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Hey! I'm Tom Chain

I always knew I was too free spirited for the corporate world, even though I learned a lot and thrived in investment banking, private equity, and tech startups.

In 2021, I reached a breaking point. I could not keep playing a role I no longer believed in, so I quit my job and started making self-development videos on YouTube, learning everything from editing to scripting. I also dug deeper into philosophy, human psychology, and self-development.

That is when I discovered how much I love writing, reflecting, and using visuals to convey big ideas. My educational content soon led people to ask for coaching, so I added that to my offerings.

Teaching has always felt natural to me. I have an affinity for polymathy, and I believe one of the best ways to learn is by teaching. My passion is helping others improve their own lives, whether it is their skills, performance, lifestyle, or education.

I am still growing and building my dream brick by brick, and I am grateful for your presence and support.

This journey is just getting started, so now is the perfect time to jump onboard!

Tom Chain 🌊

Prison to Purpose | Justice Partnerships @ Beam

I went from medical school to prison. And from prison to leading a global social enterprise where I help empower overlooked communities with the skills to thrive in a tech-first world.

I care about human-first leadership, compassion without saviourism, and building things that last.

My journey shaped how I see the world and why I run Breakthrough. We deliver AI and digital skills to people on the margins: those written off by systems not built for them. Since taking over in late 2023, we’ve grown from a struggling social enterprise into a global initiative, partnering with the UN, IBM, and justice systems to train over 700 people across 40+ countries.

My focus is on AI diffusion — getting emerging tech into the hands of those who need it most. I’ve helped crypto startups raise millions, advised policymakers, and developed a curriculum delivered everywhere from UK prisons to East Africa.

If anything here resonates, feel free to reach out.

Sobanan N.

11 years ago, I wanted to be a doctor
8 years ago, I was sentenced to prison. 
Today, I run a 7-figure business with a team of 22. 

When I was arrested, I held on to my identity as tightly as I could.

I pleaded not guilty, still convincing myself that this was a mistake I could recover from.

That somehow, if I stayed focused and patient, I could find a way back to the life I had planned as a doctor.

But prison stripped away my titles, plans, and the story I’d built around who I thought I was.

And when everything else fell away, I had to face the inevitable: The version of me chasing a life in medicine was gone.
 
It was disorienting, like grieving a future I had built my entire identity around.

But it was also the first time I saw myself clearly, without the weight of all the expectations I had been carrying.

I stood at a crossroads where I either had to accept the label the system had given me or rebuild from first principles.

I chose to rebuild, and I started with the most basic truth: I am a human being, I have agency, and even in a cell, I can learn, grow, and choose to build.

So I did.

I let go of every identity that had been handed to me – and started shaping one for myself.

—

P.S – It was exactly 8 years ago today, that I had my first day in prison, so naturally, I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting of my time inside, my new life, and the mission with Breakthrough)

Sobanan Narenthiran

From prison to global impact, I help the forgotten thrive in the future economy and write on justice, tech & transformation.

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In Japan, those who arrive early to work park further away from the office so those who come late can make it on time.

This is called mutual understanding.

I saw the same thing inside prison: small groups of people looking out for each other.

A quiet, unspoken rule: we’re all in this together.

Outside, in society, it’s different.

We’ve built a crabs-in-a-bucket mindset.

We expect to be understood, but rarely try to understand.

We talk about empathy, but only when it benefits us.

This is why we’re so far behind countries like Japan, not in technology or progress, but in collective empathy.

Bringing together global majority communities to understand, develop, deploy and diffuse ethical AI technologies is a fundamental part of my personal and organisational mission 

It's an honour to join the senior leadership team at Black AI Futures with Hameed Adigun, Giulia Selene Remondino, Tanya Samuel, Viv Ahmun (He/Him) and Alicia Richardson 

Here's to continuing the brilliant work behind Black AI Futures to build positive AI futures for global majority communities 🌍 

I’m happy to share that I’m starting as Evidencing Lead at Black AI Futures!

https://lnkd.in/eheEsx3q

Five months ago, we welcomed a 55-year-old woman into our AI bootcamp. She’d just been released after 29 years in prison and thought she was too old to start again.

Today, she’s confident, using ChatGPT every day, and rebuilding her life with what she learned. 

This is the power of technology when it’s used the right way.

When she first joined, she could barely open her laptop without freezing.

But after weeks of learning, failing, and trying again, she finally got a hang of it

Our goal at Breakthrough Social Enterprise isn't just education or employment (there are already enough programmes in the UK doing that)

It’s about creating environments where people get to see themselves differently and clearly.

Because we believe, once you change how you see yourself, technology stops being intimidating and starts becoming a mirror for what’s possible.

