Episode 11 - People Over Profits: The Key to Success with Tom Gegax

On the Momentum podcast, host Theresa Bassett interviews Tom Gegax, former founder of Tires Plus (now chairman emeritus), current chairman of the Gramercy Fund, and a filmmaker whose voice has been affected for the past 10 years by cancer-related radiation. Giegax discusses his documentary Confessions of a CEO, created to spotlight harmful trends in corporate America, including widening CEO-to-worker pay gaps, declining customer service and employee happiness, and reduced charitable giving. He shares his own past failures and “profits over people” behavior, his personal recalibration through actions rather than words, and the film’s message of moving beyond shame and bringing personal growth into the workplace. He offers leadership takeaways: be warm-hearted and tough-minded, seek frontline input, and notes that prioritizing people ultimately increased company profitability. The film is available on Amazon Prime and Apple TV - Confessions of a CEO: My Life in an Out-of-Balance World. 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 00:42 Voice Disability and New Tech 01:59 Beyond Tires Plus Pivot 03:51 Why He Made the Film 06:28 From Bad Behavior to Change 10:24 Bringing Spirit to Work 12:07 Ask Better Questions 14:42 Parents Kids and Influence 17:38 Where to Watch and Cast 20:08 Impact Stories and Books 24:23 Leadership Tips and Culture 31:10 Final Takeaways and Goodbye