👋🏻 Hi, I'm Richard Roman.
For the past decade, I've worked at the intersections of public trust, higher education, and institutional strategy — leading initiatives, advising senior executives, and helping organizations navigate some of the most complex challenges of our time.
Trusted Arc Labs was born from one central insight:
In an era defined by crisis and complexity, trust is no longer a soft virtue. It's a strategic imperative.
What started as a personal research journey — part dissertation, part lived experience — became something more: A media and strategy lab dedicated to building trust through storytelling, evidence-based research, and leadership development.
Whatever your current situation, I can say with confidence ...
If You're Here, There's a Reason!
Maybe you're navigating a new role at your company in a time of uncertainty and need fresh ways to build trust with your team or your external stakeholders. Maybe you're a first-generation professional trying to make sense of the unspoken rules of power, influence, and authority.
Maybe you're an educator, policymaker, or creator who feels overwhelmed. You may even be frustrated by systems that aren't working, by information you can't seem to sort through, or by stories that feel half-told.
You are not alone.
I have been there — and Trusted Arc Labs was built for people like you.
What We Believe
At the Labs, we are convinced:
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Trust is built through clarity, not charisma.
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Storytelling is a form of strategy.
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Research should serve people, not just journals.
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Leadership is more than a title or position — it is a position of posture, ethics, and responsibility.
We don't do hype. We don't do fluff.
We offer frameworks, tools, and insights to help you lead with integrity in an increasingly fractured world.
Here's How We Can Help You
Over the past year, we've launched a range of offerings to help individuals and institutions reconnect with what matters:
🎙️ Trust Be Told — The Podcast
A twice-weekly interview series exploring how trust is built, broken, and rebuilt across education, politics, business, and beyond.
[Listen now. ]
📬 The Trust Quotient — Newsletter (Coming soon!)
A weekly missive blending research, storytelling, and practical frameworks for leading with trust. Join a growing community of readers.
[Subscribe Now. ]
🪛 The Trust Toolkit (Free Download)
Seven research-based practices to help you build trust in a distrustful world — delivered straight to your inbox.
🧭 Strategy Sessions & Consulting
From individual coaching to custom workshops to executive storytelling support, we help leaders of all types make meaning.
Not Sure Where to Start?
We are three great first steps:
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👉 Take the Trust Leadership Profile
Discover your trust-building style and learn how you show up under pressure.
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👉 Download the Trust Toolkit
Start with seven powerful practices you can use right away.
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👉 Browse our Best Content
Dive into curated Substack posts, podcast episodes, and research essays that speak to where you might be now.
You Deserve to Be Trusted — and to Trust Yourself
Whether you're leading an organization, launching a creative project, or simply seeking a better way to work and live, you deserve tools and perspectives that ground and empower you, not overwhelm you.
You don't have to hustle harder.
You don't need a two-hour morning and evening routine.
And you don't have to go it alone.
You just need a better arc — and we're here to help you build it.
Let's get started!
— Richard