Johannesburg - Businessman Lazarus man takes the world into his confidence in his rivitting debut book, Time and Chance -daring to dream.
Universities teach on the examples of textbooks and not people with a proven record. That was the comment of businessman Richard Branson, criticising learning that is simply textbook education.
Businessman Lazarus Zim's tell all book on business in South Africa, love and family, faith, the controversial, politics and overcoming life's great obstacles may very well be the manual for every budding entrepreneur and every person intrigued by the journey to success.
Former president Zuma and the Gupta family also make a surprise entry into the book.
Zim studied at Fort Hare, Wits University and recieved an Mastets in Commerce from the then Rand Afrikaans University(now UJ) and an honorary Doctorate of Commerce from the University of Fort Hare.
Zim served as CEO of the M-Net Channel, MD of M-Net SuperSport, CEO of MIH South Africa, MD of MTN International and Executive Director of the MTN Group, and Chief Executive of Anglo America SA.
The book has a clear thread running across it. It is that everyone has faced obstacles but how you deal with those obstacles can be the difference between happiness and misery. While successful people are just like everyone else because they too have faced adversity, Zim's book stops at nothing in calling out the many challenges in the executive floor, particularly for a black man.
The book serves as both a lesson on South African business and an inspirational manual for those who have feel beaten by life but want to fight back!
This book is unique in that it borrows from the literary genres of biography/history and motivational writing to present a fresh perspective on life. Although the book focuses on the life of Zim and some known personalities, it is clearly his book and not the hand of a ghost writer.
The books most impactful element is the use of Zim's pictures to tell his story as pictures with Bill Clinton, Thabo Mbeki, Vladamir Putin visit the book.
Zim has not shied away from placing some controversial characters in the book. What was the biggest mining deal in Mbeki's administration? What really happened at Telkom? Could government have done more to save jobs in the sector? Is there hope for our SOE's? What were some of the conversations among CEO's about Zuma during his most powerful days?
Zim has not held back in placing the reader inside the story.
A must read for any patriotic South African.
The Star