After being in prison for a year, I’ve seen how technologies like CCTV or AI only make violence more sophisticated instead of creating space for change.

I recently read a report about how the UK government is trialling AI tools to predict and prevent violence in prisons.

The system analyses CCTV footage, behavioural data, and movement patterns to flag potential incidents before they happen.

On paper, it sounds like progress.

But in reality, it’s another version of control that doesn’t solve the root problem.

CCTV made violence harder to record as prisoners found creative ways to hide it.

AI will just make it more efficient for the system to monitor it.

That’s why, inside prison, a “Listener”: a human mediator is far more powerful than any machine.

Someone who can de-escalate violence not through force or surveillance, but by listening.

Because you can’t reprogram human behaviour through control or punishment.

It changes when people feel heard, seen, and understood, even at their lowest point.

This is the story of Mr Singh, an Indian man I met in prison.

He arrived on our wing, and I met him in the first few days I was inside.

He didn’t understand a word of English. He had no family in the country, and he had no one to explain why he was even there.

The officers couldn’t communicate with him, and the official translators hadn’t shown up.

So Pratik Doshi (my best mate) ended up translating as best he could. It wasn’t perfect, but it was the only option anyone had.

Mr Singh was clearly unwell.

He wandered the wing quietly, confused and scared, clutching a small bag of things that made sense only to him.

One day he came to our door and handed us a bottle of baby lotion with a smile.

It was the only way he knew how to say thank you.

The more Pratik spoke with him, the more something unsettling hit me: he hadn’t done anything “wrong” in a way that made sense.

He had come to the UK legally, but the system processed him as an “offender” because he was distressed and unable to explain himself.

And this is where things get bitter… when a system can’t interpret context, it defaults to punishment.

A mentally unwell man gets treated like someone violent. Someone who can’t explain themselves is treated like someone who refuses to. Someone with no English and no advocate is pushed down the same path as someone who understands every step.

Vulnerability has no place in the design, so vulnerable people absorb the consequences.

This is a system where people don’t fall through cracks… the cracks are the system.

Which is why cases like Mr Singh aren’t rare outliers.

There are thousands like him sitting in prison cells for reasons they don’t fully understand, carried along by a structure that was built to process paperwork rather than people.

2 years ago: I took over Breakthrough as CEO with a mission to rebuild an education model that works for everyone. 

Today, we have supported over 700+ learners across prisons, communities, and public-sector programmes. 

Every learner brings new layers of responsibility: safeguarding, reporting, pastoral care, and daily support. 

But carrying this load for two years has made one thing very clear: individual effort isn’t enough. As the workload increases, the systems around it need to get stronger.

Only then can we deliver the same quality to our 1000th learner as we did to the first.

That’s why the next chapter in Breakthrough will be defined by the strength of its internal architecture. 

The systems, processes, and capacity need to support real scale, both for the team and for the people we serve.

Over the past two years, we’ve taught AI and digital literacy to 1,000+ learners referred to and supported by the UK government and UN-funded initiatives.

But now, the same opportunity can be accessed by anyone, directly.

Seeing the impact of AI and digital learning up close, I’ve realised it’s not just a skill for the marginalised, it’s a survival skill for everyone.

Which is why we’ve been working on something new that extends that mission beyond our classrooms and funded programmes.

We’ve been calling it “WeAreBreakthrough.ai”

It’s the next chapter of Breakthrough’s journey, our digital sub-brand and an online learning space built to make equity-first learning accessible to everyone.

In the end, all we want is to help everyone harness the power of technology and AI, without losing the humanity and purpose that make us who we are.

The most important KPI inside a growing business is how often your team tells you what you don’t want to hear.

It comes from the simplest way I’ve found to track the real health of a company, and it splits in two.

(1) How well are we running the work?
(2) How well are we running our relationships while we do it?

Most founders obsess over the first...

Metrics, delivery, systems, velocity.

Very few have any way to measure the second.

That’s where the early cracks form.

The first sign is usually triangulation. Someone has an issue with a colleague, but raises it with a third person instead.

It looks harmless. Almost considerate. But it marks the moment when honesty stops moving in a straight line.

Give it long enough and people stop saying what needs saying.

Culture fades, meeting by meeting.

If you want a business that lasts, track that signal.

It tells you more about your company’s real health, and the quality of the relationships it rests on, than any operational dashboard ever will.

--

Grateful to my team who always let me know the hard things early, before they turn into real problems.

tagging a few here: Indi Sinha, Amira Al-Shabazz, Jasmine Hasmatali, Pratik Doshi

I used to think being “tired” was a weakness.

That needing rest meant I was not resilient enough.

That “soldiering on” was what leaders do.

But after building Breakthrough Social Enterprise from the ground up, I have learned something different.

Everyone has a limited number of spoons.

