Clients pay me to identify and fix people and process leaks. I turn high-stress agencies into wealth-building machines by teaching clients how to operate businesses that prioritize profit and professional excellence.
More About Tom
The Philosophy
Using my proven 12-step approach:
The Results
My results speak for themselves:
Increased Revenue
At North Street Creative my system increased revenue by 25%, Labor Efficiency (LER) by 122%, and profit by 40%, all while increasing the owner's salary to a market-based level and paying off the business' line of credit
Tom implemented systems and processes that have transformed our operations, enabling us to consistently deliver projects on deadline and with 40% improved profitability.
Improved Morale
At p3 Maine my system saw employees report higher job satisfaction and engagement, stating their wish to stay longer because of my system and its positive impact on their work environment, the company, and their career. The company saw an immediate 30% labor efficiency improvement by using my system
Tom identified our real needs immediately, pivoting us from cutting expenses to generating sustainable revenue. He spoke our language and told us the truth without tip-toeing. That frankness is exactly why we hired Tom.
Equity Buyers Care About
Your business becomes more attractive to potential buyers:
The Offering
I work with clients I believe in and who share my vision for running a successful, profitable agency. Which is not everyone. If the following applies to your business, we might be a good fit:
Although you're a decade into your business, things feel tougher and less predictable than ever, especially with technology racing away from you at the moment you can least afford it. You want to change for better once and for all
You're not getting the margins nor compensation you deserve for your efforts. You're too important in the company and not important enough in the marketplace
Things seem to work out but there's no written process. Your team is smart but you're worried that key players leaving would mean losing your entire knowledge base. You know that needs to change, and that means you need to change
Your professional standards are high and you care about your people, your clients, and your output. But you have a sense of humor about yourself and understand you're part of an ecosystem, that making a big difference to a small group is what matters most
About
Born and raised in the UK, I've spent the majority of my working career in the USA, running a direct-to-consumer business for over a decade before switching back to agency life.
I've spent 20 years inside marketing and creative agencies — operations, finance, project management — watching the same repeating problems unfold. Hart Ops is the practice I've built to treat these repeating conditions, with a clear playbook to replace heroics. Between (1) my work consulting with clients, (2) the philosophy behind my approach, and (3) my product (VERA, the easiest and most useful time management app you've never used), you'll find all my best ideas.
The Eurasian jay catches thousands of acorns each autumn to survive each winter, far more than it'll ever retrieve. The forgotten ones grow into oak forests. I like to think my ideas can help my clients grow forests of their own, and what better way to spend my time than helping good people build better futures by sharing my acorns with them?
Say Hello
Talking shop is my favorite hobby. Drop me a line and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
The One Thing You Needed...
If you'd rather hear what I have to say about being an Irreplaceable Professional — where I talk, in under ten minutes per episode, about what it takes to survive AI — you can find The Irreplaceable Professional anywhere you listen to podcasts. I position the conversation directly at your employees, so they hear the other side too: prioritising their career while inspiring them to be the best professional on your team.
I also work on...
The easiest and most useful time management app you've never used, VERA is a Slack-native time-tracking and financial-intelligence assistant for agencies. The goal is twofold: (1) make recording time as easy as possible, and (2) make the data as simple to use as possible.