Shows
Cut The Tie | Entrepreneur Success Unleashed“When You Lose the Job, You Find the Calling” — Allison Norris on Turning Setback into StartupCut The Tie Podcast with Thomas HelfrichEpisode 277When Allison Norris had her paycheck pulled without warning and was tossed aside by a startup she helped build, she hit a wall—hard. Depression, doubt, and disillusionment followed. But in the rubble of burnout and betrayal, she made a decision: I’m going to build something of my own. In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with the founder of The Dentele Group to talk about what it means to bet on yourself when nobody else will.Allison’s story...2025-06-2517 min
Cut The Tie | Entrepreneur Success Unleashed“If You’re Building Just to Exit, You’re Already Dead”—Aleksandar Svetski Gets RealCut The Tie PodcastEpisode 276What if the system isn’t broken—it’s working exactly as intended? In this thought-provoking episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Aleksandar Svetski, entrepreneur, philosopher, and vocal advocate for sovereign thinking. Aleks challenges the mainstream narrative around money, identity, and power—and urges us to cut ties with mass psychosis and reclaim our agency.From founding Amber, a Bitcoin investing app, to co-authoring The UnCommunist Manifesto, Aleks has made it his mission to help people think independently and build outside...2025-06-2422 min
Cut The Tie | Entrepreneur Success Unleashed“My Daughter Believed in Me—That Was Enough”—How T Shane Johnson Found His Purpose AgainCut The Tie Podcast with Thomas HelfrichEpisode 275What if your six-year-old launched a business, and you backed her all the way to Walmart? In this unforgettable episode of Cut the Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with T Shane Johnson, a world-record athlete, Marine Corps veteran, motivational speaker, and co-founder of Big Guns Coffee, to explore how cutting ties with imposter syndrome opened up a legacy of purpose, resilience, and fatherhood.After surviving an attempted murder, flatlining three times, and spending a year learning to walk again, T Shane didn’t just ge...2025-06-2321 min
Cut The Tie | Entrepreneur Success Unleashed“I Thought About Ending It”—Joe’s Battle With PTSD and What Saved HimCut The Tie PodcastEpisode 274What happens when a former police officer turns mental health advocate and entrepreneur? In this episode of Cut The Tie, host Thomas Helfrich speaks with Joe Smarro—CEO and Owner of Solution Point+—about the urgent need for emotional intelligence, leadership reform, and how the power of presence can change everything.Joe shares his transformation from a decorated crisis negotiator to an advocate for change within public safety and corporate culture. Together, they explore how real transformation begins with inner work, vulnerability, and cutting ties...2025-06-2230 min
Cut The Tie | Entrepreneur Success Unleashed“When Life Hands You Chaos, Build a Framework”—How Gregory Shepard Took ControlCut The Tie PodcastEpisode 273What happens after you’ve won the game—money, exits, prestige—and still feel like something’s missing? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Gregory Shepard, a 12-time founder and serial entrepreneur, to talk about redefining success, embracing neurodiversity, and cutting ties with the systems that keep us playing small.Gregory shares how growing up neurodivergent, surviving trauma, and building multiple businesses led him to question the traditional narrative of success. This conversation dives deep into the power of accep...2025-06-2137 min
Cut The Tie | Entrepreneur Success Unleashed“I’m Done Being Shy”—Why Averi Drummer is Owning Her Voice and Vision for the FutureCut The Tie PodcastEpisode 272What if your personal story—full of family, faith, neurodivergence, and creativity—was your greatest business advantage? In this episode of Cut the Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Averi Drummer (aka Siena Averi Feruzi), a womanist author, coach, and special education advocate who is building a life and business on her own terms.From Spelman College to poetry, coaching, and special ed classrooms, Averi shares how cutting ties with perfectionism and self-doubt opened the door to confidence, creative ambition, and the launch of her new Bag Lady...2025-06-2021 min
