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Cut The Tie episodes

  • “Dream First, Then Execute”—Jason VanDevere on Choosing Purpose over the Family Business

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    Cut The Tie Podcast with Jason VanDevere

    What happens when the family business is your “golden ticket”—but not your dream? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Jason VanDevere, entrepreneur, creator of the Goal Crazy planner, real estate investor, and author of Dream Driven.

    Jason shares how he walked away from a fourth-generation car dealership legacy to build something of his own: a business that helps people clarify goals, make plans, and execute daily. From designing a paper planner in a digital-first world, to building a subscription model, to publishing his new book, Jason’s story proves that cutting the tie to expectation can open the door to true ownership—of your career, your time, and your life.

    About Jason VanDevere

    Jason VanDevere is the founder of Goal Crazy, a 90-day planner designed to help people set meaningful goals, make daily progress, and hold themselves accountable. What began as a side project has grown into workshops, courses, coaching programs, and now his new book, Dream Driven, which guides aspiring entrepreneurs in finding the right business idea, validating it, and launching it with confidence. Alongside his business, Jason has built a portfolio of rental properties and, most importantly, a life centered on his wife and three young children.

    In this episode, Thomas and Jason discuss:

    • Cutting ties with the family business
      Jason explains how he stepped away from his family’s dealerships despite success, expectations, and his last name on the building.
    • The journey to creating Goal Crazy
      From six months of interviews with entrepreneurs to seven brutal focus groups, Jason describes how persistence turned an idea into a viable product.
    • Why paper still wins
      Jason breaks down why a physical planner beats digital apps for focus, clarity, and productivity.
    • Stacking assets: planner, coaching, book
      How one simple product turned into a system of revenue streams and positioned Jason as a thought leader.
    • Designing a life you want
      Building a business that supports a 30–35 hour workweek, time with family, and long-term wealth through real estate.

    Key Takeaways

    • Dreams give goals meaning
      Without a dream, goals lack direction and purpose.
    • Clarity beats complexity
      A simple written plan executed daily drives better results than juggling multiple apps.
    • Ship, then sharpen
      Painful feedback is the key to creating a product people actually use.
    • Build assets that stack
      A product can open the door to coaching, courses, and a book—each fueling the next.
    • Define success on your terms
      Jason measures success by supporting his family and raising his kids—not by titles or legacy.

    Connect with Jason VanDevere

    💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonvandevere/
    🌐 Goal Crazy (90-Day Planner): https://goalcrazy.com

    Connect with Thomas Helfrich

    🐦 Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/thelfrich
    💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomashelfrich/
    🌐 Website: https://www.cutthetie.com
    📧 Email: [email protected]
    🚀 Instantly Relevant: https://instantlyrelevant.com

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    https://www.youtube.com/@cutthetie

    31 min
  • “Soft Skills Win Every Time”—How Laurie Jane Roth Helps Invisible Candidates Get Hired

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    Cut The Tie Podcast with Laurie Jane Roth

    What happens when talented professionals keep getting passed over despite great résumés? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich talks with Laurie Jane Roth, founder of The Inside Game and a 25-year IT recruiting veteran. Laurie reveals the real reasons candidates fail interviews, why soft skills outweigh technical skills, and how she helps mid-career executives stop feeling invisible and start landing offers.

    About Laurie Jane Roth:

    Laurie Jane Roth built her career in IT recruiting, spending 25 years at the decision table hearing what hiring managers really say. Today she leads The Inside Game, where she coaches professionals—from college grads to executives—on how to interview with confidence, stand out in a crowded market, and win roles others can’t. With deep insider perspective and proven coaching methods, Laurie helps candidates cut ties with defeat and rebuild their path to success.

    In this episode, Thomas and Laurie discuss:

    • The myth of “being good is enough”
      Why many skilled professionals still fail interviews without intentional preparation.
    • Inside the hiring conversation
      The unfiltered reasons candidates get rejected—and why they’re rarely about skills.
    • From defeated to confident
      How Laurie meets candidates where they are and rebuilds both strategy and mindset.
    • The résumé red flags
      Why titles like “Founder/Owner” can hurt—and how “Consultant” opens doors.
    • Defining success with purpose and freedom
      Why impact and autonomy matter more than titles or job stability.

