Double Shakka - Sharing Stoke

Why the Double Shakka?

The Double Shakka is a simple way for me to give back – one shaka means you are stoked and grateful, two shakas means you are twice as stoked and grateful.

I am grateful to have been hired by an organization to speak, and my way of saying thank you is by sharing the stoke and speaking to others – offering my Code perspective and process pro bono – for the good of the community.

For every paid talk, I present another to a school, university or non profit organization. The goal is to drop a stone, create a ripple, build a wave…

I speak to students to inspire them to have hope in the future.

I speak to students to encourage them to create their own code, to write down words to define their purpose, words they can live by.

I speak to students to give them my perspective on commitment, courage, perseverance, honor and empathy. I offer no prescription, only an authentic perspective and a transformational Code.

I speak to students because it is my mission to create a positive wave of
hope and purpose that breaks across the planet.

I speak to students because I know the power of one’s own words on
attitude which drives behavior. While the words of others inspire us, our own words can transform us.

I speak to students to illustrate a simple process:
Find your purpose, find your power, find your path.
I speak to students because it is what I was born to do

Why I speak at schools
and universities…

Students live in dangerous times and each day face unprecedented
challenges in making positive decisions. Poor choices are often the result of
impulsive behavior, despair and low self esteem. I know this because I lost
my beautiful fifteen year old son to a single bad decision.

I speak to 50,000 students each year because of my loss, to help inspire
students to “think twice” about their decisions.
I speak to students because 20,000 young people, aged 15 – 24, die each
year from preventable deaths caused by poor decisions, deaths that could
have been avoided if readily available alternatives were chosen.

Book Shaun

Some of the feedback…

It was wonderful hosting you here, and I believe your presentation really challenged our pupils.

Thank you so much for your presentation. You have inspired us to implement the Code across the entire school. In preparation this morning at our 7 am staff meeting I handed out a sheet to all teachers entitled “My Code”, and encouraged them to fill in their 12 codes that they live by.

David De Korte, Principal,
Camps Bay High School,
Cape Town, South Africa

Shaun Tomson - University Keynotes

I’ve been fortunate enough to work at some of the world’s great universities and also had a corporate career, so I thought I had seen some really outstanding speakers, until I met Shaun Tomson.

I can’t think of any other word to describe Shaun’s presentation as spell binding – it was fun, insightful, rigorous, enlightening, raw and engaging, but most importantly, it was full of purpose. We all want to live a life of purpose, and Shaun’s simple but powerful message in that we all have the ability to do that, he’s just trying to help us get started.

Professor Colin McLeod, Executive Director,
Melbourn Entrepreneurial Centre, Faculty of Business & Economics, The University of Melbourne, Australia

Shaun Tomson - Giving Back

Your workshops had significant impact on each of the groups you presented to. I frequently hear
“I will!” when a man is being encouraged by his brothers, especially in 300, which is where you presented first.

I continue to be so grateful for your willingness to share your story with the incarcerated individuals I serve.

Deirdre Smith, Manager,
Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department

“Shaun’s speech was totally captivating – an inspiration to mentors and mentees, young and old alike. He speaks from personal experience and the sheer authenticity of his message galvanized us all to embrace the power of a personal ‘code’.

His influence on all the young women leaders on the program will resonate for many years to come.”

Professor Brenda Gourley,
former Vice Chancellor of the UK Open University and the University of KwaZulu-Natal