Shaun Tomson

Shaun Tomson has shared his academically tested Code Leadership Method around the world, from high-powered boardrooms in the US and Europe to rural schools in South Africa.

A native of South Africa and he spent fourteen years on the Professional Tour, winning surfing competitions all over the world whilst developing international apparel brands.

He is a business finance graduate from the University of Natal in South Africa and is the founder of Instinct and Solitude Sportswear, multi-million dollar international apparel ventures.

Surfer Magazine ranked Shaun Tomson in the top ten of its “50 Greatest Surfers of All Time,” as chosen by an elite list of voters made up of pro surfers, photographers, filmmakers, journalists, captains of the industry, and the living legends themselves.

He is the founder of Solitude Sportswear, a multi-million dollar international apparel company.

The Chairman of the Advisory Board for the Surfrider Foundation, the world’s largest surfing environmental group,

An author of the best selling book Surfer’s Code as well as the companion book to his documentary film Bustin’ Down The Door.

In addition, Shaun Tomson is currently producing a series of motivational sports films.

Shaun has spoken at schools, universities, business organizations, law firms, environmental groups, retailers, sports clubs and veterans organizations where he diverges from the standard sports metaphor of personal success being solely tied to winning.

Like surfing a wave, a successful and enriching ride through life is not about crossing a finishing line first; it is all about maintaining a positive, balanced attitude and extending the limits of one’s own personal standards.

More About Shaun Tomson:

In addition to his “50 Greatest Surfers of All Time” ranking

Shaun Tomson was listed as one of the “25 Most Influential Surfers of the Century” (Surfer 1999), one of the “16 Greatest Surfers of All Time” (Surfing 2004) and the “Greatest Tube Rider of All Time” (Surfing Life 1993).

Honors include nine appearances on the cover of Surfing and Surfer magazines, an inductee on the Huntington Beach Surfing Walk of Fame (1997), the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame (1998), the South African Sports Hall of Fame (1977) and the SIMA “Environmentalist of the Year Award” (2002).

What is most important to Shaun Tomson is giving back to the community; sharing the lessons he has learned about life.

“Surfing has made me a better person. It is a transformative experience and an inspiring ride through life that reveals fundamental lessons on how to stay balanced, overcome challenges and adapt to an ever-changing world.”

While the lessons Shaun shares are taken from the world’s oceans, they translate powerfully to everyday life and extraordinary challenges.

They reflect the attitude and outlook necessary to not just survive the ups and downs of life, but to master them and emerge a winner.

Shaun Tomson lives with his wife Carla in Montecito, California.

• Purpose-led Organizations Perform 42% Better
• Purpose is the energy that empowers organizations and individuals to thrive.

It positively impacts schools and the workplace too – recent research from EY indicates that purpose-led organizations perform 42% better than those that are simply in business.

However, according to a Gallup poll, two-thirds of employees in the United States are purposeless - bored, detached and ready to actively sabotage plans, projects and other people.

Shaun Tomson

Considering you spend around a third of your life at work, this disengaged culture means that helping people to find a sense of purpose isn't just vital for business, but also for people's overall wellbeing.

With these insights in mind, Shaun Tomson shows how to find and define one's purpose to powerfully re-engage individuals and activate a positive wave of commitment and performance throughout an organization.

Shaun's Bio
Shaun has shared his academically tested Code Leadership Method around the world, from high-powered boardrooms in the US and Europe to rural schools in South Africa.

A former World Surfing Champion, Shaun was named one of the 10 Greatest Surfers of All Time.

He has a Bachelor's in Business Administration, a Master of Science in Leadership from Northeastern University and has created two popular apparel brands, Instinct and Solitude (co-founded with his wife Carla).

Produced and co-wrote the documentary film Bustin' Down the Door (2006) and is a past board member of Surfrider Foundation and the Santa Barbara Boys & Girls Club.

The Code for the Next Wave
A live, virtual, multi-camera keynote and workshop to inspire, connect and engage remote teams in this turbulent time. A powerful process to activate the power of purpose to catch the next wave.

Leadership Resilience Speaker, best-selling author, entrepreneur and former World Surfing Champion Shaun Tomson has teamed up with organizational learning specialists, Joshua Mitchell and Brad Batesole of Madecraft, to create unique, live and interactive conferences that can be experienced by thousands of employees, even while working from home.

What’s on the agenda:
A virtual keynote drawing upon my unique experiences as a world-champion surfer and entrepreneur.

20-minute session in which each participant is guided on writing their Code – a 12-line commitment to (re)awaken purpose, and (re)connect and empower others with heart, courage, and presence, each line beginning with “I will.”

An interactive process of participants texting their “I will…” statements that are shown via Poll Everywhere on a powerpoint slide.

This process connects individuals at a deeply emotional level and creates a wave of positive emotional contagion to inspire and uplift in this challenging time.