Good morning to the Headmaster and staff, members of the SGB, parents, students, fellow Old Boys and most importantly, the matriculants of Maritzburg College 2024.
It’s an honour to stand before you today at such a significant moment. Today, we celebrate the achievements of our boys —your hard work, dedication, and resilience that have brought you to this milestone. But as we celebrate your past successes, we must also look toward your future—a future that promises both incredible opportunities and significant challenges.
The theme of my address today is the entrepreneurial mindset and support systems.
I want to talk to you about something that has never been more relevant than it is now: the skills and mindset needed to thrive in an ever changing and entrepreneurial driven world. We are living in an era where the traditional career paths your parents followed are changing. The world is evolving at a pace that’s hard to keep up with, and many of you sitting here today will not only be employed but also self-employed, likely holding multiple roles across various industries. And most likely include a side hustle or two.
Research suggests that on average you will each have fifteen to eighteen jobs across six different industries in your lifetimes.
Globally, entrepreneurship has become the engine of economic progress. We hear the term all the time, but at its core, it represents something profound: the ability to create, innovate, and seize opportunities. As former U.S. President Barack Obama once said, “Entrepreneurship remains the engine of our economy, giving individuals the ability to turn their ideas and passions into something tangible and valuable.” This is true whether you’re in Silicon Valley or the Msunduzi River Valley.
But let’s be real for a moment. South Africa faces some unique challenges. Unemployment remains stubbornly high, and economic inequality is one of the most significant issues we must contend with. Yet, in this context, the entrepreneurial spirit can serve as a powerful force for change. The resilience, creativity, and determination that are part of our national character are the same qualities that define successful entrepreneurs.
But here’s the hard truth: the skills required to succeed in this new world are largely not taught in traditional classrooms—whether here at Maritzburg College or anywhere else in the world. We live in a time where adaptability, creativity, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence are as critical, if not more, than the subjects taught from textbooks. And yet, how many of us were explicitly taught how to be adaptable? How many of us learned resilience and risk-taking as part of our curriculum?
Growing up how many of you Boys have been asked by your parents, family members and your teachers “what do you want to be when you grow up?” – {Put up your hands}
Now put your hands up if your parents, family members and teachers have ever asked you “what problems do you care about solving?”
Linda Zhang, an educational innovator from Australia, speaks powerfully on this subject in her TED Talk, “Why Schools Should Teach Entrepreneurship.” She challenges us to rethink how we educate the next generation. Zhang argues that “too often we ask children what they want to be when they grow up, but we never ask them about what real problems they are passionate about solving.” Her point is clear: entrepreneurship is not just about business; it’s about cultivating the mindset to tackle real-world problems, and the current education system does not do enough to foster this.
At Maritzburg College, we are fortunate to have a rich history of athletic and cultural excellence, and it is here that many of the vital lessons for life are taught—not in textbooks, but on the sports fields and in the theatres. Whether it’s on Goldstones, Papes, or the basketball courts right here in this very Alan Paton Hall, where we find ourselves this morning, these spaces have shaped young men for generations.
Playing both team and individual sports here teaches the values that are essential in life and entrepreneurship alike—hard work and preparation, teamwork and relying on others, and the importance of continuous learning from coaches and trainers. On the sports fields, you learn that success is not just about talent but about resilience. The ability to bounce back from a setback, the willingness to work harder after a loss, and the persistence to show up day after day are all forged through these activities.
But perhaps most importantly, sport at Maritzburg College teaches you something entrepreneurship demands: that opportunity often favours the brave, the risk-takers, those who see the gap and go for it. Whether it’s the split-second decision in a rugby match to make a break or the calculated risk in business, the mindset is the same. On these astro turfs, fields and courts, you learn to trust in yourself, but also to rely on your team—because, in both sports and life, no one achieves alone.
At Maritzburg College, we must take these lessons seriously, beyond the sports fields and into our broader approach to education. We need to ask ourselves how we can better equip our Boys for the world they are about to step into. Yes, knowledge is essential, but so are these soft skills—the ability to collaborate, to lead, to innovate, and, above all, to persevere.