Cut The Tie | Entrepreneur Success Unleashed“You Can’t Do This Alone”—The One Lesson Brigitte Cutshall Wants Entrepreneurs to HearCut The Tie PodcastEpisode 271What happens when you cut ties with perfection, corporate conformity, and even fear itself? In this episode of Cut the Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Brigitte Cutshall, founder of Gemini Media, two-time cancer survivor, creative entrepreneur, and all-around badass.From a career in publishing to beating aggressive cancer twice, Brigitte’s story is a powerful testament to resilience, humor, and building a business that prioritizes joy and purpose over prestige. She shares what it means to embrace imperfection, live life on your own terms, and run a...2025-06-1926 min
Cut The Tie | Entrepreneur Success Unleashed“You Can’t Operate in Fifth Gear Forever”—How Ling Ling Nie Learned to Slow Down Before It Broke HerCut The Tie PodcastEpisode 270What happens when a high-powered attorney walks away from a 20-year career to launch a beauty brand built around healing? In this vulnerable and inspiring episode of Cut the Tie, host Thomas Helfrich sits down with Ling Ling Nie, founder of Tender Cosmetics, a company reshaping how we think about beauty, with products that feel as good as they look.Ling Ling opens up about health scares, identity struggles, and her journey from burnout to bold reinvention. She shares how stepping away from law helped her reconnect...2025-06-1841 min
Cut The Tie | Entrepreneur Success Unleashed“Stop Waiting to Be Ready”—Melissa Aarskaug’s Message for the Next Generation of LeadersCut The Tie Podcast with Thomas HelfrichEpisode 269 Melissa Aarskaug built a successful career in cybersecurity and leadership, but for years she played it safe—showing only the “W-2 version” of herself. In this episode of Cut The Tie, host Thomas Helfrich sits down with the Executive Connect podcast founder to talk about letting go of fear, showing up authentically, and learning to lead from a place of intention, not just ambition.Melissa shares the moment she decided to stop playing small, the real-life impact of being vulnerable online, and why showing up full...2025-06-1716 min
Cut The Tie | Entrepreneur Success Unleashed“Every ‘No’ Just Meant Not Yet”—Jayla Siciliano on Building ResilienceCut The Tie Podcast with Thomas HelfrichEpisode 268 Jayla Siciliano walked away from the entrepreneurial dream everyone chases—funding, Shark Tank success, high-growth business—only to realize she had built a life that didn’t align with what actually mattered to her. In this raw and relatable episode of Cut The Tie, host Thomas Helfrich sits down with Jayla to explore the emotional cost of chasing the wrong version of success, and how she pivoted to build a life—and business—on her own terms.Now the founder of Atlas Group and h...2025-06-1627 min
Cut The Tie | Entrepreneur Success Unleashed“Success Starts When You Stop Playing Safe”—Scott Morris on Ditching the Corporate ScriptCut The Tie Podcast with Thomas HelfrichEpisode 267Scott Morris knows what it’s like to win on paper—and still feel completely lost. In this powerful episode of Cut the Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with the exited founder, investor, and startup advisor to talk about cutting ties with identity, ego, and the illusion that achievement equals fulfillment.Scott opens up about what happened after he sold his company and had the money, title, and resume most entrepreneurs dream of—only to discover he was still stuck in old patterns, unresolved trauma...2025-06-1532 min
Cut The Tie | Entrepreneur Success Unleashed"You’re Not Stuck—You’re Just Scared"—Corinna Zennig on Starting Before You’re ReadyCut The Tie Podcast with Thomas HelfrichEpisode 266Corrina Zennig is not your typical analyst—and she doesn’t want to be. In this episode of Cut the Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with the founder of The Lazy Analyst to talk about cutting ties with the pressure to overperform, overwork, and constantly prove your worth.Corrina shares how she went from a burned-out scientist to a thriving entrepreneur by rejecting industry norms and trusting her own voice. They talk data (yes), but also autonomy, self-leadership, and how to build a business arou...2025-06-1424 min
