What We Saw, Felt, and Believed
Suits & Sneakers 2025 brought together courageous thinkers, unapologetic doers, and deeply committed South Africans. It was a collision of authenticity, purpose, and possibility.We stood shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the boldest minds shaping our future and we were reminded once again of what it means to be part of something bigger than ourselves.
What It Meant to Be in That Room
It was a room of people who don’t wait for change, they become it. Entrepreneurs, creators, leaders, and citizens who are:
- Willing to challenge and question
- Willing to fail and try again
- Willing to be uncomfortable
And more than anything, willing to believe in the future of South Africa
In the words of Allan Knot-Craig, one of the night’s most profound voices: “You cannot be a South African and not see where you can make a difference.”
That sentiment resonated deeply. There’s so much to fix and that’s the opportunity. There is always a space to contribute: in this country, as individuals, and most importantly, as a Puplista.
The Night in Six Voices
Mark Sham: Keep Playing. Keep Building.
Founder of Suits & Sneakers, Mark Sham, opened with nostalgia and energy. His lesson was simple but powerful: improvement comes through iteration, persistence, and play.
“Keep on playing. That’s how you get better.”
Mark’s real superpower? “I just don’t stop playing the game.”
That hit home. We keep showing up, learning, trying again, iterating. Even when it’s tough.
It was a proud moment to hear Mark speak so warmly about our brand. Not just as a partner, but as a business owner, a family man, someone under pressure who still chooses purpose. Almost half the room were already EasyEquities customers.
We are more than just workers behind screens. We are enablers of freedom. Of ownership. Of dreams. Every click, project, and conversation counts.
Allan Knot-Craig: A Low Tolerance for Mediocrity
Allan’s keynote was raw, relatable, and real.
He spoke about his zero tolerance for unhappiness and mediocrity. In life and work. He chooses purpose daily with intention.
“I am here to be happy and I do whatever it takes to protect that happiness.”
This wasn’t soft optimism. It was a fierce call to build things that work, businesses, teams, environments. He doesn’t avoid challenges, he just refuses to tolerate dysfunction.
Intentional spaces aren’t inherited. They’re built — by all of us.
Mandy Wiener: Try the Beloved Country
Award-winning journalist Mandy Wiener came with fire and clarity:
“We cannot rely on the government. This is our country. We need to collaborate, across sectors, to change it.”
She believes in this place. Fiercely.
She celebrates South Africa’s everyday "hope dealers" — those building, not just complaining.
“Try the beloved country.”
Let’s try. Let’s build. Let’s believe again.
Barry Hilton: Healing Through Humour
Legendary comedian Barry Hilton blended vulnerability with wit, sharing his battle with depression and how comedy became his anchor.
“Everyone goes through challenges. The trick is to find your thing, your way to cope.”
Strength, he reminded us, isn’t about being unaffected. It’s about holding on to what matters.
Abed Tau: Talk Less. Do More.
Abed Tau lit up the room with urgency and conviction:
“You can’t build a reputation on what you’re going to do.”
Less strategy. More doing. Less talk. More ship.
At EasyEquities, we live that. Our OKRs are about delivery, not intention. As Carel says:
“The world was created in six days — not months and months of strategy.”
Murray Clark: Building Community, Building Resilience
Founder & CEO of Neighbourgood, Murray Clark, spoke with passion about creating spaces where everyone feels equal, much like what we’re striving for at EasyEquities. His words pulsed with the power of community: when people feel seen, safe, and connected, they can build lives that truly matter.
He reminded us about perseverance, to keep asking, keep trying, and keep getting up after every “no” until you reach the one “yes” that changes everything.
Neighbourgood spaces embody that ethos. And so does our community of investors.
Nick Dreyer: Thinking Global, Rooted in SA
Co-Founder of Veldskoen, Nick Dreyer, didn’t just share the story of local success. He went bigger, speaking about exporting South African ideas, products, and stories to the world.
He reflected on the mistakes made, lessons learnt, and why now is the moment for South African brands to take up global space.
His challenge was bold and clear:
Think big. There’s no reason we can’t own a slice of global success.
Daniel Priestley: You Are Your Brand
Daniel Priestley closed the night with a transformative workshop on personal branding.
“You already have intellectual property — your story. Use that.”
He reminded us that our skills, failures, and lessons are assets. But proximity often makes us undervalue what’s truly precious, including ourselves.
Sometimes we need to zoom out. To see the mountain. To feel the purpose. To own the value of where we are and what we do.
EasyEquities: A Learning Organization in Motion
Suits & Sneakers 2025 reminded us: learning isn’t a function. It’s a mindset.
At EasyEquities, we grow thinkers, builders, and collaborators. We learn from failures. We reflect in motion. We use AI, data, and dialogue to level up.
Growth isn’t passive. It’s expected. Supported. Owned.
Try. Play. Fix. Do.
This country doesn’t need perfect people. It needs brave ones.Let’s keep playing, like Mark.
Let’s fix, like Allan.
Let’s try, like Mandy.
Let’s heal and move, like Barry.
Let’s do, like Abed.
Let’s build community, like Murray.
Let’s think big, like Nick.
Let’s own our value, like Daniel.
This is our South Africa. This is our company. Let’s show up for it. Together. With purpose, joy, and zero fear of failure.
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Any opinions, news, research, reports, analyses, prices, or other information contained within this research is provided by an employee of EasyEquities an authorised FSP (FSP no 22588) as general market commentary and does not constitute investment advice for the purposes of the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act, 2002. First World Trader (Pty) Ltd t/a EasyEquities (“EasyEquities”) does not warrant the correctness, accuracy, timeliness, reliability or completeness of any information (i) contained within this research and (ii) received from third party data providers. You must rely solely upon your own judgment in all aspects of your investment and/or trading decisions and all investments and/or trades are made at your own risk. EasyEquities (including any of their employees) will not accept any liability for any direct or indirect loss or damage, including without limitation, any loss of profit, which may arise directly or indirectly from use of or reliance on the market commentary. The content contained within is subject to change at any time without notice.
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