Tom Sharman, laughing, in glasses and a black shirt

Tom Sharman

The operator behind top 1% creators.

Tom Sharman is a UK-based content strategist who builds the strategy, teams and systems that turn creators and entrepreneurs into media businesses. He founded The Content Operators.

  • 410M+long form views produced
  • 12 yearsin the creator economy

Bios to copy

Short bio

Tom Sharman has worked with Top 1% creators taking them from solo operators into media businesses, building the strategy, systems and teams. His work has produced 2B+ views.

Long bio

Tom Sharman has spent twelve years working behind the camera in the creator economy. He's the person top creators bring in when they're ready to stop being a solo operator and start running a media business.

He co-founded New Waves, Who Dis?, where he ran production for Niko Omilana, including a single video at 47,563,094 views. He built the strategy, systems and teams behind TheBurntChip, and took entrepreneur Sam Stoffel from 0 to 500,000 followers in 10 months by rehiring the whole team, finding three formats and building a system that published three times a day. He's been Head of Content for the Secret Leaders podcast, Stoffel Media Group and Heath Media. Before that he co-founded Clash of Creators, a creator charity football event that raised £12,754 for Mind, and worked as YouTube Manager for Katie Price. His work has produced over 2 billion views.

Now he runs his own business, The Content Operators, a consultancy and agency that works with creators, entrepreneurs and brands to help them level up, and he hosts a regular content webinar for HelpBnk.

On stage he covers three things: building a personal brand from zero, what it's really like working with the biggest YouTubers in the world, and the systems that let anyone think, feel and act like the top 1% of creators. Expect real numbers and real stories from the edit suite.

Career

2024 to 2026

Entrepreneurs

Since 2024 Tom has run content for founders: the Secret Leaders podcast with Dan Murray-Serter and Chris Donnelly, Sam Stoffel's personal brand, and Ben Heath's Heath Media. Each one got what he had built for creators: a team, a system that ships every day, and formats that outlive the person who found them.

  1. May 2026 to Sep 2026

    Ben Heath, Heath Media

    Head of Brand and Content

    Led brand and content for Ben Heath, one of the world's most watched Meta ads educators, built the in-house team and launched the Skool community.

    • Number one trending money community on Skool, and sixth trending globally. Ben Heath Read the case study
    The full CV text

    I'm Head of Brand and Content for Ben Heath, one of the world's most-watched Meta ads educators, over a decade of content and 700+ videos, and his team at Heath Media. I lead brand and content across the operation, shaping how it shows up everywhere from YouTube to the products it ships, including BenHeath.AI, an assistant trained on Ben's entire video library that answers Meta and Google advertising questions grounded in his own teaching.

  2. Jun 2025 to May 2026

    Sam Stoffel

    Head of Content & Content Consultant

    Built the team, the systems and the strategy behind Sam Stoffel's personal brand from scratch, on a system that posted three times a day.

    The full CV text

    I led strategy, operations and the content team behind Sam Stoffel's personal brand. Sam is an entrepreneur on a mission to change lives through entrepreneurship, and in ten months we took his channel from zero to 500,000 followers. I built the team, the systems and the strategy entirely from scratch.

    Alongside that I consulted for Liquidity Media, the group behind Outplayed.com and Odds Monkey, from January to April 2026, helping them figure out where content fits in their growth story.

  3. Jul 2024 to May 2025

    Secret Leaders

    Head of Content

    Relaunched Secret Leaders as a video first podcast hosted by Dan Murray-Serter and Chris Donnelly, and built its studio and its sponsorships.

    The full CV text

    I relaunched Secret Leaders as a video-first podcast hosted by Dan Murray and Chris Donnelly, arguably the most credentialed co-hosting duo in UK business media. I ran the whole operation: daily social content, twice-weekly premium interviews with Deborah Meaden, James Watt, Simon Squibb and more, plus all the business and commercial side.

    We grew to #2 in the UK Business Podcast charts, sitting right behind Steven Bartlett's Diary of a CEO. Sponsorship deals with Wise, Vanta, Hewlett Packard and Dubai Tourism. I also built the professional studio from scratch in 6K quality.

    PressEarworm

2018 to 2024

Creators

From 2018 the work moved to the creators themselves: Rebel FC, Katie Price's channel, Gareth Bale's Ellevens Esports and Combat Gaming, then New Waves, Who Dis?, the production company behind Niko Omilana's biggest videos and TheBurntChip's formats, alongside Angels Management, Swift Media and Clash of Creators. This is where Tom learnt what a creator needs to become a media business: the team, the system and formats that repeat. Founders turned out to need the same three things.

  1. Nov 2023 to Jul 2024

    Swift Media

    Head of Talent Management

    Launched the talent management division of a content syndication business from zero, in Food, Travel and Lifestyle.

