Ten Teachers Turned Entrepreneurs – Matoyana Business Solutions

Ten Teachers Turned Entrepreneurs

In a recent article we discussed ten reasons why teachers make such great entrepreneurs. As a follow up to this we’re sharing information on ten people who did exactly that – began as educators and branched out into other fields.

1 Sting

Sting is a famous example of a teacher turned something else – a rock star in his case! With his song “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” making his time as a teacher legendary. He actually taught music,English and soccer, at a convent school in the England. Sting says he learned“cupboards of patience” from his teaching experiences.

2 JK Rowling

Not as well known as Sting but JK Rowling also did some time as a teacher in Portugal. She is on record as saying that during her time in the foreign country and her teaching career she plotted some ideas for the Harry Potter series – which is pretty cool!

3 Mlungisi Thusi

Someone close to our hearts – Matoyana Media Founder Nokwazi’s Uncle,MlungisiThusi began his career as a teacher, where he was a principal of Sithengile High School in the township of Clermont in Durban, KZN in South Africa. He now runs a successful butchery business in New Germany (a small industrial area near Pinetown) which he has been operating for over 20 years. He retired last year after 30 years of teaching and now runs his business fulltime. Some of his biggest supporters are his ex-students, teachers and community members from the Clermont Township.

4 Zanele Njapha

The dynamic Zanele Njapha started off as an educator and now a successful Unlearning expert, innovation facilitator and author. Zanele works closely with in areas of disruptive helpingbusinesses strategise to be future-fit: adaptable, resilient, innovative, proactive and confident through helping them crack the unlearning code.

5 Jack Ma

The founder of Alibaba Group is probably one of the most famous tech-industry case of teachers who became successful entrepreneurs. Jack Ma actually struggled with his own education, but after he graduated he became a lecturer of English and International Trade at Hangzhou DianziUniversity. He was named the eighth richest tech billionaire in 2016, and he was the first Chinese entrepreneur to feature on the Forbes cover.

6 Matthew Kincaid

The amazing Matthew Kincaid was a teacher before he founded Overcoming Racism, a social enterprisewhich aims to buildmore fair institutions, by using race and equity training. Matthew has led anti-racism work for over fifteen years and has also been involved in activism for his entire life. As a teacher he uses his skills in the business to focus on education, working to ensure the next generation are“anti-racist agents of change”.

7 Banele Lukhele

Banele is an edu-preneur still using her teaching skills to help educate others. But on top of this she is also an author, public speaker and young leader. Banele develops and implements creative education solutions and is the founder of Luc Arts Original. Her story is so close to our hearts we have done a video interview with her – which you can watch here.

8 Steve Wozniak

The other, less famous, part of the Apple founder start-up duo. But prior to working with Steve Jobs Steve Wozniak taught computer technology in Silicon Valley to kids in the fifth grade. It waswritten in VICE magazine thatSteve made an effort to teach his pupils how the early internet actually worked as well as how to access information.

9 Jim Collins

Jim Collins actually has a bachelor’s degree in mathematical sciences and an MBA from Stanford University (where he taught)as well as honorary doctoral degrees from the University of Colorado and the Peter F. Drucker Graduate School of Management at Claremont Graduate University! He’s now been nominated by Forbes as one of the 100 Greatest Living Business Minds. He is no longer a teacher but his books are an education on every page.

10 Alexander Graham Bell

The man who invented the telephone, Alexander Graham Bell was a teacher for most of his lifetime. From the age of 16 he began as a teaching assistant of elocution and music at the Westin House Academy in Scotland. Alexander Graham Bell then graduated in 1865 and went back to being an educator as an assistant master. An inspirational example of a man dedicated to changing the world through teaching and innovation.