The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Blazing his Own Trail, Thomas J. Carroll Talks Career and Personal Style

By Cator Sparks Published August 6, 2021

Born in the Pacific Northwest and raised with a keen sense of the outdoors while being polished for the venture world,Thomas J. Carroll serves as Chief Investment Officer at Avant Global, a Santa-Barbara based global business advisory firm. He leads the company’s investment strategy in new ventures.

As told to The Manual:

Recommended Videos

I grew up independent of the influences around me and blazed my own trail. Spent most of my time building projects, exploring the forests and waters that surround us, while also soaking up the penetrating value of now legacy companies that were born in the PNW (Costco, Starbucks, Microsoft, Boeing, etc.) There is a scent to the air we breathe, crispness to the water we drink, and an acuity in how our minds craft value. I love to lean in and over to see where the horizon is taking shape, playing with innovation and disruption to become a catalyst of creation for what is impossible. Having an imagination at 28 is arguably the greatest gift I am blessed with. Never lose the kid in you.

Thomas J. Carroll — Image used with permission by copyright holder

My style speaks to my personality at its core. You can think of me as quick and clean as The Transporter in a tailored suit or a laid back philosophical visionary in my Birkenstocks and Katin cotton shirt from Santa Barbara. I keep my style well defined but am always ready to throw a piece in so to change up the speed of an image. I like being both things at once, I find balance in that.

As for my personal style:

Jeans: Civilianaire 11 OZ Gold Selvage Denim & 3×1 M5 & Filson

Shirts: Lululemon (cotton or workout), David Donahue, Patagonia, Peter Millar, Gitman Brothers, Filson

Pants: Lululemon Commission Pant, Citizen Gage Classic

Suits: Don’t wear them unless strictly required (grey or blue Hugo Boss if so)

Shoes: PF Flyers, Birkenstock Boston Habana, Santoni loafers, or Allen Edmonds

Accessories: Lululemon, hats from resorts, no watches unless swimming in ocean or hiking (Suunto watch).

Outerwear: Patagonia, Kuhl, Brooks Brothers

Favorite cologne: Tom Ford Noir Extreme

Favorite app: Sonos

Favorite piece of technology: QuietComfort® 20 Acoustic Noise Cancelling® headphones from Bose

Next style/gear purchase: Venroy (going Aussie style for summer)

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Cator Sparks was the Editor-in-Chief of The Manual from its launch in 2012 until 2018. Previously, Cator was covering…

Fashion & Style

Ariat teams with rodeo legend for true cowboy collection

Trevor Brazile knows cowboying, and wants to help you become one

Ariat Relentless

Ariat is a big name in western wear. They are one of the biggest. From stellar boots and jeans to attractive and functional shirts and outerwear, they have always been one of the go-to brands for everything cowboys need. With the National Finals Rodeo about to kick off in Las Vegas, you will likely see Ariat everywhere, and even more likely, you will see their collection with 26-time world champion Trevor Brazile. The collection, Ariat Relentless, is one of the most stylistically functional lines a cowboy has seen.

“I've been a big part of everything I’ve done with Ariat,” Trevor explains. “The team is truly interested in moving cowboys’ and cowgirls’ lives forward, and they've been at the forefront of innovation for so long, and that’s what drew me in. On their own, technology and tradition are not enough. But Ariat puts those two together with everyday use, which has made this collection real.”
Nobody knows cowboys like the rodeo and Ariat

Fashion & Style

Church’s holiday campaign is here and the footwear steals the show

Church's releases holiday campaign

patent leather oxford shoes next to music box

If there’s one thing to be certain: Church’s will always deliver the ultimate luxury footwear. A pinnacle of sophisticated and high-quality design, Church’s footwear is renowned for its classic and timeless appeal. For their holiday campaign, the brand has decided to bring it to the next level with the ultimate suave collection. Mixing in British charm with regal elegance, Church’s holiday campaign highlights some of their most iconic styles that make for the perfect footwear option for any formal event. Featuring patent leather shoes to velvet slippers, there’s plenty to pick from in their newest Holiday campaign. Highlighting the need to have fun during the holiday season, these picks are perfect for anyone looking to make their winter season joyous.
Church’s 2024 Holiday Campaign

Fashion & Style

Bulgari unveils Octo Finissimo with stunning cloud-inspired dial by Laurent Grasso

You'll love the new Octo Finissimo watch

Bulgari Octo Finissimo Laurent Grasso Special Edition watch

As a brand that collaborates with artists and designers, Bulgari has been introducing iconic pieces into the market. Some artists who have worked on Bulgari timepieces include Mo Coppoletta, Kazuyo Sejima, and Tadao Ando. After partnering up with Laurent Grasso, the brand rolled out a new timepiece with a very stylish dial featuring cloud-like and intriguing cosmos art.

For starters, Bulgari's Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani had a vision of a watch that could explain the concept of time from a different perspective, a metaphysical point of view. Laurent Gasso, who is quite popular for his cosmos art, was the perfect artist for such a project, and the two creators partnered up to create something magical.