    Key Takeaways:

    • Soft skills decide the outcome. Technical expertise won’t save poor delivery.
    • Rebuild confidence first. Interview success starts with belief and structure.
    • Own your story. Clarity beats “I can do everything.”
    • Adapt or evolve. When industries shift, reinvention is the only option.

    Connect with Laurie Jane Roth:

    🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-jane-roth-084769/
    🔗 The Inside Game on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/www.dsn-it.com/

    Connect with Thomas Helfrich:

    🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/thelfrich
    📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/cutthetiegroup
    💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomashelfrich/
    🌐 Website: https://www.cutthetie.com
    ✉️ Email: [email protected]
    🚀 InstantlyRelevant: https://instantlyrelevant.com

    Support the show

    https://www.youtube.com/@cutthetie

    23 min
  • “Start Where You Are”—Faris Alami on Resilience, Refuge, and Building Entrepreneurs

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    Cut The Tie Podcast with Faris Alami

    What does it take to rebuild your life—then turn that grit into a mission that helps others do the same? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Faris Alami, founder of International Strategic Management (ISM), to unpack a journey that spans fleeing war, navigating years of immigration uncertainty, and ultimately creating programs that help underserved entrepreneurs start and scale real businesses. Faris’s philosophy—start where you are—isn’t theory. It’s the playbook he lived, and now teaches across communities from small-town Michigan to emerging markets around the world.

    About Faris Alami

    Faris Alami is the founder of International Strategic Management (ISM), where he and his team design and deliver entrepreneurship and small-business development programs for communities worldwide—especially underserved and underrepresented groups. Drawing from his lived experience as a refugee and immigrant, Faris equips founders to move from idea to execution through practical strategy, relationship building, and his Resiliency Canvas framework.

    In this episode, Thomas and Faris discuss:

    • Cutting ties with the life you didn’t choose
      Growing up Palestinian in Kuwait, fleeing the Gulf War, and facing homelessness—Faris explains how survival forced unexpected pivots and new definitions of success.
    • From engineering dreams to entrepreneurship on necessity
      The moment a simple T-shirt project sparked a shift from “planned career” to “creating value with what’s in front of you.”
    • Serving the overlooked—on purpose
      Why 90% of ISM’s work focuses on underserved, underrepresented communities—and how representation inside program teams builds trust from day one.
    • The Resiliency Canvas & ‘Start Where You Are’
      How reframing constraints unlocks action, and why focusing on what you do have beats waiting for perfect conditions.
    • Redefining success: family, service, and spark
      Measuring success by the light in an entrepreneur’s eyes—and how that fuels Faris’s mission while providing for the people who matter most.

    Key Takeaways

    • Start where you are
      Stop waiting for perfect resources. Inventory what you have—skills, relationships, time—and move.
    • Proximity builds trust
      Programs led by people who reflect the community create buy-in, momentum, and better outcomes.
    • Resilience is a muscle
      Forward motion amid uncertainty beats “perfect plans” that never launch.
    • Success is service
      When your clients win, you win—income, impact, and identity align.
    • You can’t lose if you don’t quit
      You might change routes, but persistence gets you to the finish line.

    Connect with Faris Alami

    💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/farisalami
    🌐 International Strategic Management (ISM): https://myisminc.com/

    Connect with Thomas Helfrich

    🐦 Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/thelfrich
    💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomashelfrich/
    🌐 Website: https://www.cutthetie.com
    📧 Email: [email protected]
    🚀 Instantly Relevant: https://instantlyrelevant.com

    Support the show

    https://www.youtube.com/@cutthetie

    22 min
  • “Aim for premium.” — How Christian Ray Flores Builds Personal Brands That Win

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    Cut The Tie Podcast with Christian Ray Flores

    What happens when you stop aiming for the crowded middle and build a brand that’s truly you? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich talks with Christian Ray Flores—entrepreneur, former international pop artist, and founder of Xponential Life—about cutting ties with safety, creating on demand, and pricing your value at the premium it deserves. Christian unpacks how to mine your story (even the hard parts) into a differentiated personal brand that attracts the right clients.

