Testimonials
Feedback From Past ClientsBook Tom
“Tom is probably the most well received keynote I have ever booked. He stole the show at GAIM Ops Cayman – 515 attendees sitting upright, no phones in sight, hanging onto every word.”
“Your presentation was excellent, both in terms of substance and delivery. I found it riveting and engaging, and the time flew by!”
“Thank you very much for speaking with the <HF> team. Your presentation was riveting and the most effective training I have observed. Your story has sparked a tremendous amount of good and important discussion, and we cannot thank you enough for sharing your very experience and reflections with us.”
“I wanted to again extend a thank you for your message yesterday at our annual compliance training. Your story really resonated with the team and was an extremely effective way to reinforce important themes that we have typically covered in traditional compliance training forums. We still have a ‘buzz’ about the event today!”
“The impact of your presentation has exceeded my expectations, it has received more positive feedback than any other presentation before.”
“I can’t thank you enough. The feedback has been incredibly and overwhelmingly positive. One of my analysts from California even emailed “AWESOME – this was by far the best training we have had!” and he copied <our founder>! Wow!!”
“It was a wonderful event so different from our usual offerings. Numerous students told me that it was their favorite event of the year. Your story is extremely compelling, but even more powerful are your reflections on those experiences. You presented a clear-eyed assessment of the path that brought you to the point of making cash drops. What stood out was how the behavior of your friends and colleagues normalized the practice of insider trading, and how we might fall victim to the very same pressures. You gave us a morality play for our modern age. Thank you for the frank and insightful presentation.”
“It is something increasingly rare for anyone, let alone a former financial professional at a hedge fund, to open themselves and their actions to scrutiny. That openness and self-reflection you offered in your presentation made an indelible impression on everyone in the room. What makes your story unique – and especially powerful – is that you really don’t seem like a bad guy (actually, far from it, considering you’ve spent a good chunk of time organizing fundraisers for leukemia research, among other good causes). There’s a false comfort in the thought that the capital-I Insiders are always Bad Guys. But as your presentation vividly demonstrated, the most insidious crime is the one we justify. To this end, we joined you as you painstakingly traced through your decision process and left us with a most important piece of wisdom: we are the average of the five people around us. The effect you’ve made as a role model for my community has already been tangibly felt, and started important conversations about ethics across not just finance but also our day-to-day conduct. As a member of the Columbia Financial Investment Group, I know our appreciation for your message extends from all corners of campus.” –
“Tom kindly agreed to speak for me at Water USA, 2016. His presentation was extremely well received and he came out as one of the most popular speakers. Given the personal and honest nature of his talk, I am sure that it wasn’t easy to discuss his experience in front of a room full of 300+ financial experts. However, Tom is an excellent public speaker and he maintained a perfect level of seriousness and humor throughout his presentation. It was a pleasure working with him.”
“Tom was a HUGE hit at GAIM Ops West Coast … in great detail and with great compassion he shares his riveting and personal story about the complex psychological, logistical and emotional demands that could lead even the most innocent and righteous individual into the vast gray space of insider trading. This should be mandatory listening for anyone in finance operations and compliance.”
“Thank you for coming to Wharton yesterday and sharing your story with us. It was by far one of the most inspiring talks I’ve ever heard at Wharton, and perhaps one of the most interesting and inspiring in my life. It’s truly amazing that you took such an out-sized event and managed to find a way to find meaning and think of ways to seek out good out of it.”
“Today I had the pleasure of listening to a first class presentation from Tom Hardin on ethics and decision making. Delivered with real sincerity and humility, it was absolutely superb. I would highly recommend anyone in my network to get in touch with Tom if you’re interested in truly unique insights and effective training.”
“It was an absolute pleasure having you at [the firm] last week. I think the presentation delivered the exact results we wanted – good conversation around conduct and culture and a new awareness of the risks involved when we’re not focused on these things.”
“Tom made a big and positive impact on our students. He presents his experiences and lessons learned in an earnest and purposeful manner. The intent is not to scare so much as it is to educate law students on the importance of avoiding the slippery slopes that lie ahead. This is a Robert Frost “two roads diverge…” lesson best learned at the start of one’s career.”
“Thank you so much for your talk at SEFHA last night. It was so moving. The amount of detail and honesty in your story really helped so many of us get a look into one part of the hedge fund world, regulators and law enforcement and how we really were all in situations at one point or another that could have ended differently.”
“I knew that the interest in Tom’s story was strong within the student body when we had 3x the amount of sign-ups we normally have for our speakers. What I was blown away by was the how well Tom introduced and wove the human element into a subject matter that we all read about in the papers or see on TV. Tom’s talk was impactful on many levels, but the greatest takeaway transcended securities – it was on how we should address the gray areas of day to day life and to give hard thought on our decisions’ impact on our ethics. The general consensus in the room was that Tom would be one of the best speakers we’ll see in our two years on campus.”
