01
Heart
Know where you’re going.
Vision, purpose, direction
A shared picture of the next three years, with priorities that guide everyday decisions.
Missing when: No three-year picture. Always fighting fires.
Explore HeartBusiness consulting with Tom & Michaela Nielsen
Grow the business.
Keep the heart.
We help owners and leadership teams build companies where people and technology pull in the same direction, so growth stops costing you your time, your team, or your family.
Based in Nebraska and Florida, we serve businesses nationwide.
Built and run our own IT and HR company.
45 years of combined leadership experience.
Real people. Complementary strengths.
Tom & Michaela
Nielsen
Sound familiar?
You built something good. Now it’s running you.
- 01You’re the bottleneck. Every decision comes back to you.
- 02The team is busy, but the results are flat.
- 03Software and AI nobody uses well.
- 04Good people leaving. The wrong people staying.
- 05No real vacations. You’re always on call.
- 06Business stress keeps coming home.
That’s not a failure. It’s a sign you’ve outgrown the way you’ve been doing things. We help you build the next version.
The 4 Key Ingredients
Four ingredients.
One healthier business.
People, progress, and a life that matters. Each ingredient supports the others.
02
Hustle
Make the work work.
Execution, process, technology & AI
Repeatable processes and practical tools that turn effort into progress.
Missing when: Busy but not productive. Tools sitting unused.
Explore Hustle03
Soul
Give people room to thrive.
People, roles, culture
Clear roles, healthy relationships, and the support to do meaningful work.
Missing when: Unclear roles. Low morale. Good people leaving.
Explore Soul04
Home
Have a life beyond work.
Your life outside the business
Time, energy, and relationships that growth should support.
Missing when: Burnout. No time off. Strain at home.
Explore HomeHow we work
A clear path forward.
We don’t take over your business. We work alongside you and transfer everything we know, so you never need us for the same problem twice.
- 01
Scorecard
Free · 5 minutes
Get your first snapshot of all four ingredients.
- 02
Assessment
2–6 weeks
Find the root causes and build a practical plan.
- 03
Quick Wins
3–6 months
Process, automation, and practical AI that make work easier.
- 04
Big Wins
5–9 months
Leadership, culture, and structure for lasting growth.
- 05
Ongoing Partnership
Quarterly planning & coaching
Stay aligned as your business and your life evolve.
Who we serve
Your business. Your next chapter.
Tom & Michaela Nielsen
Business partners. Life partners.
About Tom & Michaela · The Ionic Bond
Different strengths.
Stronger together.
We’re a husband-and-wife team who know what it means to build a business side by side. We founded Soarin Group, an IT and HR company serving Nebraska and Tampa Bay.
Tom brings technology, systems, and AI. Michaela brings people, leadership, and culture. Heart & Hustle brings those perspectives together, with your whole life in mind.
“Empowered leaders inspire change, drive progress, and create a legacy.”
“When people feel supported and aligned, their potential becomes limitless.”
Client stories
What partnership looks like.
A closer look at the people, priorities, and trust behind our client partnerships.
Center for People
Standing Behind the People Who Move a Community Forward
An ongoing partnership with Center for People
Tom and Michaela work alongside Center for People’s leaders, connecting people, leadership, strategy, technology, and operations with the everyday work of carrying the mission forward.
Read the Center for People storyHouses of Hope
Decades of Trust. A Shared Commitment to What Comes Next.
An enduring relationship with Houses of Hope
For decades, Tom and Michaela have worked alongside Houses of Hope. Together, they support its leaders as they connect priorities, people, processes, and technology with the demands of its mission.
Read the Houses of Hope storyLegacy Eyecare
A Long-Term Operational Partnership
Tom Nielsen has had a 15-year operational partnership with Dr. Jeff Brewer of Legacy Eyecare. Michaela Nielsen provided guidance on people, leadership, and culture.
Read the Legacy Eyecare storyA few of the clients we’ve had the pleasure of working with.
Podcast & The Secret Sauce
Ideas for the whole business.
The Secret Sauce · Tampa Bay
It started on the couch.
The Secret Sauce · Latest story
Just Us Productions in Tampa: From a Couch Idea to a Shared Business
For Sean and Justine Foster, an entertainment-company idea started during a night of Netflix. Their move from Detroit to Tampa became the beginning of Just Us Productions—and a story worth pausing for.
Explore The Secret SauceA healthier way to grow