Cut The Tie
by Thomas Helfrich
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 (Finances, Relationships, Health, and Faith. Guests span operators and outliers—CEOs, entrepreneurs, executives, athletes, creators, scientists, and community leaders—people who’ve cut real ties and can show you how. Do this next Follow the podcast (or visit podcast.cutthetie.com) Play your first episode Leave a 5-star review Share with a friend who’s ready to cut a tie Own your success. Cut the tie. Thomas Helfrich Host & Founder
Episodes
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The Most Expensive Word In Your Life
Send us Fan Mail The most expensive word in your life is - yes. Every meeting, favor, and commitment costs something. What are you buying it with—and is it worth what you’re giving up? In this episode of Cut The Tie | Own Your Success, we explore how your yeses shape your Money, Health,...
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“He’s 17 and Already Raised $100K” - Eshan Patel on Building Before Graduation
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Eshan Patel What does success look like when you are 17, still in high school, and already building like a seasoned founder? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Eshan Patel, a high school junior, 1600 SAT scorer, and founder of...
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“He Ran 2 Years Ago” – John Teichert on What Success Looks Like After Service
Send us Fan Mail Cut the Tie Podcast with John Teichert, Brigadier General (ret) What happens when a lifetime of structure, service, and leadership gives way to the question, “What comes next?” In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich welcomes back John “The Dragon” Teichert, a retired Air...
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“A full time CTO is an overkill.” – Balki Kodarapu on fractional leadership that actually scales
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Balki Kodarapu What happens when a company knows it needs technical leadership but does not need a four hundred thousand dollar CTO sitting in a chair full time? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Balki Kodarapu, a fractional…
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“The executives never had visibility.” – Elizabeth Wu on Fixing the IT and Leadership Disconnect
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Elizabeth Wu What happens when the people ultimately responsible for a company’s survival are the least informed about its biggest risk? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Elizabeth Wu, a lifelong entrepreneur, IT auditor, and...
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“You can’t investigate yourself.” – Michelle Griffin on the HR Mistake That Can Kill a Company
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Michelle Griffin What happens when founders try to save money by handling HR themselves and end up risking everything they built? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Michelle Griffin, founder of Griffin Resources, to unpack one…
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“Success Is Loving God and Loving People” – Dan Rosenblatt on Purpose Over Performance
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Dan Rosenblatt What happens when performance stops working and success still feels hollow? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Dan Rosenblatt, founder of Seventy Two Ministries, commercial insurance business owner, and coach to...
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“Now I Finally Know Who I Am” - John Brink on Discovering ADHD at 62
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with John Brink What does success really look like when you are eighty five years old, still building companies, competing in bodybuilding, writing books, and hosting hundreds of podcasts? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with John...
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“I Had to Turn Anger Into Action” - Rob Rene on Cutting the Tie to Rage and Helplessness
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Rob Rene What happens when the life you planned disappears in an instant, and the system you trusted starts to look broken? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Rob Rene to talk about faith, health, and purpose, and how anger can...
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“If You Can Fire Your Banker and Sit on the Right Side of the Banker’s Desk” - Mark Willis on Taking Control of Cash Flow
Send us Fan Mail What if the biggest thing holding you back financially is not your income, your discipline, or your business, but the system you were handed without ever questioning it? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Mark Willis, a Certified Financial Planner who...
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“Shortcuts and Soundbites Don’t Work” - Dr Rosie Ward on Future Proofing Leadership in a Disruptive World
Send us Fan Mail What happens when leadership advice sounds good on paper but fails the moment real pressure shows up? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Dr Rosie Ward to unpack why quick fixes, check-the-box training, and surface-level leadership development continue…
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“The Power of Hands Is the Last Technology AI Can’t Replace” — Kelly Dowd on Silencing Noise and Designing a Human-Centered Life
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Kelly Dowd What happens when success stops being about metrics and starts being about meaning? In this thoughtful and deeply human episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Kelly Dowd, Nigerian-American designer, author, and founder of Design...
