Welcome to Episode 45 of The Incredible Machines Podcast! In this thought-provoking conversation, Jon Oliff and Luke Holden sit down with Shaun Tomson, a legendary South African surfing world champion, entrepreneur, author, and leadership speaker. From his remarkable upbringing in Durban, shaped by two extraordinary parents who each survived the Second World War, to becoming one of the most celebrated surfers of his generation, Shaun's story is one of courage, resilience, and profound purpose.
He shares the origins of the iconic Instinct brand, his time at Patagonia under Yvon Chouinard, and the deeply personal journey that led him to develop the Surfer's Code; a powerful 12-line framework for living with intention, hope, and integrity. Shaun speaks about his loss, redemption, and the transformative moment at a wave called Sunrise that helped him find his way back.
Now a globally sought-after leadership speaker and educator, Shaun has taken the values of surfing into boardrooms, schools, universities, seal teams, and rehab clinics. He’s helping hundreds of thousands of people shift from stress, anxiety, and disconnection toward hope and purpose.
This episode is packed with wisdom, humour, heart, and hard-won life lessons. Whether you're a surfer, a leader, an entrepreneur, or simply someone looking for a better way to navigate the waves of life; this one is for you.
⏱ Timestamped Overview
00:57 – Introduction to Shaun Tomson
06:48 – Parenting and Early Career Lessons
16:27 – The Power of Storytelling and The Surfer's Code
19:21 – Changing Mindsets from Sad to Hopeful
27:43 – South African Identity and Leadership
35:21 – Purpose is the New Profit
41:42 – I Will Paddle Around the Impact Zone
49:41 – I Will Take the Drop with Commitment
53:41 – I Will Never Fight a Riptide
59:24 – I Will Always Paddle Back Out
01:17:36 – I Will Watch Out for Other Surfers
01:20:27 – There Will Always Be Another Wave
01:30:00 – Emotional Contagion and Social Responsibility
01:38:47 – The Origin of The Surfer's Code
01:41:27 – Reclaiming the Instinct Brand
01:45:59 – The "Waiting for Waves" Ad
💬 Quote of the Episode
"Human stories, human experience, and human interaction are what's going to save humanity.” – Shaun Tomson
🧠 Related Campaign Example
Instinct's "Waiting for Waves is Okay" Print Advert by the Rod Dyer Group: Shaun loves how it tells the story of surfing's meditative waiting as purposeful, contrasting it with people who "spend their lives waiting for nothing," and notes that copies have remained on surf shop walls for 30-50 years. It was also close to him as it was for his first and iconic surf apparel brand founded in 1979.
👣 Relevant Links & Mentions
Shaun Tomson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaun-tomson-42a57213/
Shaun Tomson’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shauntomson/
Shaun Tomson’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shauntomsonathlete/
Shaun Thmson’s Twitter: https://x.com/shauntomson
Shaun Tomson’s Website: https://shauntomson.com/
The Surfer and the Sage Website: https://surferandthesage.com/
The Surfer and the Sage Book: https://www.amazon.com/Surfer-Sage-Guide-Survive-Lifes/dp/1641706554
The Code Book: https://www.amazon.com/Code-Power-I-Will/dp/1423634292
Surfer’s Code Book: https://www.amazon.com/Surfers-Code-Simple-Lessons-Through/dp/1423622278
Shaun Tomson Press Release from Santa Barbara Independant: https://www.independent.com/2025/06/04/shaun-tomson-and-the-evolution-of-instinct/
Shaun Tomson Today TV Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lBeQec7-Aw
Shaun Tomson CGTN Africa TV Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-OUNCfi7UI
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