    The full CV text

    Joined content syndication business Swift Media to launch their talent management division from zero, a fresh revenue stream built entirely from scratch. The focus was Food, Travel and Lifestyle. I managed clients including Bald and Bankrupt, Backpacker Ben, London Bruncher and Those Boxing Brothers.

  2. Nov 2021 to Apr 2023

    Angels Management

    Chief Creative Officer

    Built Angels into a UK agency for female content creators, with a roster of 23 exclusively managed creators.

    Clients: Bonnie Locket, Daisy Drew and Mercedes the Dancer.

    The full CV text

    Built Angels into the UK's number one agency for female content creators. We generated $750,000 in revenue within the first twelve months with operating margins above 50%. The roster grew to 23 exclusively managed creators with a combined following of over 20 million. On average, clients saw 5× their monthly revenue and 8× growth on social after signing.

  3. Jul 2021 to Nov 2021

    NewGen (Kairos Media)

    Account Manager

    Account Manager at NewGen (Kairos Media), running delivery and the creator side of the Forza Horizon 5 launch across Xbox and LG, with Vikkstar, James Buckley, Aarav and Benny Central.

    The full CV text

    Managed a $1,000,000 campaign for the Forza Horizon 5 launch across XBOX and LG. A month-long activation with Vikkstar, James Buckley, Aarav and Benny Central, spanning live streams, in-person events and content for both brand and creator channels.

  4. Jun 2021 to Nov 2023

    New Waves, Who Dis?

    Co-Founder & Production Partner

    Co-founded a UK YouTube production company and worked all four lanes: formats, production, commercial and talent.

    Produced and represented creators including Niko Omilana, TheBurntChip, Astrid Wett, Ollie Ball, Jacob Pasquill and Culture Force.

    The full CV text

    Produced content for one of the UK's most daring and viral YouTube creators, Niko Omilana, including campaigns with BBC, Google, YouTube and JD Sports. Led production across 28 long-form videos for TheBurntChip, eight of his top 12 all-time best performers, including all three of his most-viewed videos ever, 49 million views across our work together.

    Also produced and represented Astrid Wett, Ollie Ball, Jacob Pasquill and Culture Force, and co-founded Clash of Creators, a creator-versus-creator format bringing together some of the UK's biggest YouTube names.

    Other creators from this partnership: Calfreezy, ChrisMD, JiDion, AnEsonGib, Liam Bedford, Sidemen, NDL, Casey Barker, Mr. Zagatti, Nasey Family, Cals Clips and Pieface23.

    PressIn The Know by YahooDexertoDexertoLADbible+4

  5. Aug to Oct 2023

    Astrid Wett

    Produced and represented

    Produced and represented, per the CV; her nine videos are in Tom's work.

    The full CV text

    Also produced and represented Astrid Wett, Ollie Ball, Jacob Pasquill and Culture Force. Nine Astrid Wett videos, from August to October 2023.

  6. Jun 2022 to Feb 2023

    XCAD Network

    Launch, produced through New Waves, Who Dis?

    The XCAD Network launch in New York, produced by New Waves, Who Dis?

    The full record

    The XCAD Network launch that took over Times Square, produced by New Waves, Who Dis? Six XCAD videos sit in Tom's work.

  7. May 2022 to Sep 2024

  8. Jan 2022 to Apr 2023

    Niko Omilana

    Producer, through New Waves, Who Dis?

    Produced I Pranked America's Most Racist Man end to end, and produced The Biggest Menace with JiDion.

    The full record

    Produced the KKK prank video end to end and owned its packaging and release: 47,563,094 views on the primary upload. Produced The Biggest Menace, the seven part series with JiDion across two channels: 78,198,860 views on YouTube for the seven episodes and the trailer.

  9. 2021 to 2023

  10. Mar 2021 to May 2022

    Jacob and Ollie Ball

    Agent and producer, through New Waves, Who Dis?

    Represented Ollie Ball and Jacob Pasquill directly as agent, and produced their joint channel.

    The full record

    Represented Ollie Ball and Jacob Pasquill directly as agent. 86 videos on the Jacob and Ollie Ball channel sit in Tom's work, from March 2021 to May 2022.

  11. Feb to Aug 2021

    Clash of Creators

    Co-Founder, with Callum Glanville

    A creator versus creator charity football match at Aveley FC on 25 July 2021, with four teams of UK creators, in aid of Mind.

    The full record

    Built the concept, assembled the talent and drove the production vision. Appeared alongside Callum Glanville on JaackMaate's Happy Hour episode 203 as the event's founders.

