When I met Tom Johnston in Omaha at the ROI of Why Conference, the first thing I noticed was his quiet and calm presence. I immediately felt myself open up, and I really wanted to learn more. I felt like I had met a kindred spirit, and we shared several great conversations. We reconnected a few weeks later in Boulder, and since then Tom has become a good friend, mentor and catalyst in my own life.
In our conversation, we get into the life and daily practice behind that grounded presence - including what Tom and his wife Molly are learning about caring for the relationship they're building together. Not just in the big decisions, but in the everyday moments when something as small as toast can turn into an argument.
As Tom says, "we're not arguing about toast."
He talks openly about learning to recognize what he's bringing from past relationships into the one he's in now. Taking a breath. Giving himself some compassion. Remembering that he gets to choose how he responds to the person he loves.
That's also the work he brings to leaders and teams: helping people become more aware of themselves and one another, so they can show up with greater care, curiosity and intention.

Pause. Notice. Choose.

And Tom is able to do this because it's his daily practice. The man I met in Omaha, reconnected with in Boulder, and have formed such a quick bond with is helping others by practicing what he teaches.

Tom Johnston is Founder and CEO of Talent Optimizer Group and a Bloom Growth Coach. He helps founders and leadership
teams build people-first organizations, align people strategy with business priorities, and create operating systems that
support sustainable growth. He is also a PI Certified Partner.

Connect with Tom
Tom Johnston on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomassjohnston
Talent Optimizer Group: https://talentoptimizergroup.com/
Tom's Bloom Growth profile: https://www.bloomgrowth.com/coaches/tom-johnston/

Mentioned in the conversation
ROI of Why Conference - Do More Good Movement - https://www.domoregood.com/roi-of-why-2026
The Transformation Economy: Guiding Customers to Achieve Their Aspirations - B. Joseph Pine II - https://store.hbr.org/product/the-transformation-economy-guiding-customers-to-achieve-their-aspirations/10814
Tom references Pine's work while reflecting on transformation, value and the difference organizations can make in people's lives.

For much of our lives, progress can look like moving faster: achieving the next goal, advancing in our career, earning recognition, and becoming the person we believe we are supposed to become.

Danielle Feyerman knows that journey well.

In this episode of Purpose @ Work, Danielle and Jerry explore the experience beneath achievement — the internal stories, expectations, and need for validation that can quietly shape the way we live and work.

Danielle reflects on learning to slow down, trust herself, become more present, and turn inward rather than continually looking outside herself for the next answer.

The conversation is an invitation to see purpose less as a destination we race toward and more as a relationship with ourselves that continues unfolding throughout our lives.

If you enjoyed this conversation, please like, share and subscribe so you never miss an episode.
- Jerry, Sanaa, and the Purpose at Work podcast team

Connect with us:
Jerry’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerrythompson1/
Sanaa’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanaa-darif-383000141/
Website: https://www.impoweru.io/

Listen on:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033MsMfw5YrPgWLrExSyF2
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/purpose-work/id6789121339
Amazon Podcasts: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c879f167-f562-4609-a62a-3f82d1ed6e24/purpose-a-work

Purpose at Work by IMPOWERU is a podcast and conversation platform exploring leadership, culture, transformation, and the human side of meaningful work.
Hosted by members of the IMPOWERU team, including Jerry Thompson, Sanaa Darif, Austin Barnhart, and special guests, the platform features a range of conversation styles and formats, from long-form interviews and leadership dialogue to short-form Roadies and everyday reflections from life on the go.
Some episodes focus on executive leadership, organizational change, and the future of work. Others explore purpose, identity, connection, creativity, resilience, and what it means to be fully human in the way we live and work.
Rooted in IMPOWERU's belief that transformation happens from the inside out, these conversations bring together strategy and soul, practical insight and lived experience, personal growth and collective evolution.
This is a space for honest dialogue, meaningful questions, and voices that help us navigate work, life, and leadership with greater clarity, courage, and purpose.

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