Ellie Hearne helps leaders make culture and strategy work together.
Combining communication skills with intangibles like trust and accountability, she gets to know cultures, helps define and enhance strategies, and partners with leaders to improve how their organizations work.
Ellie earned a Master’s degree from the University of St Andrews (first-class honors) and a postgraduate diploma in Organisational Leadership from Oxford University’s Saïd Business School (with distinction). At the latter, Ellie also leads the Oxford AI-Driven Business Transformation Executive Programme as Head Program Instructor – a role she previously held for the Oxford Strategic Innovation Programme.
Over the years, Ellie has partnered with leaders at Apple, Braze, Bread Finance, Bustle, Ethic Investing, Formation Bio, Google, Kate Spade, Kickstarter, Lippincott, LVMH, Marriott International, Mastercard, Morgan Stanley, Oliver Wyman, Pfizer, Piaget, Quartet, Roche, Run for Something, Spotify, Tapestry, Uber, and numerous organizations besides.
She’s been quoted in The New York Times, Fast Company and Business Insider, and profiled by Nasdaq. She serves on the board of trustees of the University of St Andrews American Foundation and previously served on the board of Accountability Lab.
Born in Ireland and raised in the UK, Ellie is a GlobalScot business ambassador for the Scottish Government. In her free time, she can be found with her family in Brooklyn, New York.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
I work for myself, so no two days look exactly the same – and that’s by design. Most days start with coffee, a notebook, juggling the kids, and, with thanks to caffeine, about 30 quiet minutes to think before I do. I usually have client calls or coaching sessions in the morning, when I’m freshest – or I’m teaching, as part of my role as Head Instructor of the Oxford AI-Driven Business Transformation Executive Program. I protect afternoons for deeper work, like writing, designing, and long-term planning. I batch similar tasks where possible and decline most things that don’t align with my priorities. That’s been key – protecting my time has made space for both better work and a better life.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I start by researching and reflecting – think: a lot of walking, reading, note-taking – and then test the idea in conversation. Once it feels solid, I build around it: a framework, a session plan, a story. I’ve learned not to skip the rumination. That’s where the clarity tends to live.
This approach works just as well in my consulting practice as it does in the executive education work I’m involved with – whether I’m shaping a strategy workshop or helping deliver a curriculum module.
What’s one trend that excites you?
Leaders being more open. Not just about results, but about limitations, context, and complexity. It’s a trend I hope becomes a norm, though clarity tends to land better than transparency during a crisis, for example. I’ve seen firsthand how much more effective a team becomes when its leader communicates with clarity and care, and owns what they don’t know.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
Being clear about what I’m not doing. It’s tempting to try to do everything (especially when running your own business) but focus is far more sustainable than “hustle”. If something doesn’t fit my priorities, it’s either moved, delegated, or deleted. (This can be tough under pressure, of course.)
What advice would you give your younger self?
In my 20s: trust that the unconventional path can be the right one.
In my 30s: growth doesn’t have to look like expansion. You don’t need a big team to do meaningful, well-compensated work.
In my 40s, 50s, beyond: …Ask me again in a few years.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you.
That you can prioritize both career and parenthood.
There are caveats! It takes boundaries, self-discipline, and (unfortunately) the luck/privilege of having an excellent co-parent, good schools and childcare within reach.
But I find that the binary of “ambitious or present” isn’t helpful.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
Actively listen before you talk. In almost all contexts, being present and “audience focused” you will yield a better result.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
A walk or a even a run (ideally without my phone) almost always helps. So does writing things down. When my head feels cluttered, the solution is rarely to do more. It’s to pause, reset, and prioritize.
When even that feels out of reach, I do crossword. Something about solving it and progressing feels energizing.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
Differentiation. I used to think that was a marketing term; now I know it’s an operating principle. Being clear about what my business doesn’t do helps prospective clients understand where I’m most valuable, and it helps me say no quickly and with confidence. That’s a win for everyone, especially since I usually connect the client with a few better partners for their needs.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
I left a particular job too slowly. I kept trying to make it work long after I knew it wasn’t the right fit for me anymore. That experience taught me to listen more closely to the internal cues and to redefine success more personally. The surprising upside? Leaving made room for me to start Pencil or Ink.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
A fractional Chief of Staff for solo professionals. Someone you meet with weekly who helps you think, plan, and follow through – not by doing the work for you, but by organizing your priorities, offering a second brain, and keeping you on track. Most founders and consultants don’t need full-time help, they just need a thoughtful partner in their corner.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
Apple Notes. I use it for all sorts of things, especially when I’m on the subway or without my notebook. Meeting prep, voice transcriptions, quick capture of ideas – it’s all there.
It’s fast, searchable, and always with me. This works for me because I actually use it.
What is the best $100 you recently spent?
A recent ticket to Oxford – and absolute bargain as I used airmiles.
As Head Instructor of an executive program there, I get to work with smart, curious leaders thinking through the real implications of strategy, innovation, and, more recently, AI in business. The chance to connect “in real life” with colleagues is worth far more than the price of the fare, even if it had been full freight.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast from which you’ve received much value?
Yes: the book Energize Your Workplace by Jane Dutton. It’s about how high-quality connections fuel everything from performance to resilience. That idea underpins a lot of the work I do with teams and leaders: culture is not a buzzword, it’s a lived experience shaped by the quality of our interactions. And as Drucker said “culture eats strategy for breakfast.”
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
Severance. Dark and dystopian? Yes — but that feels fitting for the current moment. And it’s a compelling metaphor for how we compartmentalize ourselves at work.
A bonus: the show is so enveloping that it’s hard to get distracted by other screens when viewing.
Key learnings:
- Growth doesn’t have to mean more; it can mean clearer, better, freer.
- Differentiation isn’t just about brand – it’s about strategy, and how you protect your time and energy.
- Though there will always be tradeoffs and caveats, it is possible to work meaningfully, parent intentionally, and still make space to think. Keep the caffeine handy.