    About Christian Ray Flores

    Born in Chile and raised across Africa and Europe, Christian witnessed civil war, economic collapse, and oppressive systems—experiences that forged his obsession with autonomy, mastery, and purpose. He became a top-charting pop artist across 15 countries, then transitioned into startups, media, and philanthropy in the U.S. Today he coaches founders, creators, and executives to build premium personal brands through Xponential Life, while sharing frameworks via his newsletter and podcast, Exponential Edge. His throughline: turn your history—gifts, scars, and all—into fuel for meaningful work.

    In this episode, Thomas and Christian discuss:

    • Create on demand
      Why you were “born a creator”—and how to engineer daily creative state instead of waiting for inspiration.
    • From trauma to treasure
      Mining your lived experience (even the hard parts) into a unique market edge and message.
    • The premium play
      “Aim for premium.” Why the middle is crowded, and how to earn—and charge for—category-of-one value.
    • Identity > environment
      Refusing to be defined by broken systems; building agency, not excuses.
    • Reinvention as a habit
      Inciting events (layoffs, collapses, pivots) as launchpads to rebrand and reprice your future.

    Key Takeaways

    • Premium isn’t a price—it's positioning. Choose a niche problem, obsess over outcomes, and charge accordingly.
    • Your story is your strategy. The right clients buy who you are as much as what you do.
    • Creativity is a system. Build rituals that put you in a creative state daily.
    • Don’t settle for the middle. It’s crowded, generic, and forgettable—go where value is obvious.

    Connect with Christian Ray Flores
    🚀 Xponential Life (Coaching): https://www.xponential.life/
    💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianrayflores/

    Connect with Thomas Helfrich

    🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/thelfrich
    📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/cutthetiegroup
    💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomashelfrich/
    🌐 Website: https://www.cutthetie.com
    ✉️ Email: [email protected]
    🚀 InstantlyRelevant: https://instantlyrelevant.com


    Support the show

    https://www.youtube.com/@cutthetie

    31 min
  • “Just Get in the Water”—Brandy Lawson on Starting Before You’re Ready

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    Cut The Tie Podcast with Brandy Lawson

    What happens when a thriving craft business gets stuck on outdated tools and habits? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich talks with Brandy Lawson, founder of FieryFX, about helping kitchen & bath designers modernize with AI, apps, and better systems—without the fluff. Brandy shares how to embrace change (even when you hate it), implement only what moves the needle, and fire the work that quietly bleeds profit.

    About Brandy Lawson

    Brandy Lawson is the founder of FieryFX, an innovation consultancy that helps kitchen & bath designers streamline with AI, automation, and practical app stacks. A former big-tech pro turned agency owner, Brandy blends no-BS coaching with hands-on systems to deliver measurable impact. She prioritizes what works, ditches what doesn’t, and guides teams through the human side of change so improvements actually stick. Her five-minute business podcast distills strategy into action for busy owners.

    In this episode, Thomas and Brandy discuss:

    • “No one likes change.” Now what?
      Why successful teams still resist tools—and how to coach through the messy middle.
    • AI for laggard industries
      Practical wins designers can ship this quarter (visuals, scopes, client comms) instead of chasing shiny objects.
    • Only implement what moves the needle
      Brandy’s impact-first rule: if it doesn’t improve profit, speed, or client experience, it doesn’t ship.
    • Bad-fit work is expensive
      How to spot misaligned projects early—and Brandy’s GTFO process for letting them go.
    • ADHD-friendly execution
      Body-double sessions, time-boxing, and other real tactics that keep creative owners shipping.

    Key Takeaways

    • Impact over “interesting.” If a tool doesn’t change outcomes, it’s a distraction.
    • Change what people do, not just what they use. Adoption beats features.
    • Fire the wrong work. Bad-fit clients quietly drain profit and morale.
    • Make it ADHD-proof. Short cycles, tight scopes, and visible wins keep momentum.

    Connect with Brandy Lawson

    🌐 Website: https://fieryfx.com

    💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandylawson/

    Connect with Thomas Helfrich

    🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/thelfrich
    📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/cutthetiegroup
    💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomashelfrich/
    🌐 Website: https://www.cutthetie.com
    ✉️ Email: [email protected]
    🚀 InstantlyRelevant: https://instantlyrelevant.com



    Support the show

    https://www.youtube.com/@cutthetie

    25 min
  • “Coaching Isn’t a Cost, It’s an Investment”—Why Kevin Weir Says Owners Get $4 for Every $1

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    Cut The Tie Podcast with Kevin Weir

    What happens when fear of sales, fear of risk, and fear of decisions hold you back from your calling? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Kevin Weir, business coach with ActionCOACH Business Coaching, to talk about cutting ties with false security, overcoming fear, and learning that success comes from clarity, commitment, and consistent execution.

