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Built by resilience
Ten years of fighting cancer taught me something I now bring to every founder I work with: the best systems aren't about grinding harder—they're about rising with purpose.
OPPORTUNITY ENGINEER
TOM HEINMILLER
I've spent 40+ years in sales and business development—from the halls of IBM to building and selling two of my own companies. But the most important lessons I've learned didn't come from boardrooms. They came from a decade-long battle with cancer.
When you spend ten years fighting for your life, you learn what actually matters. You learn that systems beat willpower. That relationships outlast transactions. That every conversation is an opportunity to serve someone—not just close them.
Today, I help technical founders who are brilliant at what they do but struggle to create consistent opportunities. I don't teach them to become salespeople. I help them build systems that work for who they already are—systems rooted in integrity, not manipulation.
40+
Years Experience
2+
Founder (Built and Sold)
10
Year cancer survivor
THE FOUNDATION
Where It Started: IBM, GE, and the Fortune 100
I started my career at IBM in 1968, where I learned that great selling isn't about pitching—it's about listening. I made the 100% Club every year on quota, earned four Gold Circles, and was twice named an Eagle (top 20% of the sales force).
Those weren't trophies for being pushy. They came from building trust, understanding what customers actually needed, and showing up consistently. Later, at companies like Boeing, GE, and NCR, I refined what I call "opportunity engineering"—creating systems that generate conversations, not just contacts.
IBM 100% Club
(Every year on quota)
4 Gold Circles
2x Eagle Award
Fortune 100
Sales Leadership
Boeing, GE, NCR
Business Development
THE TRIAL
A Decade of Fighting - and Finding Clarity
Cancer doesn't care about your sales targets. For ten years, I fought a battle that stripped away everything except what truly matters: family, purpose, and the relationships that sustain you when everything else falls apart.
I learned that willpower alone isn't sustainable. You need systems. You need people. You need to show up consistently, even when you don't feel like it—especially when you don't feel like it. Most importantly, I learned that every day is an opportunity to serve someone else, not just survive.
Today, I'm a 10-year survivor. And I bring that same resilience, that same systems-thinking, that same gratitude to every founder I work with.
When you spend ten years fighting for your life, you learn that the best systems aren't about grinding harder—they're about rising with purpose.
THE MISSION
Helping Technical Founders Rise
Most technical founders don't have a sales problem. They have an opportunity problem. They're brilliant at what they do, but they can't consistently start conversations with qualified buyers.
I get it. These aren't people who want to become slick salespeople. They want to build great things and work with great clients. My job is to help them create systems that make that happen—without grinding, gimmicks, or becoming someone they're not.
I combine Fortune 100 discipline with small business grit and modern outreach systems to help founders not just survive—but rise.
Systems that work for who you already are
Integrity-based relations, not manipulation
Predictable pipeline, sustainable growth
Purpose-drive, resilience-based.
A Life Built on Purpose
The same discipline that helped me beat cancer now structures my weeks—and reminds me every day why I do this work.
Giving Back at the James
Every Friday morning, I volunteer at the James Cancer Institute at The Ohio State University. I sit with patients going through treatment. I talk with their families. I listen.
I've been where they are. I know the fear, the exhaustion, the isolation. And I know that sometimes the most powerful thing you can offer someone isn't advice—it's presence. It's showing them that people do get through this.
James Cancer Institute, The Ohio State University
Finding Perspective on the Trail
Every Saturday, I hike Ohio's state and local parks. Not for exercise—though that's a bonus—but for perspective. There's something about being on a trail that clears the noise and reminds you what's real.
The same clarity I find on those trails is what I try to bring to founders who are stuck in the weeds. Sometimes you need to step back, see the bigger picture, and remember why you started this journey in the first place.
Ohio State & Local Parks
The Path Here
Four decades of building, selling, and serving—with a few detours that made all the difference.
1968
IBM Marketing Executive
Started my career in corporate sales. Earned 100% Club status every year, 4 Gold Circles, twice named Eagle (top 20%).
1978
Director of Business Development, JMCG Systems
28 years leading business development for IT consulting. Worked with Boeing, GE, NCR building sales teams and driving growth.
2013
Founded Heinmiller Consulting Services
Launched my own practice helping SMBs build lead generation systems and sales pipelines. The beginning of "Opportunity Engineering."
TODAY
Helping Technical Founders Rise
Combining Fortune 100 discipline, small business grit, and modern outreach systems to help founders create predictable pipelines with integrity.
What I Believe
These aren't just business principles. They're life principles—forged in hospital rooms, refined in boardrooms, and tested every single day.
Integrity First
Every system I build is rooted in honesty and authenticity. No manipulation, no gimmicks—just genuine connection and service.
Systems Over Willpower
Motivation fades. Discipline fluctuates. But a well-designed system keeps working even on the days you don't feel like it.
Relationships Over Transactions
Every conversation is an opportunity to serve someone—not just close them. The best clients become long-term partners.
Rise with Purpose
Growth isn't about grinding harder. It's about building something that reflects who you are and why you do this work.
Gratitude as Fuel
I don't take any of this for granted. Every client, every conversation, every day—it's all a gift. I show up accordingly.
Community over Competition
I'm building a community of resilient, purpose-driven entrepreneurs who grow stronger together. Your success is our success.
Let's Build Something Together
I work with technical founders who are ready to stop waiting for referrals and start creating consistent opportunities. If that's you, I'd love to have a conversation.
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