Independent creative director. Thinking partner. Story spotter.
Make it real
Helping people and organisations see, believe in and act on opportunities others miss.
See it. Believe in it. Make it real.
Hi, I’m Toby.
For nearly thirty years, I've helped founders, artists, cultural organisations, educators, innovative businesses and social enterprises find clarity in their thinking and make the confident creative decisions needed to bring ambitious ideas to life.
People usually come to me when they're feeling stuck, facing a pivotal decision, redefining their brand, starting a new project, searching for the narrative, or trying to navigate uncertainty without getting lost.
I see possibilities in problems. If yours is keeping you up at night, let's talk.
The Hothko approach
See what others miss. Shape it effectively. Make it real.
Spot it
Creative thinking
One-to-ones, workshops, and intensives to think clearly, spot opportunities in the patterns, believe in the idea and decide next steps.
Shape it
Creative directing
Creative sprints, or long-term creative direction to shape the vision, build momentum, align teams, and prepare for making.
Make it real
Creative making
Once the thinking is complete and the direction is clear, I’ll bring the work to life through content, collaboration and production.
The impact of working together
“Toby has an amazing ability to make complicated things feel simple. He listened differently, asked unexpected questions, and somehow helped me see opportunities that I hadn’t noticed before."
Cara Brooks. Create Agency Trainee.“The way you got to the heart of the story, deconstructed everything and then rebuilt it to form a completely tailored brand is awe-inspiring.”
Harrison Leonard. Director of External Relations. Bristol Diocese."Toby helped us cut through the complexity, ask the right questions and articulate who we are. That clarity has been transformative for the company."
Tracy Tait. Marketing Director. Penny Brohn.What became possible
Every challenge contains a possibility.
Here are some founders, organisations, and ideas I've helped move from uncertainty to action.
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Building a creative studio from the ground up
Create Studio @ Boomsasuma
Building a sustainable creative studio where emerging talent could gain confidence by delivering real work for real clients.
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Finding a shared story for the UK's biggest regeneration project.
Bristol Temple Quarter Redevelopment
Helping a once-in-a-generation regeneration project find the story that could unite partners, communities and ambition.
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Making a complex software business easy to understand.
Ghyston
Finding the simple story behind a complex software business, leading to around 30% business growth in the following year.
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Turning a new brand into an organisational movement
Bristol Beacon
Turning a new identity into a shared story that audiences, artists and staff could all believe in.
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Making a hidden brand as distinctive as the people behind it
Old Mill
Helping an ambitious accountancy firm stand out by expressing the humanity behind the expertise.
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Preparing a successful business for international growth
Saragossa
Giving a fast-growing recruitment business a brand with the clarity and confidence to scale internationally.
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Making complex technology easy to understand
Bitbloom
Clarifying a renewable energy software company's story to help drive a 1000% increase in inbound enquiries.
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Refreshing a heritage brand for a new generation
Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
Helping a leading theatre school rediscover the story to inspire its next generation of students.
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Capturing the personality behind the pizza
Pizzarova
Pinpointing what makes an independent food business different, with a message and story framework built for continued growth.
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Helping more people understand life beyond cancer treatment
Penny Brohn UK
Helping a national cancer charity reveal the human story behind its life-changing support - contributing to increased client referrals and outreach attendance.
My kind of collaborators
On helping to build Create Agency @ Boomsatsuma from scratch.
"Toby brought clarity to the vision, provided an effective working model, and led the studio with calm, thoughtful creativity. Drawing on decades of experience, he is generous, perceptive, and easy to work with; he gave both our clients and our emerging team the confidence to do their best work."
Elliot Lamb. Projects and Business Development Manager. BoomsatsumaPresent and past collaborators
Awards
Before establishing HOTHKO, I owned and ran a photography studio and two prize-winning creative agencies.
