“Why should an entrepreneurial mindset mean something to you?”

Originally posted in our May 2022 Top of Mind Newsletter.

In this piece from Ice House facilitator Nontando Mthethwa based in South Africa, we see an exploration into a mindset gap in her country. As unemployment and economic unrest continue to grow, many organizations in SA are embracing the concept of an entrepreneurial mindset. So much so, that some are questioning what the concept means.

Mthethwa discusses the development of entrepreneurial skills at an early age, through open and free play, problem-solving-oriented learning, and trying lots of things to find out what works and what doesn’t. Do you notice a common thread between these suggestions for adopting an entrepreneurial mindset?

They aren’t about business at all. While developing curiosity, resilience, and other entrepreneurial skills will absolutely prepare us for better business outcomes, the benefits stretch much further.

“Entrepreneurship is not for a select few, but rather is innate in all of us. By teaching our young people the merits of an entrepreneurial mindset from a very early age, they will continue to reap the benefits in all aspects of their later life. In fact, from a national and continental perspective, how can we afford not to?”

What Does it Mean to You?