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“We Take the Trash and Turn It Into Gas” — Brian Carmody on Greening the Data Center Boom Differently
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Brian Carmody What happens when critical infrastructure grows faster than the systems meant to support it? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Brian Carmody to explore the unseen strain data centers are placing on power grids...
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“It Is Harder as You Get Older to Just Pick Up and Move” - Patrice Lynn on Courage, Change, and the Next Chapter
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Patrice Lynn What happens when you have spent decades trusting yourself, building skills, and creating your own path, and then you realize it is time to walk away again, even without a clear plan? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down...
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“Most People Never Had Access to These Types of Investment Opportunities” — Justin Kuyper on Opening the Doors to Hedge Fund–Level Investing
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Justin Kuyper For decades, hedge fund and private equity strategies were reserved for institutions and ultra-wealthy investors. In this episode of Cut The Tie, host Thomas Helfrich sits down with Justin Kuyper, founder of OpenVest, to break down why…
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“I’m Not Smart Enough to Create the Investments, But I Know Where the Money Is” — Henry Yoshida on Playing the Right Side of Money
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Henry Yoshida Most executives spend decades earning, saving, and investing money without ever truly understanding where their capital sits or how much control they actually have over it. In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Henry...
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“I See Patterns Really Clearly” — Chuck Hall on Autism as a Leadership Advantage
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Chuck Hall What if the way you see the world differently is exactly what makes you a better leader? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Chuck Hall, a business coach and organizational consultant who brings a rare and powerful...
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“Connection Is the Cheat Code” — Robert Kennedy III on Influence and Storytelling
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Robert Kennedy III Most business owners are exhausted from pitching, cold outreach, and trying to prove their value. Robert Kennedy III believes the real problem is not effort. It is communication. In this episode of Cut The Tie, Robert shares his journey...
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“Construction Has Been Resistant to Change” — Erin Khan on Modernizing a Legacy Industry
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Erin Khan Construction is one of the most critical industries in the world—and one of the hardest to change. Erin Khan has spent her career working directly inside that tension. In this episode of Cut The Tie, Erin shares her journey from civil…
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“Everyone Is Spamming Everyone, and It Doesn’t Work Anymore” — Ryan Miller on AI, Sales, and Human-Led Outreach
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Ryan Miller Ryan Miller has lived on the front lines of sales. Cold calls. Door knocking. Endless outreach. The grind most people never see but everyone feels. Then the game changed. In this episode of Cut The Tie, Ryan explains why modern outreach is...
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“As Machines Become More Intelligent, Humans Must Become More Wise” — Jeff Burningham on the AI Era
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Jeff Burningham Jeff Burningham has lived on the front edge of success. Serial entrepreneur. Venture investor. Builder of billion-dollar businesses. A candidate for governor. A life defined by scale, momentum, and achievement. Then the stage collapsed. In...
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“There’s No Such Thing as a Bad Employee” — Matthew Person on Organizational Alignment
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Matthew Person What if most performance problems aren’t people problems at all? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Matthew Person, founder of Town Square Advisors, to challenge one of the most common assumptions in leadership:...
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“If I Feel Joyful, Then That’s Probably Where Success Comes From” — Tyler Riddell on Letting Go of the Perfect Plan
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“What Am I So Afraid Of?” — Reid Chong on Facing the Unknown
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Reid Chong What happens when you finally stop long enough to ask yourself the question most people avoid? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Reid Chong to unpack the moment he realized fear, not lack of ability, was the real...
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“As I Was Thrusting a Knife Toward My Heart, Everything Changed” — Dr. Ron Stotts on Conscious Leadership, Inner Work, and Lasting Impact
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Dr. Ron Stotts What happens when life forces you to confront everything you believe about success, control, and identity? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Dr. Ron Stotts to explore the moment that permanently altered his path...
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“Failure Isn’t Who You Are. It’s Just Something That Happened” — Shannon Coulter on Letting Go, Starting Again, and Leading With Impact
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Shannon Coulter What happens when an idea fails before the world is ready for it? And what happens when you carry that failure for years? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Shannon Coulter to explore what it really takes to...