That is what “Spoon Theory” teaches. Every action, decision, and interaction costs you a spoon.

And when you run out, you are running on survival.

In the early days, there were two of us - me and Zana

We had the least spoons but the most responsibility.

We kept pushing, thinking rest was a luxury we could not afford.

Now we tell our team the opposite.

Take breaks, recharge and come back with new spoons, not just new ideas.

Because burnout does not build better businesses. It only builds resentment.

So count your spoons. Protect them.

And spend them where they actually matter.

PS: When was the last time you gave yourself permission to rest without guilt?

Spoon theory

I built a business after spending 1 year in prison with these non-negotiables:

1. I lead with trust. Control destroys initiative.
2. I judge people by who they are today, not where they came from.
3. I stay open to learning from anyone, any time.
4. I believe every single person deserves a chance to move forward.
5. I give people ownership and hold them accountable with respect.
6. I anchor every small decision to our bigger purpose at Breakthrough.
7. I believe in accountability without shame.
8. I hold to long-termism over hype. I ignore shortcuts that cost substance.
9. Before any decision or reaction. I ask how it makes people feel. 
10. I believe and embody teamwork and shared ownership. 

A slightly unconventional list, but highly effective.

These 10 principles helped me build Breakthrough into what it is today.

When I was in prison, I wouldn’t have believed I’d be able to achieve this.

But here we are!

We talk about AI like it’s just background tech. It isn’t. It’s already influencing decisions that affect people every day. 

The reality is sharper: decisions about housing, education, benefits, policing, and access to services are already being shaped by systems most of us never get to see. 

When you can’t see how those systems work, you can’t question them. And when you can’t question them, you lose control of the decisions made about you, your students, or your community. 

That’s the reason Amira Al-Shabazz and I are running a free live session on 25 November: “Rethink AI: Use It for Real-World Good.” 

It’s a clear, practical introduction to human-centred, ethical AI... the mechanics, the failure points, and the choices that still sit with people, not machines. 

We also put together a short video explaining why this conversation can’t wait. If you care about fairness, public services, or simply understanding AI without the noise, this will help you get there.

Sign up free: https://lnkd.in/ed64w9yA

After reading 100+ self-help books on “how to communicate better” and replaying every argument I’ve ever had…here’s what I’ve learned about making a point (without turning it into a fight)..

The truth is, most arguments don’t come from disagreement.

They come from “projection”.

When someone reacts strongly, they’re not necessarily responding to your words; they’re reacting to what those words mean to them.

So here’s what has actually helped me get across my point without creating a rift:

(1) Pause before responding: Notice what you’re reacting to - their point, or how it made you feel.

(2) Validate, even if you disagree: People calm down when they feel understood and respected.

(3) Ask, don’t assert: Questions invite reflection; statements invite defence.

(4) Don’t aim to win. Aim to understand: You can’t change someone’s mind if they feel unsafe in the conversation.

Once you see everyone, including yourself, as a mirror, communication becomes less about control and more about connection.

You stop trying to fix people and start trying to understand them.

With AI being rapidly embedded in everything from our workplaces to our public services, the line between right and wrong has become hard to see… and even harder to challenge.

That’s why Amira Al-Shabazz, our Chief of Staff at Breakthrough Social Enterprise, and I are hosting a session on 25 November called “Rethink AI: Use It for Real-World Good.”

The purpose is simple: bring clarity to the real questions people are struggling with as AI becomes part of everyday decisions.

– How do you spot when an AI system is being unfair?
– How do you trust an output without outsourcing your judgment?
– How do you work with these tools without crossing ethical lines you didn’t know were there?

We’ll break down practical ways to work with AI responsibly and to stay in control of the decisions it shapes.

It’s free, online, and open to anyone who wants to use AI with confidence, but doesn’t want to lose their judgment or their agency in the process.

Every winter, the homeless face two choices: freeze on the streets or steal a loaf and spend Christmas in a cell.

When you understand that, it’s no surprise petty crime rises every December in a country where the only guaranteed warm bed is behind a locked door.

I still think about one young guy I met in prison during that time of year.

He couldn’t have been older than twenty. Malnourished, cold, and strangely quiet.

He’d been arrested for shoplifting and for pushing a police officer when they grabbed him outside the store. Nothing planned or malicious. He just wanted warmth, food, and somewhere to sleep.

Inside, he walked from cell to cell with a small stash of bread and teabags tucked into his jumper: the only currency he had.

He’d knock gently on doors, offer a slice, ask for a cup of hot water.

And what cut deepest was this: he was happy to be there.

Prison meant heat. It meant three meals. It meant people around him, even if they were strangers. It meant he would make it through Christmas alive.

He preferred it because he was vulnerable and this was his best shot at survival.

