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April 26, 2025 3 mins

Cut The Tie Podcast with Thomas Helfrich

In 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" Moment
    When the realization hits that corporate life feels more like Squid Game—where "mandatory fun" is torture and OKRs are slow death—the dangerous words "I quit" change everything.
  • Round Two: Entrepreneur Mode Activated
    The thrill (and terror) of updating your LinkedIn title to "Founder" while everyone around you quietly panics on your behalf.
  • Round Three: Red Light, Green Light
    Freedom comes at the cost of no paycheck, no PTO, and a new coworker (your cat) judging your every move.
  • Round Four: The Glass Bridge of Growth
    Each sale feels like a miracle, each rejection feels like a gut punch, but you keep taking step after terrifying step forward.
  • Final Round: The Realization
    Entrepreneurship isn’t a highlight reel—it’s a chaotic, gritty, beautiful mess. You’re building something real—and it’s yours.

Key Takeaways:

  • Entrepreneurship is Panic in Private, Not Glory in Public
    It’s late nights, heavy doubts, and random Googling—and it’s worth it.
  • Your Only Safety Net is Grit
    There’s no cheat code, no easy button. Just resilience, messy action, and a whole lot of coffee.
  • Messy Beats Perfect
    Your "Google Doc full of chaos" is more valuable than the perfect plan you never execute.
  • Freedom Costs More but Feels Better
    Leaving comfort for chaos is terrifying—but the trade is authenticity, growth, and a life you actually own.

"In entrepreneurship, there's no safety net, no cheat code, and no epidural. Just grit, growth, and a Google Doc full of chaos." — Thomas Helfrich

CONNECT WITH THOMAS:

X (Twitter):
https://twitter.com/thelfrich | https://twitter.com/nevbeenpromoted Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hovienko | https://www.facebook.com/neverbeenpromoted
Website: https://www.neverbeenpromoted.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neverbeenpromoted/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@neverbeenpromoted
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomashelfrich/
Email: t@instantlyrelevant.com
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