Founder · Gravity Pivot
Steve Tonini
Founder & Owner · Indianapolis, Indiana
Mission first, people always.
Steve Tonini is the founder of Gravity Pivot, an Indianapolis consulting firm that defends what drives a business by strengthening what revolves around it. A retired Marine Corps Chief Warrant Officer 4 and Purple Heart recipient, Steve began his career in public accounting and went on to lead teams over large financial systems at the Department of Defense (now the Department of War). He brings hands-on expertise across IT, cybersecurity, audit, and business process improvement, and explains it in plain language.
- ServiceChief Warrant Officer 4, USMC (Ret.)21 years · Purple Heart recipient
- EducationPurdue UniversityM.S., Cybersecurity
- EducationIndiana University, Kelley School of BusinessB.S., Accounting & Finance
- CertificationCompTIA Security+
His story
Where money, systems, and security meet.
years in the U.S. Marine Corps
years of senior leadership over DoD financial systems
moved each year through the financial systems he managed
Steve Tonini has spent his professional life where money, systems, and security meet. He started his career at an Indianapolis public accounting firm, where he learned how accurate numbers drive sound business decisions.
Steve attributes his attention to detail and work ethic to 21 years in the United States Marine Corps, where he retired as a Chief Warrant Officer 4. He served in combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan during the Global War on Terrorism and is a Purple Heart recipient. That service shaped his leadership philosophy, grounded his moral compass, and defined his “mission first, people always” mentality.
After serving in multiple leadership roles in accounting, Steve realized the future of accounting would require a strong technical understanding of IT and cybersecurity. He wanted to understand the full life cycle of a business transaction: how it is entered, where it lands on the financial statements, and how those numbers drive business decisions. That pursuit led to nearly a decade of senior leadership over large financial systems at the Department of Defense (now the Department of War), where he was responsible for the people, the technology, and the controls that kept them running.
His leadership there confirmed something he believes to his core: the fastest way to solve a problem is through individual capability. He built teams whose members did not identify with a single domain of expertise, developing a culture where dynamic thinking and problem solving were the standard. One person who understands the big picture can accomplish more, faster, than a group of experts.
During his tenure he managed multiple financial systems that moved billions of dollars each year, cleared hundreds of millions of dollars in transactions, and trained his teams to rely on their own technical capabilities instead of multi-million-dollar contracts. No matter the role, he could always be found in the trenches, solving technical issues and developing solutions that improved processes, transaction time, and accuracy.
Why Gravity Pivot exists
Steve believes small businesses are the backbone of the American economy, and he knows how much their owners already carry: customers, payroll, cash flow, and a constant stream of new technology they are told they need. Gravity Pivot exists to lighten that load. It works alongside a company’s own people to close technical gaps, pay down technical debt, automate the processes that eat up their week, and find better ways to solve everyday problems.
He also wants business owners and their employees to stop fearing AI and new technology. In his experience, the fear comes from a knowledge gap, and it fades as soon as people see what is possible and where it applies. As a small business owner himself, his biggest fear isn’t new technology; it’s a competitor adopting it first.
Where we fit
Deep across many domains. Local and hands-on.
Small and mid-size businesses usually choose between providers that are deep but built for large enterprises and providers that are close at hand but cover one domain.
| Alternative | What it does well | The gap for smaller businesses |
|---|---|---|
| Large national consulting and accounting firms | A deep bench across many domains | Built and priced for enterprise budgets; smaller clients often work with junior staff |
| IT managed service providers | Keep networks, devices, and help desks running | Rarely redesign processes or tie systems to the financial statements |
| Software development shops | Build applications | Seldom bring accounting, audit, and security depth to the build |
| ERP and software resellers | Know their platform deeply | Advice tends to center on the product they sell |
| Independent specialists | Real expertise in one area | Problems that cross domains require several providers to coordinate |
Where Gravity Pivot fits
- One accountable expert across 10 domains, who sees how finance, systems, security, and operations connect.
- Auditable by design, with every transaction traceable to the financial statements.
- Platform-neutral: we work with the platform a client has chosen, or design the right one.
- Local and on-site in Indianapolis, explaining everything in plain language.
- The Agent Swarm framework, which lets one expert deliver work that once took a team.
Many of these providers are also natural partners. An IT managed service provider keeps a client’s network running while Gravity Pivot handles the systems, controls, and financial integrity around it.
Start here
Let's connect.
Tell us a little about your business in the intake form. Steve reads every one and follows up personally to set up a call.