Cut The Tie Podcast with Thomas Helfrich
Episode 284

Angela Belford knows what it’s like to be unstoppable—and still feel like she’s falling short. In this honest and deeply relatable episode of Cut the Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with the speaker, coach, and marketing agency founder to talk about cutting ties with perfectionism, toxic productivity, and the lie that you have to earn your worth.

Angela shares how childhood trau...

Cut The Tie Podcast with Thomas Helfrich
Episode 283

Jeremy Thone knows what it’s like to build something meaningful outside the safety net of a W2 job. In this episode of Cut the Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with the podcaster and content strategist to explore what it means to grow a business from scratch, stay consistent in your craft, and navigate the emotional rollercoaster of entrepreneurship.

Jeremy opens up about walking...

Cut The Tie Podcast with Thomas Helfrich
Episode 282

Marisa Vallbona never intended to start a PR firm—but a surprise layoff while on maternity leave changed everything. In this inspiring episode of Cut The Tie, host Thomas Helfrich speaks with the founder and president of CIM Inc PR about how getting fired became the best thing that ever happened to her. Marisa shares the lessons she’s learned across 35 years in business, from ...

Cut The Tie Podcast with Thomas Helfrich
Episode 281

AJ Nash didn’t set out to be an entrepreneur, but after two decades in U.S. intelligence and years in cybersecurity, his career took a sharp pivot. When private equity reshaped the company he worked for, AJ faced a choice: keep waiting for the “right” role, or start building something of his own. He chose the latter, and Unspoken Security was born.

In this episode of Cut The Ti...

Cut The Tie Podcast with Thomas Helfrich

Episode 280

After spending 31 years in the California prison system, Danny Darling walked out with more than just his freedom—he carried a new purpose. In this powerful episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich speaks with the founder, prison consultant, and life coach about how he broke free from rage, institutional trauma, and the cycle of incarceration to build a business t...

Cut The Tie Podcast with Thomas Helfrich

Episode 279

Christine Sugrue spent 25 years in education as a Brooklyn middle school teacher—but a simple scooter ride changed everything. In this episode of Cut The Tie, host Thomas Helfrich sits down with Christine to talk about the leap from classroom to founder, the mindset shift from “just a teacher” to entrepreneur, and why you don’t need to wait for permission to start.

Christine shares ...

Cut The Tie Podcast with Thomas Helfrich
Episode 278

When burnout hit, Melissa Brandt didn’t just change jobs—she changed her entire life. In this laugh-out-loud yet deeply honest episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Melissa, a former corporate sales rep turned clean stand-up comedian, to talk about walking away from "what you're supposed to do" in favor of finding what truly lights you up.

Meliss...

Cut The Tie Podcast with Thomas Helfrich
Episode 277

When 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 Gro...

Cut The Tie Podcast

Episode 276

What 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 B...

Cut The Tie Podcast with Thomas Helfrich
Episode 275

What 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...

Cut The Tie Podcast

Episode 274

What 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 ch...

Cut The Tie Podcast

Episode 273

What 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 tr...

Cut The Tie Podcast
Episode 272

What 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 classroom...

Cut The Tie Podcast
Episode 271

What 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...

Cut The Tie Podcast
Episode 270

What 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 ...

Cut The Tie Podcast with Thomas Helfrich
Episode 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 amb...

Cut The Tie Podcast with Thomas Helfrich
Episode 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,...

Cut The Tie Podcast with Thomas Helfrich
Episode 267

Scott 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 mo...

Cut The Tie Podcast with Thomas Helfrich
Episode 266

Corrina 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...