Cut The Tie | Entrepreneur Success Unleashed“I Don’t Want More. I Want Meaning.”—How David Steele Redefined Wealth Beyond NumbersCut The Tie Podcast with Thomas HelfrichEpisode 262In this introspective and powerful episode of Cut the Tie, Thomas sits down with David Steele—entrepreneur, investor, restaurateur, and founder of One Wealth Advisors—to unpack a career built on service, reinvention, and emotional intelligence. From growing up poor to managing over $1.1 billion in client assets, David shares the lessons behind every scar, including why he walked away from Bear Stearns and how failure in one restaurant birthed a booming hospitality empire.David also opens up about choosing not to have children and how...2025-06-1326 min
Cut The Tie | Entrepreneur Success Unleashed“Strategy Alone Won’t Save You”—Alexander Veach on Building Real Systems with VCICut The Tie Podcast with Thomas HelfrichEpisode 264Alexander Veach, founder of VCI, joins Thomas to talk about what it takes to break free from perfectionism and analysis paralysis to build something transformative. In this episode, Alex shares how his AI-powered platform is redefining due diligence for private equity and venture capital—especially in life sciences—by converting messy, unstructured data into fast, investor-ready insights. But behind the tech is a mindset shift: letting go of over-preparation and leaning into speed, clarity, and conviction.About Alexander Veach2025-06-1216 min
Cut The Tie | Entrepreneur Success Unleashed“If Pluto Can Find His Place, So Can I”—How a Kid’s Book Changed Everything for IsharaCut The Tie Podcast with Thomas HelfrichEpisode 263At just nine years old, Ishara is already making waves as a podcast host, reader, speaker, and future astronaut-neurosurgeon-author. In this heartwarming and inspiring episode, Thomas sits down with the youngest guest ever on Cut The Tie to explore how books—and big imagination—can unlock confidence, creativity, and purpose. With a wisdom well beyond her years, Ishara reminds us that no dream is too big and no age is too small to start chasing it.Abou...2025-06-1116 min
Cut The Tie | Entrepreneur Success Unleashed“Nobody Was Coming to Save Me”—Mike ‘C-Roc’ Ciorrocco on Taking Total OwnershipCut The Tie PodcastMike "C-Rock" Ciorrocco shares how he broke free from a high-paying but unfulfilling career in the mortgage industry and created a media empire by embracing intention, faith, and the power of podcasting. In this energizing episode, Mike dives into how cutting the tie to chase mode led to a life of creation, clarity, and impact. From his viral energy to his commitment to helping others shine, C-Rock delivers real talk for entrepreneurs ready to stop playing small.About Mike “C-Rock” CiorroccoMike Ciorrocco is the foun...2025-06-1022 min
Cut The Tie | Entrepreneur Success Unleashed“Comfort Was the Tie I Had to Cut”—Chris Wolstenholme on Betting It All on Mate!Cut The Tie Podcast with Thomas HelfrichEpisode 261In this high-energy episode of Cut the Tie, Thomas sits down with Chris Wolstenholme, an Aussie entrepreneur based in Atlanta who went from managing restaurants to founding the world’s first vodka protein water brand: Mate!. Chris shares the real story behind launching a beverage startup without outside funding, the gross moment that finally pushed him to quit his job, and how cutting the tie to comfort opened the door to purpose, grit, and global ambition.About Chris Wolstenholme:...2025-06-0922 min
Cut The Tie | Entrepreneur Success Unleashed“Stop Overplanning—Just Start”—Juno Lux’s Advice to Aspiring EntrepreneursCut The Tie Podcast with Thomas HelfrichJuno Lux, founder of The Haus of H, joins Thomas for a vibrant, honest conversation about spirituality, entrepreneurship, and the power of self-ownership. From working in social work and hospitality to founding a nonprofit for queer spiritual healing, Juno shares the experiences that led them to cut the tie with outdated systems and build something empowering from the ground up.About Juno Lux:Juno Lux is the founder of The Haus of H—a nonprofit that creates holistic, judgment-free spiritual spaces for que...2025-04-2926 min
Cut The Tie | Entrepreneur Success Unleashed“You Can’t Please Everyone Forever”—How Riggs Eckelberry Took Full Ownership of His BusinessCut The Tie Podcast with Thomas HelfrichRiggs Eckelberry, CEO of OriginClear, joins Thomas to unpack the broken water system, decentralization, and what it means to cut the tie to pleasing others. From rejecting broken industry norms to walking away from Wall Street pressure, Riggs shares a refreshingly honest look at entrepreneurship, leadership, and finding your own path—even if it takes decades.About Riggs Eckelberry:Riggs is the founder and CEO of OriginClear, a public company leading the decentralized water movement. A former corporate exec and nonprofit leader, Ri...2025-04-2833 min
