About – Suits & Sneakers

Creating unforgettable connection, always.

``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.``

THE ESSENCE

Suits & Sneakers exists because the world is changing too fast for learning to ever stop. We are a social learning club for adults who want to keep growing, connecting, and making sense of a world that never sits still.

We host a wide range of topics and speakers because the world doesn’t exist in neat little boxes anymore. The goal is simple: every conversation, every idea, and every lesson must translate into real value in the real world. We care less about theory and more about the kind of knowledge that can be applied to move your life, business, or community forward.

We create a space for people who are driven by curiosity. The point is to widen your input system, to expose yourself to new ideas, and to learn from people with real stories and real experience.

We believe the future of education lives somewhere between classrooms and real life, between textbooks and YouTube, between what you were taught and what you discover for yourself. We represent the sneaker side of learning. The curiosity driven, learn as you go, function over form kind of growth that never ends.

The future doesn’t care how you became an expert.

OUR ORIGIN

Suits & Sneakers was founded by Mark Sham in 2015 with a vision to make learning more accessible, relevant, and human. What started as an experiment has grown into a social learning club with physical clubhouses that bring people together in real life. Through these spaces, our community learns, shares ideas, builds meaningful relationships, and develops the confidence to make a positive contribution to the world around them.

SUPPORTING THE SOUL OF SOUTH AFRICA

Suits & Sneakers began as a learning platform but over time our mission has grown into something bigger. We believe South Africa becomes a better place when more people choose to participate in solving the challenges around them. Some do this by building businesses, others through their professions, communities, families, and causes they care deeply about.

At the centre of this mission is a deep commitment to South Africa’s small business ecosystem. We believe small businesses are the heartbeat of the country. When they grow, South Africa grows. Through our community, clubhouses, events, and platforms, we aim to be a guardian angel for small business owners by sharing their stories and helping them access the support they need to thrive.

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

The Suits & Sneakers membership was created for people who believe that learning, connection, and community are worth investing in.

Whether you’re a business owner, professional, freelancer, creative, or lifelong learner, membership gives you access to a growing ecosystem of people who believe in curiosity, contribution, and showing up.

Become part of a community that is helping people grow, supporting small businesses, and creating positive change in South Africa.