Acclaimed South African business leader Vusi Thembekwayo has made history as the first African speaker at the prestigious 2025 Good Soil Forum, hosted by Wells Fargo.
The event, held in Dallas, US, saw Thembekwayo share the stage with global icons Oprah Winfrey and Chairman TD Jakes, marking a significant moment during his extensive 2025 global speaking tour.
Addressed elite audiences
The tour, spanning March to October, takes Thembekwayo across Africa, the US, Canada, the UK, the UAE, and the Caribbean. He has addressed elite audiences, including corporate giants like Amazon and top academic institutions such as Harvard, Cambridge, and the Oxford Union.
On June 12, he captivated over 1, 500 delegates with his “Opening Inspiration Session”. In it he was drawing from his School of Scale accelerator programme.
“It was a profound honour to represent the continent and share the stage with luminaries like Ms Oprah Winfrey and Chairman TD Jakes,” he said.
“My message was a testament to the work we do every day at School of Scale: that entrepreneurs, when given the right tools, mentorship, and accountability, can achieve exponential growth.”
Blueprint for entrepreneurs
Thembekwayo shared a blueprint for entrepreneurs to move beyond the “hustle” phase, building sustainable, high-growth enterprises.
“We are dedicated to providing a clear, battle-tested roadmap that transforms businesses. Our impact is not theoretical. It’s measured in the tangible success of the founders we have the privilege to serve,” he added.
Based in Delaware, the School of Scale targets growth-stage founders. It offers a three-month intensive immersion followed by nine months of strategic advisory support from a global faculty.
In May this year Thembekwayo etched his name in history with a resounding victory at the Oxford Union debate. Paired with American philosopher Dr Umar Johnson, Thembekwayo championed the motion, “The House Believes Africa Must Evict Its Colonial Masters”. It secured him a commanding 273 votes to 28.
“The debate was held in the Oxford Union’s revered chamber. A 202-year-old cornerstone of global intellectual discourse. It drew a packed audience that erupted after Thembekwayo’s speech. Hailed as a “masterpiece” by attendees.
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