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“Grow Your Network Before You Need It” — Greg Roche on Leaving Corporate, Retention, and Building Leverage Before You’re Forced To
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Greg Roche Most executives think about networking only after something breaks. A missed promotion. A reorg. A quiet signal that their seat is no longer secure. In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Greg Roche to explain why…
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“If You Can’t Put It on Paper, You Can’t Automate It” — Adi Klevit on Process, Scale, and Building a Business That Can Run Without You
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Adi Klevit Most founders say they want scale, freedom, and leverage. Few are willing to do the unsexy work that actually makes it possible. In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Adi Klevit, founder of Business Success Consulting...
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Stop Chasing Hashtags And Start Getting Clients — Maggie Langley on Focus, Distraction, and Building a Business That Fits Your Life
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Maggie Langley What if success is not something you reach someday, but something you practice every day? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Maggie Langley, founder and CEO of OfficeHound, to explore what it really means to…
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“Your Dream Doesn’t Go Away — It Goes to Someone Else” — Rome Madison on Confidence, Control, and Cutting the Corporate Tie
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Rome Madison What happens when you’ve reached the C-suite, survived restructurings, layoffs, and corporate chaos, yet still feel pulled toward something more? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Rome Madison to unpack why...
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“Normal Is Not Optimal” — Your Balls, Her Menopause, and Why Insurance Hates Both with Dr. Janette Gray
Send us Fan Mail What if the healthcare system is optimized for treating disease, not helping you feel your best? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Dr. Janette Gray, an internal medicine physician who spent more than 25 years challenging the traditional medical model...
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“Successful Entrepreneurs Fear Things Just a Little Less” — Robin Waite on Breaking the Time-for-Money Trap
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Robin Waite What if the real reason your business feels heavy has nothing to do with strategy and everything to do with fear? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Robin Waite, founder of Fearless Business, to unpack why so many...
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“We Waste Time in Ways We’d Never Waste Money” — Why Rebecca Shaddix Teaches People to Use Their Hidden Minutes Well
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Rebecca Shaddix What happens when your life, career, and identity have all been shaped by productivity, performance, and the constant pressure to “do more”? In this episode of Cut The Tie, host Thomas Helfrich sits down with Rebecca Shaddix, a tech...
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“I Had to Stop Building Someone Else’s Empire” — Rande Vick on Reclaiming Creativity and Control
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Rande Vick What happens when your dream job becomes the thing that drains the joy out of you? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with branding strategist, author, and musician Rande Vick. After spending more than two decades in the...
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“Success Is Doing What You Want, When You Want, With Whom You Want”—Carlos Ponce on Building a Business That Serves Your Life
Send us Fan Mail What if success isn’t about the grind, the title, or the next promotion — but about waking up each morning and owning your time, energy, and relationships? In this episode of Cut The Tie, host Thomas Helfrich sits down with Carlos Ponce, a veteran sales and communications leader...
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“I Want to Spend Time Where I Want, With Who I Want”—Pablo Gonzalez on Redefining His Path After the Military
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Pablo Gonzalez For many veterans and corporate professionals, the transition into a new chapter of life comes with a difficult realization: the “safe path” isn’t always the one that leads to real freedom. In this episode of Cut The Tie, host Thomas…
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“People Are Searching for You, They Just Don’t Know Your Name” Nate Woodbury on YouTube That Generates Referral-Quality Leads
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Nate Woodbury What happens when you stop chasing vanity metrics and start answering the exact questions your future clients type into Google, YouTube, and ChatGPT? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich talks with Nate Woodbury, a YouTube...
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“AI Isn’t Taking Our Jobs, It’s Creating New Ones”—Nathan Strum on Building a Human-First Future
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Nathan Strum What if artificial intelligence didn’t replace people—but helped them grow? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Nathan Strum, CEO of Abby Connect, to talk about how a twenty-year-old live receptionist company is...
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“If It’s Not a Hell Yes, It’s a No”—Krystal Popov on Raising the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs
Send us Fan Mail What if kids could launch their first business before high school? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Krystal Popov, entrepreneur, real estate investor, and founder of FuturePreneur, a company that helps kids and teens ages six to sixteen build and...
