Thomas M. Phillips

I’m a builder of systems, teams, and stories that scale, whether that’s launching programs, overhauling marketing ops, or leading cross-functional teams from idea to impact. I've spent the last 15 years working in the education world, and I'm in the process of making the jump to entertainment via EdTech. 

Wait, What?? 

It makes sense if you know the through-line: both education and entertainment are industries built on engagement, storytelling, and human connection (read more about that here). On top of that, I didn't plan to build a career in education. I just kept saying yes to harder problems. I fell into the niche education world of Out-of-School Programs while still in college, and advanced quickly into leadership roles. But I graduated with a degree in Entertainment Business, and now I'm ready to bring it full circle. 

But what do you actually DO?

By 22, I was trusted to lead teams of up to 47 program staff overseeing nearly 400 students. 

By 23, I was working on a location launch for a new satellite education center. 

By 25, I was the co-founder of a B2B education startup offering white label after school care at some of New England's most notable private schools and public districts, with 7 locations supporting over 700 families. 

In addition to sales, hiring, operations, marketing, and growth, I led the tech stack implementation to support it all. In my most recent role, a startup brought me in to build the same kind of B2B program for STEM after school programs... and then for their marketing needs based on the expertise I developed as a founder and boots-on-the-ground executive. 

By the numbers, that's: 

• Seasonal Program Launches: 91

• Employees Onboarded & Trained: 78 (approx.)

• Annual Gov't Licensing: 31

• Tech Tools Implemented: 24

• M&A Processes: 1

• Customers Directly Served: 2700+

• Avg. Customer Lifecycle: 12 years

And WHILE I was doing all that, I've managed a punk band that reached thousands of monthly listeners. Restored an original 1968 sailboat. I've reached Orange belt in Krav Maga. I've read hundreds of books and dabbled in German & Spanish. 

That's quite the track record... so why move on? 

Because I’ve done what I came here to do. I’ve built systems from the ground up, led teams through chaos, and proven that I can scale an idea into a fully functioning operation. I’ve made an impact at the community level, and now I’m ready to do it at scale.

I’ve mastered my niche. Now I’m chasing bigger challenges where art, media, and technology collide. I want to bring the same precision and creativity that scaled education brands to companies shaping global culture.

I’m happiest when the stakes are high, the problems are messy, and the path forward isn’t obvious. That’s where I do my best work: under pressure, alongside sharp, driven people who care about doing something that actually matters.

I don’t do maintenance mode. I build momentum.

Let's do something impossible together.