But that brings us back to the entrepreneurial mindset, because it’s not just about starting a business. It’s about cultivating a mindset of innovation. It’s about learning how to pivot when things don’t go as planned. And it’s about having the courage to try new things, to take calculated risks, and to trust in your ability to figure things out along the way. Mostly though, its about solving the problems you care about.
This brings me to an essential point: the role of the Maritzburg College community. Boys, you are not alone on this journey called life. The support systems that will carry you through your future endeavours are right here—among your classmates, your teachers, and, importantly, the vast network of Maritzburg College alumni.
Our alumni are not just successful individuals; they are part of a community that believes in giving back. Whether through mentorship, investment, or opening doors to new opportunities, they are a resource that you can—and should—tap into. This is not just a support system; it is your privilege, your secret sauce, your competitive advantage. As you step out of these school gates, remember that you are part of something bigger than yourself. You are part of a legacy that values not just individual success, but collective progress.
One of the greatest strengths of Maritzburg College is the network that binds us all together. Entrepreneurship and life are often a lonely journey, but they doesn’t have to be. With the right support, the road to success becomes smoother, and the obstacles become easier to overcome. As the College community, we have a responsibility to ensure that the next generation of entrepreneurs—many of whom are sitting here today—are equipped with the tools and guidance they need to thrive.
So what Needs to Change?
For us, as a community, this means we need to rethink how we prepare you for life beyond school. While we have an excellent academic foundation, we need to expand our focus on developing entrepreneurial skills and mindsets. Seeing the world through the lense of an entrepreneur is important for all high school students as their careers will not be one straight line, their careers will be an evolving set of opportunities to create new solutions. We need to encourage creativity, risk-taking, and initiative. We need to foster resilience and perseverance. And most importantly, we need to provide platforms for you to practice these skills while you are still here at school.
Education cannot just be about how well you can learn for a test and how well you memorise things. Education must be about helping our children find the things they care about, having the curiosity to learn about those things and having the drive to take their knowledge and solve these problems.
This is not the job of Maritzburg College alone, I call on the alumni, parents, and broader community to contribute to this. Whether it’s through mentorship programs, internships, workshops, or even just sharing your own entrepreneurial journey, every little bit helps. Our boys need the real-world experience that goes beyond the classroom walls. As Linda Zhang suggests, the entrepreneurial mindset is a tool for unlocking the hidden potential in students by encouraging them to solve real-world problems that matter to them.
The good news for the Maritzburg College Matric Class of 2024 is that you do not venture into your futures alone. You have the collective knowledge and experience of the thousands of Maritzburg College boys who have come before you. I implore you to tap into that collective knowledge and wisdom. It is a resource available to you in all your future endeavours, one that will open doors, provide guidance, and offer insights as you chart your path forward.
The Maritzburg College Old Boys’ Association was developed for this very purpose: to ensure that every College boy, past and present, has access to the incredible wealth of knowledge and experience that this community has accumulated over the years. And now, through the application of modern technology, such as the College Connect Tool, the Old Boys Association has empowered this matric class like never before. This tool gives you the ability to tap into this collective knowledge and wisdom from anywhere, at any time ensuring that the support of the College community is always just a click away.
In conclusion, I want to leave you with a final thought: the future belongs to the bold, the curious, and the resilient. Maritzburg College has given you a foundation, but now it’s up to you to build upon it. You have the ability to shape your future in ways that were unimaginable just a generation ago.
As Richard Branson once said, “Opportunities are like buses; there’s always another one coming.” And when you see that opportunity, you must seize it—because it’s often the ones willing to take risks and think differently who end up changing the world.
Lastly, I want to share a powerful message from one of Apple’s most famous adverts, “The Crazy Ones.” It captures the essence of entrepreneurship, innovation and leadership: “Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes… the ones who see things differently. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them—because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as crazy, we see genius.”
So, as you leave here today, remember that you are not just men of Maritzburg College. You are the future entrepreneurs, innovators, and leaders. The road ahead will not always be easy, but with the support of this incredible community behind you, there’s no doubt that you will succeed—and who knows, maybe you’ll be one of the “crazy ones” who change the world and we will be cheering you on, not just for your individual success but for our collective progress.