    About Kevin Weir:

    Kevin Weir began his career through ROTC and the Army, expecting a 30–year military career. After the Cold War ended, he pivoted into corporate America—only to realize it wasn’t aligned with his purpose. Today, as a coach with ActionCOACH in Spokane, Washington, Kevin helps small and medium-sized business owners build companies that thrive without them. With a balance of teaching, motivation, and accountability, he empowers owners to break cycles of fear and excuses while scaling sustainably.

    In this episode, Thomas and Kevin discuss:

    • The three essentials of coaching
      Why every business owner needs a teacher, a motivator, and a butt kicker.
    • Cutting ties with false security
      How leaving behind “safe” W-2 jobs revealed the true illusion of stability.
    • Overcoming a fanatical fear of sales
      The mindset shifts Kevin had to make to step into entrepreneurship.
    • The faith to trust the process
      Why belief in yourself, your system, and your calling is the foundation of growth.
    • The lesson of decision-making
      Why “you can never change your mind until you make it up the first time” transformed his coaching and his life.

    Key Takeaways:

    • False safety is still unsafe. A paycheck doesn’t guarantee stability.
    • Fear is the biggest tie. You can’t scale until you face it head-on.
    • Decisions create freedom. Indecision keeps you stuck in cycles.
    • Coaching is an investment. For every dollar you put in, you should expect multiples back.

    Connect with Kevin Weir:

    🌐 Website: https://www.kevinweir.com
    💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinweir
    📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/actioncoachspokane

    Connect with Thomas Helfrich:

    🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/thelfrich
    📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/cutthetiegroup
    💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomashelfrich/
    🌐 Website: https://www.cutthetie.com
    ✉️ Email: [email protected]
    🚀 InstantlyRelevant: https://instantlyrelevant.com



    Support the show

    https://www.youtube.com/@cutthetie

    28 min
  • “You Have to Reinvent Yourself or You Get Stuck”—Devon Gummersall on Taking Control of His Career

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    Cut The Tie Podcast with Devon Gummersall

    What happens when early success makes you think the road will always be easy—until it isn’t? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Devon Gummersall, former teen star of My So-Called Life turned director and founder of Authentic Content Productions. Devon shares the highs and lows of Hollywood, the painful lessons of waiting for permission, and why building financial stability outside the industry gave him the creative control he always wanted.

    About Devon Gummersall

    Devon Gummersall launched his career as an actor at 14, starring in the iconic series My So-Called Life. After two decades of acting in television and film, he pivoted to directing and writing, leading feature films, television episodes, and eventually branded content. Today, through his company Authentic Content Productions, he helps brands—from startups to Microsoft—tell cinematic, authentic stories. His journey highlights the same truth entrepreneurs face: reinvention and ownership are the only way to thrive.

    In this episode, Thomas and Devon discuss:

    • The addiction of freelance highs and lows
      Acting feels like winning the lottery when you book a job—and devastation when you don’t.
    • Pivoting to directing and ownership
      How buying one camera and betting on himself launched a thriving content business.
    • The danger of trying to “do it all”
      Why clarity of brand beats scattershot attempts in both Hollywood and entrepreneurship.
    • Financial freedom fuels creativity
      Stability from branded work allows Devon to take risks and enjoy auditions again.
    • Hard-earned Hollywood lessons
      Why reinvention, focus, and saying no to bad fits apply equally to business owners.

    Key Takeaways:

    • Reinvention is survival. Don’t wait—pivot before you get stuck.
    • Clarity wins. Diluting your brand makes you forgettable.
    • Stability creates freedom. Financial security lets you take creative risks.
    • Own your lane. In acting or business, trying to do everything means doing nothing well.