Cut The Tie | Entrepreneur Success Unleashed"Entrepreneurship? It's Like Squid Game" a humorous solo episode by your host, Thomas HelfrichCut The Tie Podcast with Thomas HelfrichIn this special solo episode, Thomas Helfrich lays out the wild reality of leaving corporate life and jumping headfirst into entrepreneurship—through the lens of a chaotic, hilarious, and brutally honest "Squid Game" analogy. If you’ve ever thought about quitting your job or building your own thing, this episode pulls no punches on what the journey really looks like.In this episode, Thomas shares:Round One: The "I Quit" MomentWhen the realization hits that corporate life feels more like...2025-04-2603 min
Cut The Tie | Entrepreneur Success Unleashed“I Automated Myself Out of a Job”—KJ Fenton on Taking the Risk That Paid OffCut The Tie Podcast with Thomas HelfrichSales engineer and podcast host KJ Fenton joins Thomas for a fun, honest conversation about balancing a thriving W-2 career with building a passion project, and how cutting ties with "safe" thinking can open bigger doors than you ever expected. From coding macros at EY to launching KJ's Corner, KJ shares how small risks turn into massive growth.About KJ Fenton:KJ Fenton is a principal solutions engineer at Salesforce specializing in Intelligent Automation. He's also the host of KJ's Corner, a...2025-04-2417 min
Cut The Tie | Entrepreneur Success Unleashed“Stop Hiring Jerks”: Mark Murphy’s Mission to Fix Broken WorkplacesCut The Tie Podcast with Thomas HelfrichLeadership expert and researcher Mark Murphy joins Thomas for a sharp, data-driven conversation about leadership development, why most hiring practices fail, and how to cut ties with assumptions that hold organizations—and individuals—back. Mark shares his journey from following conventional wisdom to questioning it, uncovering insights that help leaders grow faster and smarter.About Mark Murphy:Mark is the founder of Leadership IQ, a research and training company focused on leadership science. He’s the bestselling author of Hiring for Attitude, Managi...2025-04-2318 min
Cut The Tie | Entrepreneur Success Unleashed“You Don’t Grow in Comfort”—Why Patrick Coggins Said Goodbye to a High-Paying CareerCut The Tie Podcast with Thomas HelfrichFrom Finance to Founder: Rebuilding with Purpose | Patrick CogginsPatrick Coggins, founder of CFO's Domain and co-founder of Gen9 Leaders, joins Thomas for an insightful conversation about legacy, leadership, and the hard decision to leave a successful career to build something better. Patrick shares how cutting ties with comfort and tradition allowed him to create a firm driven by purpose, experience, and impact.About Patrick Coggins:Patrick is the founder of CFO's Domain, a finance executive search and...2025-04-2118 min
Cut The Tie | Entrepreneur Success Unleashed“Don’t Lose Your Family in the Hustle”—What 39 Airbnbs Taught Eric Dingler About SuccessCut The Tie Podcast with Thomas HelfrichEntrepreneur and digital nomad Eric Dingler joins Thomas to talk about building a location-independent business, cutting ties with traditional success paths, and designing a life centered on freedom, family, and purpose. From pastoring a church to leading a marketing agency while traveling full-time with four kids, Eric shares the mindset and structure behind his unconventional path.About Eric Dingler:Eric is the founder of a U.S.-based digital marketing agency that helps local service businesses build simple, effective marketing systems. He...2025-04-2015 min
Cut The Tie | Entrepreneur Success Unleashed“I Was Productive… But Lost”: Tamar Stolz on Escaping the Chaos TrapCut The Tie Podcast with Thomas HelfrichUX designer turned clarity coach Tamar Stolz joins Thomas for a powerful, transparent conversation about overwhelm, self-leadership, and finding your own structure in the chaos of entrepreneurship. Tamar shares her journey from corporate design to coaching creatives—and the moment she stopped copying other people’s systems and built her own.About Tamar Stolz:Tamar is a former UX product designer turned coach who helps creative entrepreneurs ditch the noise and get clear on what matters. She specializes in visual learning, strategic mapp...2025-04-2013 min
