From failure to founder: How Sedzani Netshitenzhe turned setbacks into success

Sedzani Netshitenzhe wasn’t the top student, didn’t ace matric on the first try, and barely made it through university. But today, she’s the powerhouse behind Nzalo Careers, a company that has impacted more than 200 000 young people. Her journey proves that failure isn’t the end – it’s just the beginning.

A rough start for Sedzani

Born at Tshilidzini Hospital in Shayandima, Limpopo, Sedzani was the second of four children. She wasn’t exactly the straight-A student teachers pinned their hopes on. “Some of them didn’t think much of me,” she recalls. “But one, Mrs. Muller, treated me like I was destined for greatness. That belief changed everything.”

But belief alone wasn’t enough. When her matric results came in, Sedzani barely scraped through with a higher certificate while her best friends celebrated bachelor passes. “My mom was so upset she came home early from work, feeling sick. I didn’t want to face anyone,” she says. The truth was hard to swallow. She had spent more time daydreaming about school socials and TV than studying.

Determined to rewrite her story, she repeated matric. This time, she followed a strict study plan, especially in maths, her weakest subject. “I forced myself to do at least one sum a day. Slowly, it got easier,” she says. Her maths score shot from 33% to 67%, and she finally earned a bachelor’s pass.

Feeling hopeless at university

The victory was short-lived. Sedzani missed application deadlines and had no clear path forward. She landed at the University of South Africa (Unisa) for a BCom in Information Systems and failed. Her mother wanted her to return home, but her father gave her another chance. She switched to Information Science at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) and failed again.

“I felt hopeless, stupid, and completely lost,” she admits. But instead of giving up, she faced the truth that something had to change.

UJ offered workshops on time management and study techniques, and for the first time, she learned how to tackle university properly.

“It was a game-changer,” she says. She failed a module or two along the way but finally graduated, proving to herself that she had what it took.

Turning pain into purpose

After graduating, Sedzani couldn’t ignore how many first-year students dropped out for the same reasons she struggled with: A lack of guidance, cultural shock, and language barriers. That’s when the idea for Nzalo Careers was born, a platform to help learners from rural and township areas navigate education and career paths.

Starting her business was brutal. She had no salary for two years, lived on her brother’s couch, and even had her car repossessed. Her daughter had to stay with her parents because she couldn’t support her financially. “It was heartbreaking,” she said. But she kept going, joining a mentorship programme and sticking to a routine of prayer and morning exercise to keep her head in the game.

Becoming a powerhouse with an impact

Nzalo Careers has grown from a one-woman dream to a team of 11, working with local and international organisations. “We’re reaching communities I never even knew existed,” Sedzani says.

She’s proof that failure doesn’t define you – how you rise from it does. “Your background isn’t a weakness; it’s your secret weapon,” she said. “Flip your struggles into opportunities. You don’t need a perfect start, just the right mindset and the will to keep going.”

Today, she’s not just a businesswoman but a trailblazer shaping the future, one learner at a time. And if her journey proves anything, it’s that resilience wins every time.

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