But inside, that vulnerability got noticed by the wrong people.

He told me, almost proudly, that someone had offered him “a way to make money” on his next sentence. Get released, carry something back in, and he’d never be hungry again.

That’s how people with nowhere to go become tools for organised crime.

That’s how a young man who just wanted to stay warm ends up deeper in a world he never chose… simply because the system was never built with someone like him in mind.

The biggest lie we’re told is that change depends on a single saviour.

An Elon Musk. 

A Steve Jobs.

A charismatic leader with all the answers.

That story dismisses the potential that already exists inside people.

It tells you that unless someone pulls you up, you can’t stand on your own.

When I was in prison, I kept waiting for someone to come and save me.

A mentor, a leader, or a system that would recognise my potential.

Nobody came…and I’m glad they didn’t because it forced me to realise I could save myself. 

That’s why I reject saviourism.

Intelligence comes in many forms.

Some people can think on their feet, speak fast, and impress a room. 

Others are quiet, reflective, brilliant in ways that charisma can’t measure. 

Both matter equally. 

Which is why at Breakthrough Social Enterprise, we haven’t built around the myth of the saviour.

We build systems that recognise the inherent potential in everyone. Systems where leadership is distributed, where titles don’t define worth, and where space is made for every form of intelligence to grow.

Because we know that the future can’t be changed by one saviour.

It will be changed when all of us work together toward the same transformation.

Here’s how I turned a conspiracy charge into a curriculum that governments now use (no, really)

In prison, you saw the same patterns play out again and again.

Most people were chasing something.

A bit more money from moving weight.

A bit more respect by standing taller in the yard.

A bit more control in a place where you had none.

I started asking a different question: 

What if you used those same instincts (to plan, to calculate risk, to influence) but pointed them at something constructive?

I scribbled notes on scraps of paper the officers gave us.

I watched how people budgeted canteen money, how deals were structured, and how influence worked in the yard.

And when I came out, I flipped those same behaviors into lessons.

Financial literacy. 

Entrepreneurship. 

Leadership.

Those lessons became a program…that program became a curriculum, and that curriculum, inspired inside a prison wing, is now used by governments to teach others.

The Panopticon was an 18th century concept introduced to control behaviour inside prisons, but today, it’s the blueprint of modern leadership.

The idea was simple.

One central tower.

Dozens of cells around it.

Everyone is visible.

No one is sure when they’re being watched.

As a result people behaved for optics, without ever changing within.

I couldn’t wrap my head around it in prisons.

But now I see how it shows up in offices too.

Slack, dashboards, endless check-ins - they’ve become the modern watchtower.

But when people are always being observed, they learn how to perform.

That’s why, as a leader at Breakthrough, I try to detach myself from outcomes and control.

It’s something I learned through experience and something deeply rooted in Eastern philosophy too: be attached to the process, not the outcome.

Because honestly, I think…real change doesn’t happen under constant observation.

It happens when someone feels trusted enough to act differently when no one’s watching.

Hot take: GDP is the most inhumane way to measure human progress.

Scotland and a few Scandinavian countries are already moving away from it, replacing GDP with what they call the “wellbeing economy”. 

They measure dignity, health, fairness, and environmental sustainability by asking simple questions like: 

Are people living longer? 
Are our waterways clean or full of sewage? 
Is poverty falling or getting worse?

These are the metrics that tell you if a society is working, not quarterly growth or stock performance.

GDP is amoral. It rises even when people do not. And somehow, we built an entire global system on top of that illusion. 

But measuring progress is not complicated. We do not need another model, metric, or theory.

We just need to ask one question that cuts through it all: “Is this working for all of us?”

The AI revolution is a rerun of the “dot-com” boom where the same ten companies run the show while everyone else cheers from the stands.

Back then it was: Microsoft. GE. Cisco. Intel. ExxonMobil. IBM. Nokia.

Now it’s: Apple. Microsoft. Nvidia. Amazon. Meta. Alphabet. TSMC. Broadcom. Tesla. Aramco.

Different companies, same concentration of power.

The only thing that’s changed from the dot-com era is how deeply we now depend on their infrastructure.

Today, when another model launches or a new API opens, it feels less like innovation and more like the expansion of the same empire.

Every week there is a new breakthrough: Sora, Gemini, Claude, ChatGPT, and each is framed as progress.

But, are they really?

These gains only matter if you are a specialist.

If you are a teacher, a policymaker, or a small social enterprise trying to integrate AI responsibly, you are still playing inside someone else’s infrastructure.

That is why I have stopped calling this moment a revolution.

Revolutions redistribute power.

This one is concentrating it.

Which honestly is a waste of real potential and everything this technology could stand for.

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Tom Chain 🌊

Sobanan N.

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