    Connect with Devon Gummersall:

    🌐 Website: https://authenticcontentprods.com
    📸 Instagram (Devon): https://www.instagram.com/devon_gummersall/
    📸 Instagram (Company): https://www.instagram.com/authentic_content_prods/

    Connect with Thomas Helfrich:

    🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/thelfrich
    📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/cutthetiegroup
    💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomashelfrich/
    🌐 Website: https://www.cutthetie.com
    ✉️ Email: [email protected]
    🚀 InstantlyRelevant: https://instantlyrelevant.com



    Support the show

    https://www.youtube.com/@cutthetie

    38 min
  • “Your Point of View Still Beats the Prompt”—Why Erich Archer Believes AI Expands Creativity

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    Cut The Tie Podcast with Erich Archer

    What happens when a longtime TV producer discovers generative AI and feels the same spark he once had as a college soccer player? In this episode of Cut The Tie, host Thomas Helfrich talks with Erich Archer, a Massachusetts-based television producer turned AI creator, about cutting ties with limits, rediscovering creativity, and why AI is changing the way stories are told.

    From network television in New York and LA to running a local nonprofit station, Erich spent two decades building a career in media. But it wasn’t until he dove into AI video production that he found his passion reignited. He shares how creative control has become his new definition of success—and why AI is both disrupting and expanding the future of film, TV, and content.

    About Erich Archer

    Erich Archer is a television producer and creative director with over 20 years of experience across sports, music, reality TV, and nonprofit community media. Today, he is focused on generative AI video production, creating end-to-end projects, consulting with businesses, and teaching others how to integrate AI into their creative processes. He is the founder of CGA Creative and shares his work and insights on LinkedIn.

    In this episode, Thomas and Erich discuss:

    • From broadcast to AI storytelling
      Erich’s path from TV in New York and LA to a local station in Massachusetts—and how generative AI reignited his creativity to make full projects on his own.
    • Defining success through creative control
      Why success now means owning the process end to end, and how AI brought back the same spark he once felt as a competitive soccer player. 
    • The future of actors and avatars
      How AI-driven avatars with emotional range are reshaping production, and why live theater and performance will remain in demand.
    • Advice for AI beginners
      Start small: use ChatGPT on a real problem. By experimenting, you’ll see AI as a helpful assistant, not a threat.

    Key Takeaways

    • Creative control defines success - True fulfillment comes from owning the process, not chasing outside validation.
    • AI is a catalyst for creativity - These tools don’t just speed up work; they reignite the spark many creatives thought they’d lost.
    • Actors won’t vanish, but roles will change - AI will dominate digital production, while live theater and authentic performance will rise in cultural value.
    • Don’t stiff-arm AI - Unless you’re already financially free, ignoring AI puts you at risk. Learn it, integrate it, and make it work for you.

    Connect with Erich Archer

    🌐 Website: https://www.cgacreative.com/
    📎 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericharcher

    Connect with Thomas Helfrich

    🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/thelfrich
    📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/cutthetie
    📎 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomashelfich
    🌐 Website: https://www.cutthetie.com
    📧 Email: [email protected]
    🚀 Instantly Relevant: https://instantlyrelevant.com

    Support the show

    https://www.youtube.com/@cutthetie

    28 min
  • “Eight is the Sweet Spot”—Why Brian Keltner & Francesca Kenney Elevate Entrepreneurs Together

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    Cut The Tie Podcast with Brian Keltner & Francesca Kenney

    What happens when two co-founders build multiple ventures without ever meeting in person? In this episode of Cut The Tie, host Thomas Helfrich sits down with Brian Keltner and Francesca Kenney, co-founders of ELEV8ORS, to talk about how they’re reinventing networking.

    From nearly choking on their first phone call together to launching a global B2B community in just 8 weeks, Brian and Francesca share how they help entrepreneurs shift from “me, me, me” pitching to relationship-first ecosystems. Their secret? Small groups of 8, immersive environments, and a culture of listening for impact.

    About Brian & Francesca

    Brian Keltner and Francesca Kenney are the co-founders of ELEV8ORS, a virtual B2B networking company built on the principle of elevating others. With decades of combined experience in marketing, finance, and entrepreneurship, they designed ELEV8ORS as an antidote to pitch-fests—focusing instead on authentic relationships, structured agendas, and immersive virtual spaces. Their mission is simple: help entrepreneurs build meaningful networks that grow businesses faster.

