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

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.

Read More
Field Notes Tom Hancock Field Notes Tom Hancock

Field Note No. 2 - Tension Lines

Sometimes the hardest part of change isn’t the cutting — it’s knowing where the pressure lies before you begin. A dead hickory on my farm reminded me that tension always tells a story: which way things want to go, what resists, and what’s ready to give. The trick isn’t to fight the lean, but to read it — and work with it.

Read More