    The first event ran on 25 July 2021 at Aveley FC with four teams of UK creators in aid of Mind, the mental health charity. It featured JaackMaate, Morgz, Spencer FC, Josh Pieters and Ollie Ball; David James coached the winning side.

    PressJaackMaate's Happy Hour PodcastDexertoIMDb

  12. Feb 2020 to Jun 2021

    Ellevens Esports

    Head of Creative, 38 Entertainment Group

    Co-led the deal that put Duracell on the shirt of Gareth Bale's Ellevens Esports team inside FIFA 21 Ultimate Team, announced in December 2020.

    The full CV text

    For Gareth Bale's Ellevens Esports, I signed the first ever in-game shirt sponsorship deal in FIFA history, bringing Duracell in as the team's official kit sponsor. A genuine industry first covered across global sports and esports media.

    PressDigidayEsports InsiderEuropean Sponsorship Association

  13. Feb 2020 to Jun 2021

    Combat Gaming

    Head of Creative, 38 Entertainment Group

    Charity livestreams with EA Sports, Activision Blizzard and Epic Games, and 150+ celebrities, athletes and creators.

    Signed Mason Mount, then of Chelsea and England, as Combat Gaming's first ambassador.

    The full CV text

    For Combat Gaming by Mason Mount, I worked with 150+ AAA celebrities, athletes and creators on charity livestreams with EA Sports, Activision Blizzard and Epic Games. $200K raised, and a Fortnite tournament with Epic hit 10M+ live views. I also signed England and Chelsea footballer Mason Mount as a Combat ambassador.

    PressEsports News UKThe Esports ObserverEsports InsiderBBC Sport

  14. Aug 2019 to Feb 2020

    Katie Price

    YouTube Manager

    Led the launch and growth of Katie Price's YouTube channel, producing weekly videos with a team of videographers and editors.

    The full CV text

    Led the launch and growth of Katie Price's YouTube channel. Produced weekly videos with a team of videographers and editors. In the first month alone we hit 1 million views, 60,000 subscribers and tens of millions of media impressions across tabloid press and beyond.

    PressMetroOK!MirrorThe Sun+6

  15. Sep 2018 to Aug 2019

    Rebel FC

    Social Media Manager (freelance)

    Ran social and content across a full season: formats, upload schedule, channels and community.

    Content around the Wembley Cup, with Rio Ferdinand, Callux, Arsenal Fan TV and the Spurs Foundation.

    The full record

    Ran social and content across a full season: formats, upload schedule, channels and community. Delivered content around the Wembley Cup and featuring Rio Ferdinand, Callux, Arsenal Fan TV and the Spurs Foundation. Freelance, alongside Virtual Umbrella.

2009 to 2020

Advertising and startups

It started at 13, scouting gaming talent for Machinima on a share of what they earned. From 2015 Tom worked the agency and startup side of social: Social Media Week London at 19, Ogilvy Labs, a founding role at TwelveA.M., Campus Society and Tyro Magazine, then immersive films at Virtual Umbrella. It taught him how brands, platforms and audiences fit together, and it kept pointing him at the people making the content.

  1. Sep 2018 to Aug 2020

    Virtual Umbrella

    Marketing Manager

    Led marketing for an immersive studio, including a 360 degree climate film made with Extinction Rebellion that premiered at the UN Climate Summit in front of 200 world leaders.

    The full record

    Led marketing across the immersive studio work, including a UN-endorsed 360 degree climate film that premiered at the UN Climate Summit in front of 200 world leaders, produced in partnership with Extinction Rebellion.

    Tom's work there includes 29 Surround Vision films, 4 Ørsted VR films and 7 Make Real training experiences for the NHS, Vodafone, McDonald's and CITB.

  2. Nov 2016 to Sep 2018

    Campus Society & Tyro Magazine

    Social & Content Lead

    Owned growth, editorial and community at a student platform, as employee number 5.

    Launched Tyro Magazine with three editorial staff and a network of 350 student writers.

    The full record

    Owned growth, editorial and community. Took the platform from under 10,000 to 600,000 monthly active users on the back of the UCAS and Barclays partnerships. Launched Tyro Magazine with three editorial staff and a network of 350 student writers, reaching 40 percent of UK students monthly. Commissioned the content that sparked national conversations, including work recognised by the UN Refugee Agency.

  3. Sep to Dec 2016

    TwelveA.M.

    Founding Partner, Director of Social Media

    Directed social media as a founding partner, alongside Jamal Edwards MBE.

    Clients included Eve Sleep, Amazon, eBay, Intel and the RSC.

    The full record

    Directed social media as a founding partner. Left after four months for Campus Society, the bigger opportunity.

    Clients: Eve Sleep, Amazon, eBay, Intel, RSC.

