At School of Day 1, Matin Mohdari challenges the assumption that hard work alone can level the playing field

This story is one of nine on The Peak Singapore’s Power List. The list is an annual recognition that celebrates and acknowledges individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, influence, and impact.

The theme for the class of 2025 is Vanguards, spotlighting business leaders who are boldly reshaping their industries, questioning outdated norms, and pushing boundaries with vision and conviction. At a time when conformity is often rewarded and change met with resistance, these individuals choose to lead from the front — not for applause, but because the future demands it.

As the first person in his family to attend university, Matin Mohdari carries a particular kind of wisdom — the kind that comes from crossing invisible boundaries most people never see. Today, as a vanguard disrupting conventional thinking about social mobility, he’s asking uncomfortable questions about whether our meritocratic system truly delivers on its promises.

“It’s not so much that the assumption needs to be broken, but I do believe we need to re-examine and challenge the idea that meritocracy alone will lead to social mobility,” Matin reflects, his voice carrying the measured tone of someone who has lived on both sides of the equation.

His journey began with experiencing firsthand “how difficult it can be to move upward when you start without financial resources, as well as without the networks, exposure, or role models that help you understand what is possible.” These invisible barriers, he discovered, don’t just affect material outcomes — they “shape your confidence, your choices, and your sense of agency.”

This personal understanding became the foundation for School of Day 1, Matin’s mentorship platform that’s quietly revolutionising how successful professionals engage with social impact. But calling it a mentorship programme undersells what Matin has built.

Drawing from his background in tech, he approaches social change with the same systematic thinking he applies to business problems, constantly asking how to improve efficiency, reduce friction, and maximise impact.

The fractionalised revolution

The organisation’s core innovation lies in what Matin calls “micro-mentoring” — a radical departure from traditional long-term mentorship models. Instead of expecting months-long commitments, School of Day 1 fractionalises the experience into bite-sized, practical sessions focused on tangible skills rather than abstract advice.

“There is this view that for it to be meaningful, it has to be a long-term, structured programme with lots of commitment from both sides,” Matin explains. “While that can be great, I do not think it is the only way. A single conversation or small moment of support can have just as much impact.”

This approach reveals something unexpected about the nature of giving and receiving wisdom. While mentees become more engaged because “they’re digesting what is being taught and applying what they learn, not just listening passively,” the mentors themselves undergo profound transformation.

“Many of them have never paused to reflect on how they do what they do to get to where they are,” Matin observes. “But when they prepare a short, focused lesson plan to conduct for their mentees as part of a School of Day 1 session, they start to see the value of their journey more clearly. That reflection often sparks something. They see the impact they can make, and they want to keep going.”

Redefining the merit game

This dual transformation speaks to a deeper challenge Matin is tackling — the fundamental flaw in how Singapore understands meritocracy. While acknowledging that meritocracy enabled his success, he’s witnessed how accepting it too simply “can reinforce the idea that success is always earned, and that failure is entirely personal.” 

“This way of thinking risks overlooking the structural barriers many people face and creates a divide between those who ‘made it’ and those who are made to feel like they simply didn’t try hard enough,” he continues, his words cutting to the heart of a social dynamic that affects thousands of Singaporeans daily.

Matin’s response is characteristically systematic. He sees “two ways we can respond to this.” The first involves actively addressing structural barriers and levelling the playing field. The second requires broadening the definition of social mobility itself — moving beyond the singular focus on “rising to the top” to “helping people thrive where they are, to define success on their terms, and to feel a sense of dignity and purpose.”

What distinguishes Matin as a vanguard is his willingness to challenge not just individual assumptions but entire systems of belief. He questions “the belief that every problem in society must be solved by the government,” arguing that “there is a huge opportunity to tap into” the knowledge, creativity, and energy of everyday people.

“We do not always have to wait for top-down solutions. Sometimes, we can get together and make things happen ourselves.”

This philosophy extends to his approach to organisational change. An area of School of Day 1’s work that “often feels misunderstood,” Matin notes, is the perception “that it’s mainly about helping the beneficiaries.” In reality, “it’s equally about activating those who have already benefited from the meritocratic system, to come forward and give back.”

His background in tech shapes this thinking. “In my day job at a tech company, I’m used to thinking in terms of efficiency, cost to serve, and impact. So I often ask, how can we make it easier, yet still meaningful, for someone to give their time or experience?”

The answer lies in innovation that respects both the giver’s constraints and the recipient’s needs. By “fractionalising the experience, delivering bite-sized, practical ‘hacks’ that focus on how to apply knowledge, frameworks, mental models, etc. across a diverse set of topics, and not just talk about it,” School of Day 1 has created a model that scales impact without sacrificing authenticity. 

The power of creative constraints

Currently, Matin is consciously unlearning “the idea that having more resources is always better.” This revelation came from recognising that constraints force creativity. “When you don’t have everything you think you need, you’re forced to get creative. And that’s often when the best ideas and real breakthroughs happen.”

This mindset shift reflects a broader evolution in his thinking about progress and impact. Where others see limitations, Matin increasingly sees opportunities for innovation.

His vision for the future extends far beyond individual mentorship programmes. He envisions “a flywheel effect” where “more mentors from all kinds of backgrounds would feel encouraged to step up and stay engaged because they can see the genuine impact of what they’re sharing.”

As momentum builds, “more mentees, especially those exploring different paths and trying to find their place in the world, would be able to benefit in meaningful and lasting ways.”

Something Matin is “quietly proud of” reveals the ripple effects of this work: Feedback from people who say School of Day 1’s approach to fractionalising mentoring “has helped them see challenges differently, including how they navigate personal ones.” The methodology isn’t just changing how people mentor — it’s influencing how they think about problem-solving in their own lives.

Spreading power, not hoarding it

Perhaps most tellingly, when asked about power, Matin doesn’t speak of accumulating or wielding it but of distributing it. “What doesn’t get talked about enough is how power can and should be shared,” he reflects. “When power is spread around, it can be harnessed much more effectively to help move society forward.”

This philosophy underlies everything School of Day 1 attempts: “To spread the power of our mentors and have it activated for good; more specifically, to patch up the parts that help meritocracy achieve its ideals.” 

As Singapore continues to grapple with questions of social mobility and opportunity, Matin represents a new kind of leader — one who doesn’t simply succeed within existing systems but actively works to improve them.

His approach combines the analytical rigour of a tech executive with the emotional intelligence of someone who understands what it means to navigate systems that weren’t designed for people like him.

In a society built on the promise that talent and hard work guarantee success, Matin stands willing to question that promise — not to tear it down, but to make it real. His work suggests that the next phase of Singapore’s development requires not just individual excellence but also collective action to ensure that meritocracy delivers on its fundamental promise: that everyone, regardless of their starting point, has a genuine opportunity to thrive.

For more stories on The Peak Power List, visit here.