Running Room is where I share stories, case studies, and lessons from the field — grounded insights to help small businesses create space for better operations, stronger teams, and smarter growth.

I call it Running Room because that’s what I try to give every client: room to run, simplifying the “more to manage”.

Tom Hancock, consultant and author of Running Room, a blog about operations, clarity, and leadership for small businesses.
Work Matters Series Tom Hancock Work Matters Series Tom Hancock

Faith Before the Breakdown

In the quiet of the garage, oil drains from an old mower and lessons spill out with it. Preventive maintenance, it turns out, is more than mechanical wisdom—it’s an act of faith. The discipline that keeps engines running also keeps hearts steady. True stewardship starts before anything breaks, when foresight replaces fear and patience becomes trust. What we care for in private often determines what still runs tomorrow.

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The Reckoning | The Prize

When a downsizing left the title but took the team, the silence that followed was louder than any meeting I’d ever led. That stillness became the start of something better. Through small corrections, honest work, and grace, peace returned—quiet, steady, and real.

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The Monday Tree

From a distance the tree looks sound, bark tight and strong. Up close, imbalance shows. So it is with us: contentment decays quietly when loves drift out of order. Yet each Monday brings a chance to look again, to relearn trust, and to let grace keep the order.

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