Jon Stojan
Image credit: Tom Style
From launching startups to mentoring entrepreneurs and hosting The Tom Style Show, Tom Style is redefining what it means to lead in the startup world.
Tom Style wears a lot of hats—and he wears them, well, with impeccable style. Serial entrepreneur, mentor, visionary, and host of the popular The Tom Style Show, he has carved out a unique space in the startup world where he builds companies and helps others do the same.
“Startups are unbelievably difficult. I know I’ve done it,” Style says. “But there is a drive that makes people want to do it. I have it, and I like to help people like me who have it too.”
This drive to build has defined Style’s career. From launching his own startups to mentoring the next generation of founders and hosting one of YouTube’s fastest-growing business talk shows, Tom Style is making his mark in the tech entrepreneurial world.
The Founder: Building Businesses From the Ground Up
Before he was a mentor or a talk show host, Tom Style was a founder who had to face the challenges of starting something from scratch. He launched his first venture straight out of his freshman dorm room in San Diego. While it wasn’t a huge success, it planted the seed.
“That first project didn’t exactly take off, but it taught me failure is just part of the process,” Style recalls.
Since then, he’s founded several successful companies, including tech, AI, and blockchain ventures. His recent projects, like TomGPT (an enterprise-friendly AI platform) and TOM3 (a decentralized cloud computing framework), are his innovations to the latest crazes in the tech world.
“I’m always testing new ideas,” he explains. “I am inspired by the work of others and always thinking, how can we make it better.”
Unlike many people with multiple passions, his approach is always hands-on. He is not just looking for a venture capital-funded exit strategy. He thrives in the bootstrapped early days where the risks are high, but the opportunities are equally high.
The Mentor: Sharing the Journey
As much as he loves building his own ideas, Style is equally passionate about helping others build. Through his mentorship, he’s guided entrepreneurs through the highs and lows of the challenges of a startup.
“I’ve been there. The greatest lessons I learned came from failing and pivoting. But perspective is so hard to have when you are in it,” Style says. “I try to help other founders see that failure is just part of the process.”
He also coaches startup founders on how to refine their ideas, pitch to investors, and simply survive the rollercoaster of entrepreneurship.
“Stress and worry come with the territory. Sometimes perspective is what they need to keep going,” he explains.
Image credit: Tom Style
The Talk Show Host: Giving Founders a Voice
Through his mentoring, Style realized that founders could benefit from the perspective of people who were on the same rollercoaster that they were on. His talk show was born. The Tom Style Show has become a resource for startup founders and creators. With nearly 1 million subscribers on YouTube, the show shares the firsthand stories of entrepreneurs in the tech world.
Style says, “It’s not just about the success stories. It’s about the grind, the failures, and the lessons learned.”
The show features in-depth interviews with entrepreneurs who talk about what it takes to build something meaningful. The conversations are deep and free-flowing and give insight into what it takes to launch a startup.
The Visionary: Redefining Success in Entrepreneurship
Style brings a unique vision to all he does: encouraging the best and the brightest ideas to bring innovation for the benefit of all.
“We’ve glamorized startups so much that we forget how hard it actually is,” he says. “I want to break down those barriers—to show the real stories and help more people realize they can do this, too.”
Balancing It All
With so many roles—founder, mentor, talk show host, and visionary—how does Tom Style keep it all together?
“What could be more fun?” he laughs. “I get to build something new, help someone get their start, share great ideas, and have real conversations. I was made for this.”
Tom Style’s many hats reflect his commitment to the power of ideas and mentoring, and he does it all with style.
For more information, visit www.tomstyle.com.