about harnessing opportunities, you need to understand the space you are operating in," said Advocate Marara.

The Friday event was oversubscribed as entrepreneurs sought to gain practical experiences from established thought leaders and entrepreneurs.

Mr Marara has made a name for himself in the life coaching and book writing, commanding respect in both areas.

Mr Mudiwa Hood is an experienced economist, banker, serial entrepreneur, author and fashion mogul who boasts of a diverse business empire that stretches from real estate, finance, construction, energy, logistics and clothing industries.

He is the CEO and founder of companies that include Sky Angel Private Jet Charter, Fundmass, Optima Construction, Disrupt Media, Mudiwa Hood Holdings, Bisep Security, Optima Cleaning and Red Carpet Events, and other businesses.