Cut The Tie | Entrepreneur Success Unleashed“I Had to Burn the Ships”—How Brett Swarts Let Go of Old Strategies to Build Real WealthCut The Tie Podcast with Thomas HelfrichUnlocking Legacy Through Passive Income & Purpose | Brett SwartsBrett Swarts, founder of Capital Gains Tax Solutions, joins Thomas to share his journey from restaurant jobs and real estate side hustles to building a tax strategy firm that helps clients unlock true financial freedom. Brett opens up about his family’s legacy, faith, and the moment he cut ties with limited thinking to live a life of impact.About Brett Swarts:Brett is the founder of Capital Gains Tax So...2025-04-2010 min
Cut The Tie | Entrepreneur Success Unleashed“Thank You for Firing Me”—Denis Balitskiy on the Moment That Changed EverythingCut The Tie Podcast with Thomas HelfrichGrowth strategist Denis Balitskiy joins Thomas for a high-energy, brutally honest talk about the mindset, systems, and real-world lessons behind scaling companies to millions—and the internal breakthroughs it takes to get there. From marketing systems to mindset rewiring, Denis doesn’t hold back.About Denis Balitskiy:Denis is known as the $2B Growth Strategist, having helped companies across SaaS, crypto, and other industries reach massive valuations and scale. With over 14 years of experience and 40+ launches in seven industries, Denis brings unmatched insi...2025-04-1412 min
Cut The Tie | Entrepreneur Success Unleashed“You Deserve to Be a Superstar”—Why Jeremy Bishop Said Yes to HimselfCut The Tie Podcast with Thomas HelfrichBuilding a Brand That Deserves the Spotlight | Jeremy BishopJeremy Bishop, founder of Influencer Club Media, sits down with Thomas to talk about the mindset and momentum it takes to grow a world-class personal brand. From high-performing entrepreneurs with no social media presence to the myth of "slow and steady," Jeremy lays out the unfiltered truth of what it takes to get visible, stay consistent, and lead with impact.About Jeremy Bishop:Jeremy is the founder of Influencer...2025-04-1110 min
Cut The Tie | Entrepreneur Success Unleashed“This Sucks—I'm Done”: David Rolfe’s Turning Point Before Explosive GrowthCut The Tie Podcast with Thomas HelfrichDave Rolfe joins Thomas to share a candid look at how failure, grit, and mentorship shaped his journey from struggling entrepreneur to multi-million-dollar network marketer. Dave breaks down the myths of the industry, shares the real lessons behind the setbacks, and encourages listeners to take control of their time, business, and life.About Dave Rolfe:Dave is the founder of Be Smarter With Dave and a seasoned network marketing veteran. After early failures in Amway and other ventures, he built a distribution...2025-04-1016 min
Cut The Tie | Entrepreneur Success UnleashedWhy Top Executives Feel Stuck (And How to Grow Through It) – Sharon Spano ExplainsCut The Tie Podcast with Thomas HelfrichDr. Sharon Spano joins Thomas for a thoughtful, inspiring conversation about cutting ties with limiting beliefs, navigating trauma, and moving into the highest stages of adult human development. With humor, vulnerability, and depth, Sharon shares the tools she uses to help leaders reframe their success and embrace meaningful transformation.About Sharon Spano:Sharon is a PhD in Human and Organizational Systems, executive coach, author, and systems thinker. She works with leaders who are feeling the "emptiness of success"—those who have achieved mu...2025-04-0913 min
Cut The Tie | Entrepreneur Success UnleashedVeteran? Don’t “Transition”—Transform. Lisa Ducharme Explains WhyCut The Tie Podcast with Thomas HelfrichLisa Ducharme, retired Air Force veteran and Executive Director of the Massachusetts Veterans Chamber of Commerce, joins Thomas for a powerful conversation on veteran identity, entrepreneurship, and learning how to stop apologizing for your past. Lisa shares how she helps other veterans embrace their experience, stop trying to fit in, and start building with purpose.About Lisa Ducharme:Lisa is a retired U.S. Air Force veteran with over 20 years of service. As the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Veterans Chamber of...2025-04-0710 min