Episode Details

Tom Krouse joined Donatos in 2000, spent ten years in marketing and growth leadership, and was named the fourth CEO in the company's history in October 2010. Over his tenure he nearly doubled revenue, increased profitability six times, and grew the brand past 460 locations in 29 states. Columbus CEO named him CEO of the Year in 2019. Before Donatos, he spent twelve years at Wendy's International and left as Vice President of Marketing.

Then he handed it over. "I used to have a machine that I was responsible for that I helped build and fixed and added features to. And then there's no machine."

In this conversation, Tom and Brett trace the line back. Losing his father at 21, just as the two of them had started having real conversations as adults. Sitting in the parking lot of the ad agency with his own name on the building, unable to get out of the car. The career counselor who told him what he already suspected. And what he finally understood about all of it: "everything was about external validation."

The year since leaving has been a different kind of work. He turned down a private equity role that was flattering and lucrative, because it wasn't the thing. He's a singer songwriter, front man for Grassinine and the Tom Krouse Band, an adjunct professor at Ohio State's Fisher College of Business, and a co-founder of the Columbus Music Commission.

He went into the transition knowing that part would be the hard part. "I've got to figure out how to do this better than I've seen people do it." A year on, he's still working out whether it's okay to sit in a coffee shop on a Tuesday afternoon with a book.

Connect with Tom:

Instagram: @tomkrouse

New single: "More To The Story," out now

Springsteen Tribute Show: August 7 at Natalie's Grandview. Tickets at nataliesgrandview.com

Live at Columbus Clippers: August 14, performing "Hot Dog Boy" on the field with Joey Chestnut on cowbell

Grassinine 20th Anniversary Show: September 24 at Mickey's Bar, Grandview