“I want to tell you how wonderful I thought the talk was at Emory. Having heard David, I know how enjoyable his presentation is to hear. What was interesting was to watch the change in facial expressions as Tom spoke, from the amused face – to the pained face. There was a very sad message delivered to a group of students who think they can do no wrong. You did a great service to them, to Emory University, and to me personally. On behalf of all, I thank you very much. When you keep someone out of trouble, you, of course, get no headline to remind you of the job you did. I imagine there were nearly 200 students in that room and although we can never verify it, I imagine you all were a positive influence on quite a few of them. Thanks for your time and energy. You did something good for them.”
“The feedback that we received from Tom’s presentation at RiskHedge USA was up there with the best I’ve seen. Naturally, with an audience made up of predominately hedge funds, having Tom listed on the programme proved to be quite controversial but I am so relieved that I confirmed him on the agenda as he exceeded expectations. From the moment he stepped on to the stage, the audience was hooked, myself included as he talked us through his fascinating story in refreshingly frank detail. He was happy to answer all of the audiences questions- of which there were many- a joy to work with and I would highly recommend him for any conference going forward.”
“I’m a faculty member at the Harvard Business School and I had the recent pleasure of hearing Tom Hardin speak to a group of MBA students during a recent visit to Harvard. Much of my research focuses on corporate misconduct, fraud, and business leadership so Tom’s talk was one that I very much looked forward to. I was deeply impressed by his discussion since it managed to reflect his experience in a very personal and intimate way. He managed to successfully create and present an engaging narrative while avoiding oversimplifying the challenges he faced. I’ve seen a number of former executives speak that have faced their own challenges with the law and I felt that Tom delivered one of the most effective presentations. It resonated with the students in the classroom and myself. I hope he’ll continue sharing his story since I expect others will benefit from learning from his experience.”
“Tom’s discussion is a welcomed departure from the abstraction and theory of the traditional law school curriculum. Beyond providing an accessible primer on the securities laws, Tom takes the audience on an authentic journey of opportunity and temptation, one that mirrors that of so many lawyers and financial professionals who have found themselves employed on Wall Street. It is a cautionary tale fraught with suspense, career advice and finding a higher purpose. Tom’s greatest skill is his adept ability to convey his experience in a way that is both engaging and informative. I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to hear his story and encourage other young professionals to do the same.”
“Have you ever wondered how someone gets caught up in a federal investigation into Wall Street? Ever thought about what happens to that person when, his life turned upside down, he’s free to go…but has to figure out next steps from square one? Tom Hardin gives food for thought on those topics and more, speaking from personal experience and fueled by a genuine desire to help others understand.”
“Tom Hardin was the FBI’s most productive Cooperating Witness in the Perfect Hedge investigations. He has since been sentenced and seeking opportunities to tell his cautionary tale by going through his cooperation and the changes made in his life. He is an outstanding father, husband, and until his involvement in this case, a hard working industry professional. In listening to his story, you’ll understand that even the most grounded professionals can make a single decision that changes their path.”
“I cannot thank you enough for joining us! Your presentation was by far the best received session of the conference, I have to congratulate you on a job well done! I am very honored to have had the chance to meet you, I truly appreciated your advice, I think you should be very proud for inspiring young professionals like me.”
“Thank you again for taking the time to share your story with us. The feedback I received was phenomenal.”
“I’ve been speaking to a number of people today and to a person everyone found the presentation informative, useful and well delivered. Thank you for coming in and I wish you all the best.”
“I was in your audience at <hedge fund> today and I wanted to reach out to say thank you for coming to speak. I appreciate how difficult it would be to talk about your experiences and wanted to let you know that I am very glad to have had the opportunity to hear you speak. I found your talk gripping and the takeaways valuable and widely applicable. I am not front office at <hedge fund>, but as a young person starting my career and trying to navigate the politics of the working world, I appreciate the reminders and lessons you shared. I liked the connections you drew to Dan Ariely’s research and the visual representation of the networks and impact you had. I also appreciate that you included the day-to-day realities you continue to face. I thought you were a great speaker and your presentation and materials were excellent. Your talk was gripping and real from start to finish. I wish you the best and hope you’ll continue to speak to groups–I hope it can be cathartic to you and I am certain you will have a significant and positive impact on others.”
“Thank you, Tom. You were inspirational and changed lives. Hope to see you again in the near future.” –
“Thanks so much for coming to class yesterday. Your story was compelling and delivered with such class (and humor). I hung on every word. On behalf of our students, we’re grateful for you sharing such a powerful cautionary tale.”