    In this episode, Thomas, Brian, and Francesca discuss:

    • From strangers to partners
      How a chance introduction and a hilarious near-death choking incident sparked a lasting business partnership.
    • Why 8 matters
      The symbolism, science, and practicality of keeping networking groups capped at 8 members.
    • From idea to revenue in 8 weeks
      The sprint that took ELEV8ORS from concept to international cash flow.
    • Cutting ties with time-wasters
      Why saying no to unproductive tasks, software, and people frees you to focus on what matters.
    • Immersive meetings over Zoom fatigue
      How a 3D virtual environment beats traditional video calls and deepens connections.

    Key Takeaways

    • Small rooms, big outcomes
      Eight is the sweet spot—large groups leave people out.
    • Relationships beat pitches
      Networking works when it’s about who you can help, not what you sell.
    • Iterate quickly
      Launch, learn, and improve—don’t wait for perfection.
    • Simplify your stack
      The right tools can replace several wrong ones and save time.
    • Community is a system
      Be intentional about who you gather and how you engage.

    Connect with Brian & Francesca

    🌐 Website: https://elev8ors.net
    📎 LinkedIn (Brian): https://www.linkedin.com/in/briankeltner1/
    📎 LinkedIn (Francesca): https://www.linkedin.com/in/francescakenney/

    Connect with Thomas Helfrich

    🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/thelfrich
    📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/cutthetie
    📎 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomashelfich
    🌐 Website: https://www.cutthetie.com
    📧 Email: [email protected]
    🚀 Instantly Relevant: https://instantlyrelevant.com



    Support the show

    https://www.youtube.com/@cutthetie

    25 min
  • “Don’t Die on the Sofa Scrolling”—Why Steven Puri Helps People Unlock Their Greatness

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    Cut The Tie Podcast with Steven Puri

    What if the biggest tragedy in life isn’t failure, but never trying? In this episode of Cut The Tie, host Thomas Helfrich sits down with Steven Puri, founder of The Sukha Company, to talk about cutting ties with safe paths, failed ventures, and the weight of other people’s opinions.

    From winning an Academy Award for Independence Day’s visual effects, to launching companies that failed, to building Sukha—a flow state app that helps people focus—Steven shares his journey of reinvention and resilience. He shows why success is about doing the thing you’re capable of, not just scrolling your life away.

    About Steven Puri

    Steven Puri is the founder of The Sukha Company, where he helps people enter flow state, eliminate distraction, and do their best work. Before building Sukha, Steven worked as a senior executive at Fox and DreamWorks, produced digital effects on more than a dozen films (including True Lies and Independence Day), raised over $20M in venture capital, and launched three companies—one successful exit, two failures. His mission today is simple: help people unlock their potential and finish the work that matters.

    In this episode, Thomas and Steven discuss:

    • From Hollywood to startups
      How Steven went from Academy Award–winning visual effects producer to building tech companies.
    • The biggest tie to cut: others’ opinions
      Why the hardest part of failure is facing friends and family—and how to push through shame.
    • Redefining success
      Moving from chasing Oscars and exits to helping people write their novel, finish their PhD, or simply stay focused.
    • Failure as fuel
      How two failed startups reshaped Steven’s perspective, leading him to discover what truly matters.
    • Life, family, and legacy
      Why becoming a husband, soon-to-be father, and mentor gave Steven a new purpose beyond business metrics.

    Key Takeaways

    • Don’t waste your life scrolling
      The biggest tragedy is never trying to do the thing inside you.
    • Failure is not fatal
      Steven’s two failed companies taught him more than his successful exit ever did.
    • Success is helping others unlock potential
      Real achievement is measured by the lives you impact.
    • Cut the tie of others’ opinions
      You can’t let shame or judgment from friends and family stop you from trying again.
    • History repeats—learn from it
      Human behavior cycles. Understand it, and you’ll spot patterns for opportunity.

    Connect with Steven Puri

    📎 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-puri/
    🌐 Website: https://www.thesukha.co/
    📧 Email: [email protected]

    Connect with Thomas Helfrich

    🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/thelfrich
    📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/cutthetie
    📎 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomashelfich
    🌐 Website: https://www.cutthetie.com
    📧 Email: [email protected]
    🚀 Instantly Relevant: https://instantlyrelevant.com


    Support the show

    https://www.youtube.com/@cutthetie

    26 min

About Cut The Tie

From the publisher's feed

Cut The Tie and  Own Your Success reveals how high performers think, decide, and overcome obstacles—so you can apply one actionable idea each week.

Each short episode (<10…