Mark Sham is a dynamic entrepreneur, author, and speaker from South Africa, known for his passionate advocacy for informal education and his commitment to supporting small businesses. Mark’s entrepreneurial journey is remarkable, given that he was expelled from school at 17 and has no formal education. Instead, he mastered the world of informal education, leveraging his experiences and self-taught knowledge to propel his career forward.

Mark is the founder of several innovative ventures:

Suits & Sneakers: A social enterprise dedicated to revolutionising education. Suits & Sneakers hosts events and creates content aimed at promoting lifelong learning through informal education. The organisation believes in the power of continuous learning to stay relevant in today’s fast-paced world.

The Tryst: A multi-purpose content creation hub located in Johannesburg. The Tryst features a hybrid event space, video studios, training areas, and a bar. It serves as a collaborative space for bold brands and innovative ideas, helping individuals and companies create meaningful and engaging content.

Like a Tourist: This venture focuses on creating unique travel content that highlights the beauty and diverse experiences available in South Africa. Like a Tourist aims to inspire both locals and visitors to explore and appreciate the country’s many hidden gems.

Through his various initiatives, Mark aims to contribute to the future success and prosperity of South Africa. His story is one of overcoming adversity and using unconventional means to achieve success, serving as an inspiration to many aspiring entrepreneurs and lifelong learners.

Speaker Details
Speaker Details
Events of the Speaker
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30 June 2026
6:30 pm
In this sharp, no-nonsense keynote, Gilli unpacks how she transformed herself into a fully independent performing artist. She will share the practical skills, marketing knowledge, and most importantly, the self-reliant attitude required to build an audience from scratch.
24 June 2026
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Most people value personal safety yet almost no one has the time to spend years mastering complex martial arts. The result is that we drift into the dangerous alternative of knowing absolutely nothing, leaving our safety entirely to chance. Mark Grobbelaar calls the massive space between being a master ninja and being completely defenseless "The Niche."
8 June 2026
6:30 pm
GG calls it KasiNomics, the economics of the informal sector. Instead of accepting the long-standing narrative that frames it as an “informal” or “underdeveloped” or “survivalist space, GG positions it as a profitable, thriving and diverse economic sector that is worth over a trillion rand.
5 February 2026
6:30 pm
In 2007, Joey Evans was paralysed from the chest down after a devastating racing accident. The medical verdict was final. He was told he would never walk again, let alone ride a motorcycle. Ten years later, Joey stood at the...
11 February 2026
6:30 pm
Most people now know iKhokha as one of the local fintech giants that were recently acquired by Nedbank for R1.65 billion. Today, the platform processes north of R20 billion in annual card payments and puts roughly R1 billion worth of...
4 February 2026
6:30 pm
This grounded, live conversation with Joe Fleming is about how people slowly lose their footing in life, often without realising it, and what it actually takes to build and rebuild well over time. Most people don’t wake up one day...
27 January 2026
5:30 pm
There is a special and renewed energy that accompanies the start of a new year and we want to make sure that 2026 is your best yet! With this in mind, Suits & Sneakers is hosting our 8th edition of...
29 January 2026
6:30 pm
Mark Sham would like to invite you to a special event that he hosts free to the public twice a year. Suspend your associations with the word “happiness” and come learn about a topic you didn’t think you needed. This...
18 November 2025
6:30 pm
Mark Sham would like to invite you to a special event that he hosts free to the public twice a year. This one is also special because it will be the first event scheduled to run at our new venue,...