October 2025
20 Questions
Last year we started a feature where we highlighted various members of staff to explore their journey. In this feature we ask our CEO, Thom Poole, the questions.
Q1. What pivotal moment or specific challenge early in your career fundamentally changed how you approach your work?
I’d class this as demonstrating flexibility from an early age. I originally wanted to join the Royal Air Force but whilst passing the aptitude and medical tests, I failed my eyesight test. Reviewing my position, I entered into accountancy, before deciding that marketing was the vocation for me.
That sort of grounding also led me to be combine my expertise – starting in Marketing Controlling – a type of financial marketing, before moving into product and then digital marketing.I’ve been very fortunate that I had some great bosses and role models over the years (also many poor examples) that also shaped my thinking and my practice.
Q2. What is the single biggest misconception people have about your role or department, and what’s the real story?
Being a marketer, I would say that marketing is seen as something that anyone can do. MBA courses do a few lessons in it and the result is that there are a great many poorly qualified marketing practitioners out there. Marketing is both an art and science. Done properly, marketing is a real asset to a business.Unfortunately, due to the many bad practitioners, marketing is often seen an extravagant cost centre, as opposed a highly measurable profit centre, and one that is central to all business activities.
Q3. Looking ahead, what is the one thing you are most determined to change or innovate within the company in the next year?
Everyone is talking about AI, and a large number of people are using it for bad practices or as a glorified search engine. AI, done properly, is a great tool for marketers. We all need to learn to use it better, and to push its limits.
At Jack Marketing Solutions, we are not only looking to become experts ourselves, but also to empower our customers.
Q4. If you had to summarise your leadership philosophy in just three words, what would they be?
Hmm, three words? Three phrases maybe: Empower the team; Responsible for all activities and outcomes; and Have a hunger to learn.
This is something I live by, and I instil this into my teams.
Q5. What skill that you learned outside of your formal education has been most crucial to your success here?
I was lucky enough to have been taught in the days before school ranking tables forced education to train students for exams rather than learn a topic.
Education doesn’t teach man-management, so I had to learn this from the guidance and example of others. I did a Marketing Management degree, but that hardly touched on how to be a manger, leader or anything remotely like it. That’s why Jacqui {Pearce} and I wrote the book on the First 100 Days, as a guide to new managers.
I now apply this in my work and I have also used it leading sports teams, as a captain and team manager.
Q6. How do you ensure that your team stays creative and takes calculated risks, even when the stakes are high?
I have always found that empowering the team to make the decisions themselves drives them all forward. I support this creativity and risk taking, and it has held me in good stead. Staff take on this responsibility, coming to me or other leaders, when they need guidance.
Q7. What’s the best piece of professional advice you’ve ever received, and who gave it to you?
When I worked in sales, the Managing Director loved the phrase – You have two ears and one mouth – use them in that proportion. That is, to listen to the customer, your team, etc., more than you talk.
Q8. How has the company culture evolved since you started, and what role do you play in shaping it now?
When I set the company up 25 years ago, I had to do everything. I tried to future-proof the organisation by putting processes in place early on that would befit a larger business, even if it seemed over the top at the time. Now we have an organisation that runs smoothly.
Q9. Describe a time when a project failed, and what you – or the team – learned from that experience.
Not just a project, but a company. I co-founded an IoT business that was highly creative, very insightful, but ultimately ran out of money. I was permitted to keep the business, brands and patent ideas, but without funds, the business ended. I still have plans to possibly bring it back at some time.
What I learned from it, was that the three of us ran the business equally, but the goals of the other two were not for the longevity of the business. Whilst I allow a lot of freedom to my staff, I make sure that the procedures and paperwork are all kept up to date.
Q10. What is a quality you actively look for and try to mentor in junior employees?
Openness, honesty and a thirst for knowledge. I have always had a reciprocal agreement with my mentors in the past – I learned from them and they from me. This is what I look for in my mentors and my mentees.
Q11. What is your favourite non-work-related book, podcast, or hobby, and how does it influence your leadership style?
That’s a difficult question. Book – I love the Tolkien books and I read many non-fiction titles, when I can. Having said this, if I am flying off somewhere on business, I will often write a book – I have published 7 novels so far.
As a marketer, story-telling is fundamental to my profession. I find weaving a story into an example helps the understanding of my audience.
Q12. Where do you go or what do you do when you need to completely disconnect and recharge?
I am very fortunate that I live in a beautiful, rural area, and to unwind, I love nothing more than to go for a walk. If I have more time, going back home to Liechtenstein also allows me to get close to nature.
Q13. If you could have dinner with any three people (living or historical) to discuss strategy, who would they be and why?
Oh boy! I think I’d love to talk with Henry Ford, Mozart and … Steve Jobs. Is that random enough for you?
Q14. What piece of technology or simple tool can you not live without (and why isn’t it your phone)?
I have been very fortunate to have been involved at the beginning of the Internet, mobile internet (and smartphone), and smart devices eras. I would say that my must have item is a pen and a notepad (though I often use this on my smartphone or computer).
Q15. If you weren’t in this industry, what completely different career path do you think you would have followed?
I’d love to have been able to fulfil a career in aerospace. I suppose a writer… No, I have no idea really. Confucius it was, I believe, who said – If you love what you do, you will never have to work a day in your life. Marketing, whilst is a tough profession, offers me just that.
Q16. What’s one thing you are currently learning (professional or personal)?
AI. I need to know more, and I want to try to shape the way it is used in business and marketing.
Q17. What is your go-to method for starting a challenging conversation?
Hmm – I think this goes back to the advice I was given. 2 ears, one mouth. Modifying this, 2 eyes and one mouth. Read the room, evaluate the situation. It doesn’t make the conversation any easier but puts me on the front foot.
Q18. What do you believe is the next big trend that will disrupt our industry?
It think that comes back to the answer of AI. We haven’t seen the disruption yet. As a consultant, it will kill much of our business as cheaper companies try to do things themselves. But I see it as a disruptive opportunity – if we can excel, we will succeed.
Q19. What makes you most proud to work for this company?
I am proud of what I built, and proud of what is still building. I suppose that I will need to start creating an exit strategy soon, in a way that the legacy continues.
Q20. What is one personal habit or routine that contributes most to your daily productivity?
A daily to-do list on a scrap of paper that I put next to my computer. It is a scrap because it has a finite life – just today. Anything that remains of the list too long is obviously not that important. I will be writing a productivity booklet to help others.