  4. May to Aug 2016

    Ogilvy & Mather

    Social & Content Manager, Ogilvy Labs

    Ran social and content for Ogilvy Labs, the bridge between innovation projects and agency accounts.

    Selected for Rough Diamond 2016 by Rory Sutherland and Nicole Yershon.

    The full record

    Ran social and content for Ogilvy Labs and worked on the bridge between innovation projects and agency accounts. One Pokemon Go mapping project was ideated, built, delivered and sold to BT inside twenty-four hours.

    Selected for Rough Diamond 2016 by Rory Sutherland and Nicole Yershon, in a five-person Ogilvy Labs team.

  5. Jul 2015 to Jul 2019

    Social Media Week

    Communications Manager, then Content Manager

    At 19, led marketing and communications for Social Media Week London, working with senior people from Google, Facebook, Twitter, Buzzfeed, Instagram, Microsoft, VICE and Reuters.

    Came back as Content Manager from October 2016 to July 2019.

    The full record

    Communications Manager, Social Media Week London, Jul to Oct 2015. Led marketing and communications for what became a record-breaking edition, and managed roughly forty staff across production and operations. Worked directly with senior people from Google, Facebook, Twitter, Buzzfeed, Instagram, Microsoft, VICE and Reuters. The professional network built here carried the next decade of the career.

    Content Manager, Social Media Week, Oct 2016 to Jul 2019. A second, longer engagement with SMW after the 2015 Communications Manager role. Nearly three years.

  6. May 2009 to Dec 2010

    Machinima

    Talent Scout

    Aged 13, with his identity hidden, Tom scouted and signed YouTube gaming talent for Machinima and earned a cut of their earnings.

    The full CV text

    In the very early days of YouTube, before "creator economy" was even a phrase, aged 13 and with my identity hidden, I landed a part-time role at Machinima, the gaming talent network. I scouted and signed YouTube gaming talent and earned a cut of their earnings. The beginning of everything, and I've been obsessed with this space ever since.

Work with Tom

The same thinking, applied to you: an hour on what to make and for whom, or Tom in the business.

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Questions

Who is Tom Sharman?

Tom Sharman is a UK-based content strategist who builds the strategy, teams and systems that turn creators and entrepreneurs into media businesses. He founded The Content Operators. Tom Sharman has worked with Top 1% creators taking them from solo operators into media businesses. He has built the strategy, systems and teams behind the likes of Niko Omilana, TheBurntChip and taken entrepreneur Sam Stoffel from 0 to 500,000 followers in 10 months. His work has produced 2B+ views. Available for consultancy, strategy and fractional Head of Content roles.

What has Tom Sharman produced?

His work has produced 2 billion views across every platform, counting clips, reposts and impressions. On YouTube alone, Tom’s work holds 379,977,790 views across 720 videos. The most watched is I Pranked America's Most Racist Man on Niko Omilana's channel, at 47,563,094 views, produced end to end by New Waves, Who Dis?, the company Tom co-founded.

Which creators has Tom worked with?

Niko Omilana, TheBurntChip, Calfreezy, JiDion, ChrisMD, AnEsonGib and NDL through New Waves, Who Dis? Videography for the Sidemen through New Waves, Who Dis?, and the talent for their OnlyFans Olympics video through Angels Management. Katie Price as her YouTube Manager. Sam Stoffel and Ben Heath as Head of Content. Gareth Bale's Ellevens Esports through 38 Entertainment Group. The full list, with what Tom did on each, is on the work page.

How long has Tom worked in the creator economy?

Twelve years professionally, from 2014. Counting his start as a Machinima talent scout in 2009, aged thirteen, it is seventeen. Twelve is the figure he uses.

What did Tom do at New Waves?

Co-Founder and Head of Talent Management, Jun 2021 to Nov 2023. All four lanes of the business: creative and format development, production and delivery, commercial and client acquisition, and talent management. Produced The Biggest Menace. Produced the KKK prank video end to end and owned its packaging and release. Represented Ollie Ball, Jacob Pasquill and Culture Force directly as agent.

How did Sam Stoffel grow from 0 to 500,000 followers?

In 10 months, from June 2025, with Tom as Head of Content. Tom rehired the team, found three formats that met the audience's needs (selfie videos, podcasts and reviewing personal brands) and built a system that posted three times a day. The formats are still the ones Sam runs.

Has Tom been in the press?

The work has. The KKK video was covered by The Independent and Indy100, Clash of Creators by Dexerto, Combat Gaming by Esports News UK and Esports Insider, and the Duracell deal by Esports Insider and the European Sponsorship Association. Three pieces name Tom directly, including JaackMaate's Happy Hour episode 203 with the Clash of Creators founders.

Photos

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