In this episode, host Taylor Baker speaks with Dr. Tom Tonkin, a fractional CEO and founder of Tonkin Group, about his journey from corporate leadership at companies like Oracle to advising growing businesses through fractional executive leadership. The conversation explores counterintuitive approaches to leadership, sales strategy, and how experienced operators help companies scale more effectively.
What You’ll Learn
- Why fractional executive leadership is becoming an increasingly valuable model for growing companies that need senior expertise without a full-time hire
- How Tom’s experience at Oracle and Cornerstone OnDemand shaped his approach to business strategy and leadership
- The difference between traditional sales coaching and building a scalable revenue system inside an organization
- Why many conventional business and sales practices fail to address the real structural problems companies face
- How founders and CEOs can benefit from outside leadership perspective during periods of growth or transition
- The importance of challenging widely accepted business assumptions to uncover more effective strategies
- How experienced operators diagnose organizational issues that prevent teams from performing at their highest level
- Why aligning leadership, systems, and accountability is essential for sustainable company growthcess.
In this conversation, Tom Tonkin shares insights from decades of executive experience to explain why many organizations struggle with growth despite strong products or talent. By applying a fractional leadership model and challenging conventional thinking, he helps companies build stronger operational structures, clearer strategy, and more effective leadership alignment. The discussion highlights how experienced guidance at the executive level can unlock momentum and clarity for scaling businesses.
To learn more about Tom Tonkin and their work.