Helping Design
Thrive
As Startups Scale
I partner with founders and heads of design who are navigating
the decisions that shape their teams, their products,
and their own growth as leaders.
Growth often brings unfamiliar territory. Whether it’s new decisions, higher stakes, or just the quiet sense that the old answers don’t quite fit anymore.
Hi, I’m Tom. I’ve spent 20 years in product design, the last 10 leading design teams. Among other things, in my five years as Director of Product Design at Monzo, I designed the hiring process from the ground up, shaped progression frameworks to embed design’s strategic role alongside a high bar for craft, and built design functions from scratch across multiple product areas from first hire through to self-sustaining design Great. Before that, I built design teams at Babylon Health in London and BuzzFeed in New York. Collectively, I’ve managed over 100 designers, scaled teams from 10 to 60+ multiple times, and interviewed over 1,000 designers across the US and Europe.
Whew, that’s a lot! But what’s fascinated me through all of it is the enormous leverage that comes from getting design leadership right early. Building strong foundations here sets design up to be a true product differentiator, changing the trajectory of hiring, quality, pace, and influence.
That’s what I do now, independently. I work with startups that care about getting design right, helping them build the leadership and foundations that make design a genuine driver of their success. The kind of senior perspective that matters most at inflection points, long before a full-time hire at this level makes sense.
The areas I focus on
Practice
The areas where I help most, and where getting it right early makes the biggest difference.
Building the right team
Good hiring is only part of it. The shape of the team, how roles are defined, how people grow. These decisions compound, and getting them wrong is expensive and time-consuming to undo. I help design leaders and founders think through their team as it evolves: hiring process design, org structure, role definition, progression frameworks, and the hires that raise the bar for what design is capable of.
Scaling craft and quality
As teams grow, craft quality is one of the first things to quietly degrade. Inconsistency creeps in, feedback loops slow down, and alignment across the team starts to drift. But quality and pace aren't opposites. I help teams build the conditions where both can thrive together: critique culture, feedback rhythms, effective cross-functional partnerships, and the ways of working that keep the bar high without slowing things down.
Developing stronger leaders
The more senior you become, the fewer genuine peers you have. But leadership impact isn't limited to the people at the top. I work with design leaders and their teams to sharpen how they think, operate, and influence, whether that's a Head of Design finding their voice, or designers across the team growing their strategic skills and learning to shape product direction.
How we could work together
Advisory
Three ways to work together, from focused sessions through to embedded leadership.
Sessions
Friday availabilityA focused hour to unpack and work through what matters most to you right now. Hiring decisions, difficult conversations, structural questions. Clarity, direction, and forward momentum.
At the sweet spot between coaching and mentoring my goal is operating as a trusted long-term thought partner.
£400 / session
£2,250 for a pack of 6 sessions
Use monthly, or whenever you need
Retainer
2 open spotsYour senior design leader on speed dial. We’ll have a dedicated Slack channel for light feedback or decisions that can’t wait, thoughtful input in your working files, and live collaborative sessions where we get into the work together.
Shaping strategy, reviewing designs, stress-testing decisions, and when the time’s right, helping you find and hire the right people. Equal parts sounding board, and hands-on working partner.
£1,500 / month billed quarterly
A 2 hour live working session every month
Async support via Slack + contextual feedback
Fractional
No immediate availabilityEmbedded design leadership inside your team, 1–2 days a week. Whether I’m running crits, shaping strategy, leading design hiring or driving cross-functional partnerships.
Shaped around the outcomes that matter most to you right now. Engagements are typically 6+ months long and I take on 1–2 clients a year.
Let’s talk
Get in touch to discuss pricing, availability and an ideal shape to work together.
All rates subject to VAT
Nice things people have said
Testimonials
Tom has been an instrumental partner to me in scaling Monzo's Design org. I've learned so much and levelled up as a leader throughout our time working together. Among other things he overhauled our hiring process, career framework and design reviews to strengthen product design at Monzo.
