The numerous social and entertainment events held at Goromonzi High School served as a training ground for a very young Samuel Makuvire to sharpen and refine his enthusiasm for making money through buying and selling.
However, at that time, Samuel did not know that life was preparing him for the road ahead—a road that would eventually lead him to establish a company focused not only on accounting, auditing, and consulting but also diversified enough to venture into the construction and tourism sectors.
Looking back, Samuel now realizes how his high school years helped him develop a deep appreciation for the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, laying the foundation that would eventually lead to the creation of his company, Alinial Chartered Accountants.
“I was born in 1988 in Buhera. I attended Widdecombe Primary School, then completed my O Levels at Mrewa High. I proceeded to do my A Levels at Goromonzi High School. It was during my time at Goromonzi that I started running my own business.
“I established and ran my own tuck shop business. I would buy and sell various items, and I remember making a significant amount of money, especially during our entertainment nights. This sparked a fascination with entrepreneurship and fueled my strong determination to one day start my own business.
“I earned my bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Zimbabwe before completing a postgraduate degree at the University of South Africa. I also studied and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with the Institute of Chartered Accountants Zimbabwe.”
After realizing that working for someone else was not his calling, Samuel—armed with limited finances but a burning passion for entrepreneurship—established Alinial Chartered Accountants in 2023.
As the managing director, Samuel is the strategic mind behind a company involved in accounting, consulting, information and communication technology (ICT), and other investment initiatives.
Although his company is less than a year old, Samuel is pleased with the progress they have made and is optimistic about growing the brand to become a major force in the near future. Beyond the success he anticipates from running his own business, Samuel feels a sense of fulfillment that can be traced back to his days at Goromonzi High School.
“Running a business offers endless possibilities. I am driven by the need to scale up, with no limitations because the sky is the limit. I also enjoy generating new ideas and executing them to see if they work. That is the joy of running your own enterprise.”
Apart from the challenges many startups face, such as limited access to capital, Samuel reveals other complications that nearly derailed his business before it even started.
“Our firm is diverse, and we differ from traditional audit firms that focus only on audit, tax, and advisory. One of our major challenges was that the regulator, the Public Accountants and Auditors Board, did not fully understand the structure of our operations, which led to difficulties in registration.
“This caused a setback for us. However, through continuous engagement and wins in court, we managed to overcome this hurdle.”
In less than a year, Samuel is satisfied with the impact Alinial has made, and this success fuels his belief that the future is very bright. The company, which relies on technological innovations, currently employs ten people, and Samuel envisions this number growing as the business becomes fully operational.
“We have expanded more rapidly than what one would expect from a young company. We were appointed financial advisors to the Zimbabwe Chamber of SMEs, the largest association of SMEs in the country. We’ve also developed a database for all SMEs in Zimbabwe.
“We are constructing a boarding school in Guruve. Once operational, the plan is to list it on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange.
“We’re also excited about our investment arm, which acquired land in Tokwe Mukosi to build a hotel, conference center, and service station. Additionally, we are involved in a project that will result in the construction of a gated community in Karoi.”
With Samuel Makuvire at the helm, Alinial Chartered Accountants is poised to grow from strength to strength. His passion, motivation, and determination to push himself to the limit have not only helped him achieve his dream but have also created sustainable employment opportunities for his colleagues.