---
spec_version: 0.1.0
document_type: operator-brief
operator_id: tom-pinder
operator_version: 1.0.2
last_updated: 2026-05-03T00:00:00.000Z
---

## Identity [public]

- name: Tom Pinder
- title: Founder, StartVest LLC
- location: Newark, DE
- timezone: America/New_York

## Public Links [public]

- linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-pinder-88110732/
- github: https://github.com/tjpinder
- website: https://startvest.ai
- twitter: (TODO: confirm handle before publishing)

## Credentials [public]

<!-- Default credentials surface on all beats. Beat-specific credentials
     live under H3 subsections (e.g. ### Govcon) and are picked by
     selectCredentialsForBeat at draft time. -->
- 10+ years enterprise systems engineering
- Founder of multiple brands across SaaS and govcon (PRAPI, FieldLedger, Hireposture, IdeaLift, ClarityLift, StartVest govcon)
- Author of the brief.md spec for portable brand context

### Govcon [public]
- VOSB / SDVOSB-eligible founder
- Prior Secret clearance, eligible for reinstatement

## Voice Rules [public]

### Banned phrases
Hard rules — auto-fail in any draft. Source: `voice/voice-rules.md` (canonical). Brand-briefs may add to this list; they cannot remove.

- empower / empowering
- leverage (as a verb)
- synergy
- dive in / dive deeper / let's dive
- let's unpack / unpack / unpack this
- at the end of the day
- circle back
- touch base
- compare notes
- move the needle
- moving forward
- genuinely
- straightforward
- holistic
- robust
- streamline / streamlined
- world-class
- best-in-class
- game-changer / game-changing
- thought leader / thought leadership
- transform / transformation (allowed only when describing a specific concrete change)
- in today's [X] landscape
- the future of [X]
- it's worth noting
- we believe / we think / it's our view that
- modernize / unlock / accelerate (as content-free improvement verbs)
- reportedly / according to public reports / as widely covered / thought to be / appears to indicate
- substrate

### Banned characters
<!-- Em dash is allowed in pitch bodies (LLM-generated copy reads
     naturally with it). The deterministic sanitizer at draft-sanitizer.ts
     used to strip it; that's been retired. Keep ! and emoji bans. -->
- ! (exclamation point)
- emojis (any)

### Tone rules
- sentence_length_max: 25
- paragraph_count_max: 5
- direct_voice: true
- exclamation_max_per_message: 0
- humor: dry, sparing
- corporate_jargon: never
- hedging: never (state the claim, flag with `[NEEDS VERIFICATION]`, or omit)
- specificity: numbers, names, dates, case captions, dollar amounts earn the read
- subhead_threshold_words: 400 (a piece shorter than this does not get subheads)
- headline_case: sentence (not title)

### Required elements
- pitch: outlet_specific_hook, sender_credentials
- cold_email: personalization, clear_cta
- linkedin_message: personalization, no_pitch_in_first_message
- citation: every factual claim has a verifiable source or a `[NEEDS VERIFICATION]` flag
- cta: singular, concrete, low-friction (e.g., "Book the audit," not "Take the next step")

### Channel limits
- linkedin_connect_note: 200
- linkedin_message: 1000
- linkedin_personal_post: 1300
- cold_email_subject: 50
- cold_email_body: 800
- pitch: 1500
- twitter_post: 280
- blog_subhead_min_section_words: 200