Chamber Chat with Tom Jackobs, Impact Pilot

The Chamber is committed to telling the stories of our members. Chamber Chat is a regular series profiling our members. We love great stories about what drives our members to start their businesses!

In this Chamber Chat, learn more from Tom Jackobs, Impact Pilot, and read why his entrepreneurial journey has led him on a path to help other entrepreneurs tell their stories to help your business stand out. Tom shares more about why a compelling story is key for business owners and some of the best business advice he received.

Learn more about storytelling from Tom in our upcoming Education Series Workshop, “How to Use Your Personal Story to Grow Your Business.” The Chamber Inaugural Education Series is sponsored by our corporate partner, Amegy Bank.

What is your 30-second “elevator speech” about what your company does?

I help business owners build their business through public speaking, creating their presentation, performance and profits.

Briefly talk about what led you to start your company.

In every business and job I have ever had in my 30 years of working, public speaking has been at the center for growing my business and influence. Adding to that my theatre training and sales expertise I am now able to assist other business owners on how to use public speaking training to improve sales... and even sell from the stage or in front of the camera.

What do you think makes your company unique? 

My unique skill set of performance, sales and presenting creates a unique way of coaching public speakers to have more influence, confidence and profits from their talks.

What are some of the challenges you see with business owners have in terms of telling their story? 

Most business owners don’t believe they have a compelling story to tell or that their story is related to their business. Everyone has a story, it’s how we tell it which makes it compelling AND related to our business. At the end of the day we do business with people and if your clients don’t know who you are as a person, they probably won’t do business with you.

You really have a way of getting business owners to map out their story to help grow their businesses. What’s the secret to your success?

I like to keep things simple. Complexity kills execution. When we go through the process we have much greater results. So, I approach all of my coaching with a process mindset.

You are racking up the frequent flier miles these days!  Tell us more about your travels. 

Haha, yes I am... I believe in developing my own stories and being a citizen of the world. We can learn more about other cultures by being immersed in them. In the last 6 months I’ve spent 5 months outside of the US and am still able to support my clients remotely. I’ve been to Thailand, Philippines, UK and Portugal, with more travel planned to visit most of the Asian countries in 2020.

Why did you join the Greater Houston LGBT Chamber? 

I’ve belonged to several chambers in the past and while each has provided success, I think it’s important to support our own LGBTQ community and to be surrounded by our tribe.

Why do you think it’s important for LGBTQ businesses to have a concentrated voice?

We’ve come so far since the Stonewall days, yet we have so much further to go. When we are visible as LGBTQ businesses we are able to change the hearts and minds of people. We are also able to show a much greater economic presence in the community when we work as a group.

What’s the best advice you ever received as a business owner?

Keep it simple. 

What are the positive aspects of running a business in HTX? 

HTX is such a great place to grow a business, from the tax advantages to the low cost of living to the diversity of our city.  There are so many opportunities to succeed!

Now for some fun…Barbecue or Mexican, and where do you go for it? 

BBQ – Gatlins’s on Ella.  Mexican/Tex-Mex – El Tiempo (next door to my house)

When you’re not working, what do you do for fun?

I’m a pilot and I enjoy flying around.

You know that group exercise…tell us something that no one would guess about you.  We’d love to know your response! 

I’m gay... just kidding, everyone knows that. I grew up playing the violin since the age of 4. I still have my violin and occasionally play it.

Anything else you want to mention about your company?

My mission is to help business owners grow their businesses by using Public Speaking and Video. By creating a human connection and developing skills of story telling there is no end to the impact they can have.

Learn more about Tom: www.TomJackobs.com/storybook and receive your free Public Speaking Storybook.

Follow Tom on social media:  Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube

Check out Tom’s Podcast.