What We’ve Learned Building Yaita — The Good, The Hard, and The Real
Why We’re Telling This Story
When we first started Yaita, we weren’t chasing buzzwords like “last-mile logistics” or “fulfillment-as-a-service.” We were solving a problem that stared us in the face every day—small businesses in Zimbabwe couldn’t reliably deliver products to customers, and it was costing them growth.
This post isn’t a victory lap. It’s a reflection. A chance to be honest about what worked, what broke us, and why—despite it all—we’re still here, rebuilding with more conviction than ever.
What We’re Proud Of
We Got Our Hands Dirty
We didn’t just build a tech platform—we walked the routes, sat with merchants, rode with drivers, and handled cash ourselves. That’s how we came to understand that the real value wasn’t just in software, but in simplifying real-world interactions.
We Validated Demand
Early on, we saw merchants eager to offload fulfillment. We saw customers relieved when packages arrived on time. And we saw drivers—some previously unemployed—earning through the Yaita network. That kind of validation is rare, and we don’t take it lightly.
We Built a Brand That Meant Something
Even in our earliest form, people remembered Yaita. They remembered the color, the care, and the promise: that someone was finally trying to make delivery make sense for the small guy.
What Challenged Us
We Didn’t Have Clear Processes
At the beginning, enthusiasm outran structure. Orders came in from WhatsApp, instructions were handwritten, cash was collected and reconciled manually. We lacked SOPs. We lacked automation. We were building the car while already on the road.
Our Tech Wasn’t Ready
We underestimated what it would take to build a reliable, scalable platform. Our MVP worked—but just barely. It couldn’t handle multiple parallel orders or assign drivers based on distance or availability. We relied too much on human patchwork, and it showed.
Funding Was Elusive
Raising capital in Zimbabwe, especially for a logistics startup, felt like shouting into the void. Investors wanted traction; we needed capital to get it. It was a loop we couldn’t break. And so, we stretched every dollar, sometimes at the cost of sustainability.
We Burnt Out
There’s no poetry in pushing past your limit. The stress of managing operations, tech, customers, and finances without a clear path forward wore us thin. We lost pace. And eventually, we paused operations—not because the idea failed, but because we did.
What We Now Understand
E-commerce in Zimbabwe Isn’t Just Copy-Paste
What works elsewhere doesn’t automatically translate. Our market is hybrid: digital and informal, tech-savvy yet cash-reliant. Success means meeting people where they are, not where we think they should be.
Trust Is the Product
Merchants don’t just want delivery—they want visibility, accountability, and speed. Customers don’t just want products—they want confidence that what they ordered will actually show up. We learned that what we’re delivering is trust, not just packages.
Data Is Gold, but Only If You Use It
We were sitting on order trends, delivery durations, fulfillment gaps—but weren’t analyzing them. Our reboot puts data at the center, not just for us, but for merchants too. Insights help everyone grow.
There’s Power in Starting Over
Shutting down Yaita the first time was humbling. But it gave us clarity. We didn’t fail because the market wasn’t ready—we failed because we didn’t equip ourselves properly. That’s no longer the case.
Where We’re Headed Now
We’re rebuilding Yaita from the ground up. But this time, smarter:
We’re not building a delivery app. We’re building infrastructure for businesses to grow through e-commerce.
Closing Reflection
To every merchant who trusted us early, to every driver who showed up, to every team member who stuck around—we’re grateful.
To anyone building in tough markets: it’s okay to pause. It’s okay to pivot. What matters is that you stay in the game long enough to get it right.
We’re building in public now. If this journey speaks to you—whether as a merchant, partner, investor, or fellow builder—let’s talk. We’ve got stories to share and a future to shape.