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“Your Brand is the Customer-Facing Side of Your Business Strategy”—Jason Vana on What Branding Really Means
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Jason Vana Most business owners think branding is about colors, fonts, and logos—but that’s only the surface. In this episode of Cut The Tie, host Thomas Helfrich sits down with Jason Vana, founder and CEO of Shft Agency, to uncover what brand strategy...
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“The Steady Paycheck Is an Illusion”—Karl Maier on Freedom, Risk, and the Reality of Fractional Leadership
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Karl Maier What happens when you realize your “stable” career is actually the biggest risk of all? In this episode of Cut The Tie, host Thomas Helfrich sits down with Karl Maier, a Houston-based fractional CFO who helps companies raise capital, manage…
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“Patience Is the Hardest Skill to Learn”—Steven Schneider on Building Real Success in the Age of AI
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Steven Schneider How do you build something real in a world obsessed with quick wins and overnight success? In this episode of Cut The Tie, host Thomas Helfrich sits down with Steven Schneider, co-founder and CEO of Trio SEO, to talk about the discipline,...
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“You Can’t Lead Others Until You Lead Yourself”—Evan Mestman on Fueling Leadership Through Health
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Evan Mestman What if the very drive that made you successful is the same thing destroying your health? In this powerful episode of Cut The Tie, host Thomas Helfrich sits down with Evan Mestman, founder of ProAttitudes and a health transformation and...
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“Retirement Is a Death Sentence”—Michael J. Frank on Staying Sharp, Giving Back, and Building Again
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Michael J. Frank What happens after the big exit—when the money’s in the bank but the meaning’s gone? In this candid episode of Cut The Tie, host Thomas Helfrich sits down with veteran trader and investor Michael J. Frank, who went from the floor of the...
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“Every Day I Wondered, Am I Really Doing This?”—Erica Tuggle on Facing the Fear of Entrepreneurship
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Erica Tuggle What happens when you walk away from the corporate track to build something that truly matters? In this episode of Cut The Tie, host Thomas Helfrich sits down with Erica Tuggle, Harvard MBA and former Coca-Cola executive turned founder and…
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“The Goal Isn’t One Franchise—It’s an Empire”—George Knauf on Multi-Generational Wealth Through Franchising
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with George Knauf What if your path to financial freedom and legacy isn’t in a corporate office—but in franchising? In this episode of Cut The Tie, host Thomas Helfrich sits down with George Knauf, a franchise fanatic with over 30 years of experience helping...
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“Freedom Isn’t 50/50—It’s What You Design It To Be”—Wilson Zehr on Balance, Entrepreneurship, and Reinventing Direct Mail
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Wilson Zehr What does real balance look like for an entrepreneur—and how do you design a business that supports it? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Wilson Zehr, professor, entrepreneur, and CEO of Zairmail, a company that…
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“I’m Unapologetically Multi-Passionate”—Anika Jackson on Owning Who You Are in Business
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Anika Jackson What happens when you realize you don’t fit into a box—and you’re not supposed to? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Anika Jackson, founder of Your Brand Amplified®, professor at USC Annenberg, single mom,...
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“It Took Cutting the 80% That Was Draining Me”—Masi Willis on Leadership, Transformation, and Thriving Cultures
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Masi Willis What happens when your career is non-linear, your calling won’t leave you alone, and the pandemic forces you to face the truth? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich talks with leadership coach and consultant Masi Willis, who walked...
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“If It’s Killing You, Kill It First”—Moe Choice on Shedding Old Identities
Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Moe Choice What does it take to completely reinvent yourself—and actually mean it? In this raw and unfiltered episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Moe Choice, a solopreneur and mentor who walked away from businesses, investors, and even...
About this show
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 (Finances, Relationships, Health, and Faith.
Guests span operators and outliers—CEOs, entrepreneurs, executives, athletes, creators, scientists, and community leaders—people who’ve cut real ties and can show you how.
Do this next
Follow the podcast (or visit podcast.cutthetie.com)
Play your first episode
Leave a 5-star review
Share with a friend who’s ready to cut a tie
Own your success. Cut the tie.
Thomas Helfrich Host & Founder
Hosted by
Thomas Helfrich