“Tom held the interest of 85 hardened members of the Securities Experts Roundtable with his true story nightmare of being ensnared in a FBI sting. Tom’s presentation pulls you in to where a pin could be heard dropping in the room. We all realized that “but for the grace of God go I” was never more true. Hardin is not flashy; he is direct and raw and paints a picture no listener will ever forget. If you need your team to remember every day the potential impact of their decisions and actions, Tom is THE person to have present / coach / consult on matters of ethics and securities.”
“Thank you so much for speaking to the Columbia Business and Law Association yesterday. We have had an incredible response from our membership! You seem to have sparked a lot of enthusiasm, interest, and conversation surrounding insider trading, ethical dilemmas as a professional, and white collar work in general. We were all impressed by your presentation. I would highly recommend you as a thoughtful and entertaining speaker.”
“On behalf of the Harvard Association for Law and Business, thank you for taking the time to speak with students (and others) from across the Harvard community. Members of our Executive Board who were fortunate to attend agreed that it was a spectacular event, and we have received feedback from other attendees since highlighting what a unique lunch talk it was. First, we were all struck by your candor, humility, and heartfelt delivery. We frequently hear from attorneys or prosecutors focused on white collar crime, but we never hear the other side of the story. Your willingness to put yourself out there in hopes of providing others with an impactful warning is both courageous and much appreciated. Second, for a group of law students, your ability to connect your personal story to legal standards and procedures, and even underlying notions of intent, were incredibly impactful. I personally appreciated hearing your retroactive analysis of your mental state and rationalization; I think that is a crucial takeaway for anyone who previously thought something along the lines of, “that could never be me.” Lastly, your ability to deliver a heavy topic with some humor and levity was impressive and made for an hour that flew by. Thank you again and we will look forward to hosting you again in the future.”
“Tom generously shared his story with our Investment Club at HBS. He was extremely candid, both when telling his story and when responding to all of our questions. Tom’s presentation has sparked a rich ongoing discussion about ethics and accountability among the group and has undoubtedly been one of the most important sessions of our time at business school. I would highly recommend Tom to any prospective business school or financial institution. Tom’s story and lessons need to be shared and I have a huge amount of respect for his willingness and approach to doing so.”
“I had the privilege of listening to Tom Hardin and Dave Chaves discuss insider trading on Wall Street, here at Emory University. Rather than just tell us that cheating is bad, Tom did an excellent job through his personal story of taking us inside the psychology of rationalization that leads to making these kinds of unethical decisions. Going into the business world, we all tell ourselves that we are good people and do the right thing, but Tom’s story serves as powerful reminder of how quickly one bad decision can turn into a slippery slope. I would recommend to any student that they go and hear Tom speak, because we’ll all face ethical dilemmas in our future careers, and it’s important to understand the repercussions that one bad choice can have.”
“The Harvard Business School Investment Club had the privilege of hosting Tom this fall. Tom’s story is both fascinating and moving. He is an incredibly engaging and honest speaker. I can think of few guest speakers we have hosted whose message carries more significance. We are grateful to Tom for his time and candor.”
“Your speech was informative, thought-provoking, and genuine in a way that was both highly effective and incredibly refreshing. As someone coming from a finance background and re-entering the industry upon graduation, it touched me on both a professional and personal level. It is not very often that someone in your position takes such accountability for their actions and is able to turn their life around for the benefit of others. The importance of your speech and the role model you will come to represent to so many students and young professionals is something you and your family should be incredibly proud of. Please stay in touch and keep me updated on your future ventures. On behalf of the NYU Law & Business Association, I know we certainly look forward to having you back in the future.”
“I am a 2nd year Kellogg student from Spain that listened to you yesterday in the School. Thank you. I don’t know how to say this in English but in Spain when you want to say thank you for something that is really valuable we say “thank you from the heart”. Listening to you was one of the most inspiring experiences I have lived in this 2 years. Congratulations for sharing your story, for your bravery, for your humor, congratulations for fighting and congratulations for not allowing that situation to define who you are. This is about how it ends, not about how it starts. All the best and thank you again.”
“Thank you for getting out and telling your story. None of us should be judged by our worst moments, and my heart goes out to those whose mistakes are played out so publicly. You will be an inspiration to many by the way you have chosen to move forward.”
“Most of us wouldn’t have the guts to stand on stage and admit to a room full of strangers the worst thing we’ve ever done. Tom does just that, describing his fall from grace in excruciatingly honest and profoundly moving detail. Tom’s presentation is a fascinating insight in insider trading but more than that, it’s a cautionary tale about succumbing to temptation and what it means to search for absolution in a world that only cares about the bottom line. Everyone needs to hear his story, for the good of their souls.”
“We have received resoundingly positive feedback on ‘The FBI On Wall Street’ presentation at our 24th Annual Conference. Your contribution to the presentation allowed us all to better understand both your personal story and the methods of inside-traders and white-collar informants. I found your discussion to be fascinating, moving and informative. Thank you for your candid and vulnerable contribution.”
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