Vuokko Aro
Chief Design Officer
Monzo
Tom's superpower is using his deep empathy to build relationships quickly and help others around him thrive. During my time working with him, I witnessed first-hand how Tom's thoughtfulness and craft expertise leveled up the designers around him.
Cap Watkins
VP of Product Design
Lattice
Tom had a bigger impact on me during the time he managed me than anyone else in my career. Whether through his soft-spoken questions, clever wit, or honest reflections, he always had my best interests at heart. Tom set my standard for exceptional leadership.
Liam Carter-Hawkins
Head of Design
Kry Livi
Tom has been invaluable as we've scaled our team and product. He helped us shape a clear, lightweight hiring process for our first Product Manager and coached me through every step, leading to a brilliant hire. He built out our customer research practice, levelled up the design of our reports, and raised the quality and confidence of everything we ship.
Adam Rogers
CTO & Co-Founder
Martello
Tom helped me find focus and confidence as the only designer at Prosper. His guidance gave me tools to navigate disagreement, set boundaries, and communicate design's value with real business impact. I'm excited to continue getting his feedback on the design work itself.
Will Ayling
Lead Product Designer
Prosper
Tom has been an invaluable mentor in helping me grow as a leader. He's a great listener who asks the right questions to get to the heart of challenges, and his human-first but commercially-savvy approach has given me clarity through everything from team coaching to company restructures. With his guidance I've been able to unlock the potential in my team and create an environment where people can do their best work.
Chris Underdown
Head of Product Design
Motorway
Tom has been an instrumental partner to me in scaling Monzo's Design org. I've learned so much and levelled up as a leader throughout our time working together. Among other things he overhauled our hiring process, career framework and design reviews to strengthen product design at Monzo.
Vuokko Aro
Chief Design Officer
Monzo
Tom's superpower is using his deep empathy to build relationships quickly and help others around him thrive. During my time working with him, I witnessed first-hand how Tom's thoughtfulness and craft expertise leveled up the designers around him.
Cap Watkins
VP of Product Design
Lattice
Tom had a bigger impact on me during the time he managed me than anyone else in my career. Whether through his soft-spoken questions, clever wit, or honest reflections, he always had my best interests at heart. Tom set my standard for exceptional leadership.
Liam Carter-Hawkins
Head of Design
Kry Livi
Tom has been invaluable as we've scaled our team and product. He helped us shape a clear, lightweight hiring process for our first Product Manager and coached me through every step, leading to a brilliant hire. He built out our customer research practice, levelled up the design of our reports, and raised the quality and confidence of everything we ship.
Adam Rogers
CTO & Co-Founder
Martello
Tom helped me find focus and confidence as the only designer at Prosper. His guidance gave me tools to navigate disagreement, set boundaries, and communicate design's value with real business impact. I'm excited to continue getting his feedback on the design work itself.
Will Ayling
Lead Product Designer
Prosper
Tom has been an invaluable mentor in helping me grow as a leader. He's a great listener who asks the right questions to get to the heart of challenges, and his human-first but commercially-savvy approach has given me clarity through everything from team coaching to company restructures. With his guidance I've been able to unlock the potential in my team and create an environment where people can do their best work.
Chris Underdown
Head of Product Design
Motorway
About Tom
I’m based in Walthamstow, London, with my wife and two young boys, where I try my best to run regularly in the forest. Before all this, I spent time making music, taking long train journeys, and living in NYC for 9 years, where I found my love for Minnesota tacos, among other things.
Intentional Partners grew out of a deep interest in helping leaders and design teams thrive, but these days it’s one of a few things I spend my time on. I’m also deeply curious about how AI is reshaping the way teams work, the evolving craft of design, and how well-designed products continue making it out into the world despite the strange and fascinating times we’re living through right now.
I occasionally write about these themes on LinkedIn and Substack, if you're curious to read more.