Meet Tom Smith
Tom Smith is a Professional Certified Coach and certified Brain Science Coach who helps clients flourish through intentional thought and deliberate action. His coaching integrates neuroscience, practical wisdom, and deep listening to help people develop confidence, think with clarity, strengthen self-compassion, and cultivate joy.
Tom brings a unique blend of experience from engineering, business leadership, ministry, and coaching. He has served as a Professional Fire Protection Engineer, Commercial Property Casualty Underwriter, Reinsurance Manager for a Fortune 500 commercial insurer, Youth and Family Minister, ordained ELCA pastor, and professional coach. This varied background allows him to work with real-world complexity while remaining attentive to the human story beneath it.
Tom’s interest in coaching is also personal. Having experienced anxiety and self-doubt, he understands how limiting patterns can narrow a person’s sense of possibility. His coaching is grounded in the belief that meaningful growth is possible when people learn to pause, notice their patterns, and practice new ways of thinking and acting.
In 2022, Tom founded Ridgeview Coaching to help individuals, leaders, and teams move toward greater clarity, confidence, and flourishing. He currently serves on the board of ICF Wisconsin and as a coach for Brain by Design, the ELCA, Surface to Soul Coaching School, and Marquette University’s Companions in Ministry program.
Outside of coaching, Tom enjoys RV travel with his wife and their two Samoyeds, time with his adult children, and writing science fiction shaped by themes of hope, resilience, and human transformation.
Mission
Ridgeview Coaching helps individuals, teams, and leaders flourish by creating space to think clearly, act intentionally, and move toward what matters most.
GUIDING VALUES
AUTHENTICITY
Coaching works best when honesty has room to breathe. Ridgeview Coaching offers a grounded, trustworthy space where clients can think clearly, name what matters, and move forward without pretense or pressure.
COMPASSION
Growth often begins with self-understanding, not self-criticism. Ridgeview Coaching helps clients approach change with patience, courage, and respect for the complexity of real life.
HOPE
Hope is not passive optimism or denial of difficulty. It is the belief that people can grow, adapt, and move toward meaningful change through intentional thought, deliberate action, and support.
PLAYFULNESS
Serious growth does not require a heavy spirit. Humor, curiosity, and creativity help clients loosen old patterns, experiment with new possibilities, and rediscover joy along the way.
S. Manda
I struggle with severe anxiety. My psychiatrist focuses on what’s wrong with me. Tom focuses on what’s right. After each session I leave feeling more hopeful for the week ahead.
D. Smith
After 30 years with my company, I was downsized and felt lost. Coaching sessions with Tom helped me set new goals and reignited my passion and purpose.
K. Jones
Tom provided a safe space for me to share my struggles with a painful past relationship. He listened attentively, offered affirmation, and asked insightful questions that helped me uncover missed opportunities. With his guidance, I was able to identify actionable steps to move forward and heal.
