Going Full Circle: Thobani Ndlovu

🎙️ The Incredible Machines Podcast – Episode 22: Thobani Ndlovu  Leading Through Curiosity 

Welcome to Episode 22 of The Incredible Machines Podcast! In this thought-provoking conversation, Jon Oliff and Luke Holden sit down with Thobani Ndlovu, an architect, author, and TEDx Durban curator, for a deep conversation on creativity, personal growth, and building platforms for transformation. Thobani shares his unconventional journey into architecture, how feeding the homeless led to a discovery of his voice, and the behind-the-scenes reality of bringing TEDx to Durban.

Through themes of curiosity, community, and the courage to challenge personal limits, Thobani offers listeners a refreshing reminder: you don’t have to fit in a box; you can build your own. 

Thobani Ndlovu is a South African architect, TEDx Durban curator, entrepreneur, and author of Leading Through the Mirror. A passionate advocate for personal leadership, he has built platforms that empower voices, inspire change, and encourage introspection. Thobani is also the co-founder of the nonprofit Legacy Creators and a speaker devoted to conversations that matter. 

Through themes of curiosity, community, and the courage to challenge personal limits.        ⏱ Timestamped Overview 

00:00- Introduction  01:00 – The power of curiosity & starting TEDx Durban   03:00 – Growing up between Greytown and Pietermaritzburg   06:00 – Struggles fitting in at school and varsity  10:00 – Discovering architecture by accident   13:00 – The creative vs. practical tension in architectural work  18:00 – Sports, failure, and resilience as life lessons  21:00 – Close-knit family and growing up with a single mother  26:00 – Volunteering, feeding the homeless & discovering his voice  30:00 – Writing ‘Leading Through the Mirror’ and founding TEDx Durban  36:00 – Building TEDx Durban: challenges, breakthroughs, and purpose  41:00 – The behind-the-scenes work no one sees  44:00 – Trip to TEDx London & international inspiration  58:00 – Learning from failure & embracing public platforms  01:03:00 – Why curiosity matters more than comfort     💬 Quote of the Episode 

"We suffer more in imagination than in reality." - Seneca    🧠 Related Campaign Example  

Thobani admires how this cinematic campaign used cultural symbolism and national pride to unite South Africans around a shared identity. It sparked his early understanding of representation, legacy, and the power of sport as a narrative tool.    Sasol Spingboks Ad: https://youtu.be/G_kThmkABac 

      👣 Relevant Links    TEDx Durban Website: https://tedxdurban.org/  TEDx Durban Profile: https://www.ted.com/profiles/11198205    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thobanindlovu_/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThobaniNdlovuPage   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thobani-ndlovu-4a5563190/   Book: Leading Through the Mirror by Thobani Ndlovu      🌐 Connect with Tim Africa 

🔗 Website: https://www.tim.africa  📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tim.africa  📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/timdotafrica  🎧 Podcast Page: https://www.pod.tim.africa