I lost my job the night before Christmas.

Can you relate?

Yeah I did. The e-mail was something I wasn't really looking forward to during a festive mood but I read it once and I deleted.

So many things crossed my mind and I wondered, who does that? Right? I quickly picked up my drink and partied on, I was just so happy at that moment and nothing could take it away. I had not seen my family the whole of 2020 and being back with my loved ones was a high that even an e-mail in bad taste could not bring down.

So I quickly told myself that I had lost a job but not my career. I still had what it takes and in no time I was looking forward to what's next?

Truth be told I have had my fair share of bad bosses and unprofessional standards at media work places. It seems Zimbabwe is awash with these.

My first time in a newsroom, in a new city, struggling with the language. My boss insisted in holding an entire diary session in Ndebele, fully knowing my predicament. It pushed me to get a few cousins of mine as teachers and a few girlfriends who spoke the language to at least boost my chances of understanding the conversations at work. I was moved to another desk and I excelled within a loving environment under the tutelage of a dearly departed Health Editor who not only showed me the ropes but acted professionally, always.

Over the years, I got a lot of stick. I assume it is the trade and that all was to make me a better person within my career.

Once, when I was doing an early morning radio show for a national station based in Gweru. I decided, as it was customary to play the national anthem before the next show, to sing it instead. I thought it was a good thing if I could remember all the verses and so I gave it a good go. I felt that it was "good radio". To my surprise, I was in the bosses office before afternoon and being told how badly I had done on that decision to sing the anthem. My immediate boss had lied that communication had come from the "higher bosses" and that I needed to sort out millions of "urban grovers" music in the library as punishment. It was a joke! One, I was proud of my nationality enough to sing the anthem but it got downplayed as an act of unprofessionalism, and two, what sort of professional work space gives grown ups "punishment"? Cleaning up a mess in someone else's office?

Then there is the time I was robbed of my hard earned cash while working with a colleague on a job as a freelance photographer. He had supplied me with his faulty camera that I had used before but over the years had deteriorated badly and could not focus. After all attempts to save that job, he still blamed me for not producing the shoot well enough.

Oh, and before I forget. There was another time when I almost lost the same job I eventually lost on Christmas eve, when an executive allowed for content to be aired without clearing it. I was given an instruction, followed it and got a two weeks suspension for it while the said culprit was grinning behind how head hunted he was and only got a letter as a warning. After that, all indications were clear to me that I was on my way out.

Journalism in Zimbabwe is not as colourful as many tend to see it. Underneath the fancy freebies, networking and connections in the field, there is also a lot of hurt and meagre salaries experienced here. Stories of back stabbing individuals, unfair treatment, nepotism, exploitation and harassment are rife and only the "strongest" survive here. The strong ones who commit all these "isms" and the ones who are strong enough to endure the hurt.

In the end, I moved on and stayed true to the game. I prevailed in all but the latest debacle on Christmas eve was just a constant reminder that no one owes you happiness and that you owe it upon yourself to construct pockets of happiness that make you grow as a person and in your career.

And so I started a podcast, I called it The Joe Mars Podcast and created a happiness within a career that I went in lovingly and willingly like a sheep off to slaughter. All the good and bad times I met along my 17 year journey have been sharpening me to something great. The notion of making it out on your own has been slowly and unlikely taken by many in my field and I believe this year, many will see the light. There is a growing need for independent creators and producers as we have come to see on YouTube and Instagram.

While listening to Twitter Spaces recently, a lady spoke something beautifully to all those who listened. She said that, "...remember that you are the product...". Amongst the many good things she said, this was my take a

way. It's important for one to come to a realisation on what they are to the world and how as a "product" you can be of good use to the next.

And so since starting out on my podcast in January 2021, I have over 2000 people who have visited my website and other platforms to read or listen to my podcasts where I host interesting people from Zimbabwe who are contributing to the culture of music, business and entrepreneurship. It is my hope that as a product, my produce will help the next best thing to come out of Zimbabwe into understanding that, you have the power within! You are a force to reckon with and that nothing can stop you from achieving what you would have set out to achieve, no matter what time.

You can check out my podcast here.