About

Tom’s background is in art direction, but he has been a writer his whole life. He has worked on some of the biggest brands in the world, with major creative names, and has created work for some of the industry’s biggest stages.

His work has been recognized by The One Show, Communication Arts, Creativity, D&AD, ADC, Ad Age, Lürzer’s Archive, and Adweek, where his work has been named “Ad of the Day” eight separate times. He has also won 11 Cannes Lions.

Tom’s agency experience includes Fallon, Venables Bell, and Leo Burnett, along with freelance work for agencies such as The Martin Agency, Quality Meats, Preacher, BBH NY, 72andSunny, and Arts & Letters. Along the way, he has learned from incredible mentors who helped shape his creative path.

In addition to freelancing, Tom is currently a professor and Chair of Art Direction at the VCU Brandcenter. His two favorite things are creativity and teaching, and he would love to help others find their own path.

Website

tomscharpf.com

Interests

College basketball, songwriting, music, photography, antiques, history, Americana, and dive bars.

Can Help With

Creative and design, Portfolio reviews, Art direction,Creative direction, Copywriting, Breaking into the industry, Leadership, Freelancing, Résumé and portfolio feedback, Networking
Advertising agencies, Managing teams, Mentoring

Best Person to Talk to About

Building a creative portfolio
Breaking into advertising
Developing as an art director or creative
Understanding agency life
Navigating freelance creative work
Growing into creative leadership
Getting feedback on résumé, portfolio, and professional story
Finding your path in the creative industry

Fun Fact

Tom can wiggle one ear — just one. He still hasn’t figured out how to unlock that same power on the other side.

Background

Tom was an army brat, so he moved around a lot growing up and has lived in New York, Virginia, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Minnesota, and California at different points in his life.

When he was young, he wanted to be a cartoonist. He went on to attend the University of Dayton, where he majored in graphic design. After landing a job at a small ad agency in Cincinnati, his mentors encouraged him to attend portfolio school. He chose the VCU Brandcenter, and his creative career took off from there.