Cut The Tie | Own Your Success

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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 prem...

Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Brandy Lawson What happens when a thriving craft business gets stuck on outdated tools and habits?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)...

Send us Fan Mail 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, commitme...

Send us Fan Mail 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 o...

Send us Fan Mail 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 chan...

Send us Fan Mail 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 togeth...

Send us Fan Mail 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 ef...

Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Donna Chiacchia What happens when you stop chasing clients and instead let them come to you? In this episode of Cut The Tie, host Thomas Helfrich sits down with Donna Chiacchia, founder of 1 Advantage Consulting, to explore her journey from ballet to boardroom to entrepreneurship. Donna shares how discipline, resilience, and a powerful mindset shift—“I’m t...

Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Pasha Knish What does it take to walk away from a traditional path—college degree, steady career—and instead double down on entrepreneurship? In this episode of Cut The Tie, host Thomas Helfrich sits down with Amazon seller and agency founder Pasha Knish to explore what it means to define success for yourself and keep going no matter how many times you fai...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when years in corporate America teach you how to make money—for someone else’s business—but leave you wondering if you could do it for yourself? In this episode of Cut The Tie, host Thomas Helfrich sits down with Steve Chiama, a business coach with ActionCOACH Western Fairfax, to talk about scaling companies, pricing correctly, and cutting the tie to the false securit...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when your creative passion won’t leave you alone, even as you juggle work, consulting, and family responsibilities? In this episode of Cut The Tie , Thomas Helfrich reconnects with Rich Cruz—organizational development consultant, podcaster, and cartoonist—who is turning his lifelong love of art into something bigger than just a side project. From a career in marketing...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when your side hustle becomes more than just a hobby? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Danielle Turner, a travel agent specializing in Disney experiences, fitness apparel founder, and full-time professional who’s proving that betting on yourself doesn’t require an MBA—it just requires passion and persistence. After being laid off from her...

Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Mike Swenson What do you do when your lifelong dream career takes a sudden turn—and leads you somewhere better than you imagined? In this episode, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Mike Swenson, a retired PR executive, former journalist, and creator of the CrisisTrak system. Mike’s journey started with a childhood dream of being a broadcaster, shifted into po...

Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Iesha Westmoreland What if the key to your business growth isn’t a new marketing tactic, but learning how to truly communicate? In this episode, Thomas Helfrich talks with Iesha Westmoreland, a conflict resolution and communication specialist who helps businesses bridge communication gaps between leaders, employees, and customers. From being groomed for mi...

Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Rob Lee What happens when you start a business with no corporate background, no MBA, and no plan—just the willingness to figure it out? In this grounded and inspiring episode, Thomas Helfrich talks with Rob Lee, CEO and co-founder of Swift Passport and Visa Services. Rob shares how he and his wife built a thriving travel document company from scratch, over...

Send us Fan Mail How do you know when it’s time to leave a “comfortable” role for something that will truly stretch you? In this engaging episode, Thomas Helfrich talks with Stefanee Clontz, Director of Operations at The Hydra+, a growing med spa brand in metro Atlanta. Stefanee shares how she cut the tie to a stagnant role, embraced a massive challenge, and grew into a leader managing multiple lo...

Send us Fan Mail How do you grow a business when the “safe” path is making you feel stuck? In this candid and energizing episode, Thomas Helfrich welcomes back Amanda Fischer, a marketing strategist, agency founder, and stand-up comedian who’s spent 15 years helping companies focus less on fluff and more on revenue. Amanda shares how she cut the tie to traditional business development roles and tu...

Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Ben Wolff What if the biggest tie holding you back isn’t your job, your routine, or your comfort zone—but a habit you thought was helping you cope? In this honest and energizing episode, Thomas Helfrich talks with Ben Wolff, a former McKinsey consultant who walked away from the predictable path to build one of the most unique hotel brands in America. Ben i...

Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Karolyn Denson Landrieux What if success wasn’t measured by money, status, or stuff—but by peace, presence, and purpose? In this episode of Cut The Tie, host Thomas Helfrich sits down with Karolyn Denson Landrieux, co-founder and CEO of Landrieux Wineries, to explore how she redefined success after moving to France and launched a fast-growing champagne imp...

Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Marc Perea What do you do when the six-figure salary, the house, and the retirement plan still leave you unfulfilled? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Marc Perea—CEO of Thaea and founder of the MikroTik management platform—to explore the journey from comfortably miserable to purposefully aligned. Marc shares how a racquetball...

Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Don Manigly What happens when you hit the ceiling with your current approach and need to think bigger? In this dynamic episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich welcomes Don Manigly, VP and Director of Creative Development at Boathouse Pictures, an independent motion picture studio that specializes in both production and strategic distribution. Don dives int...

Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Alice Ksendzova What does it look like when you start chasing success before you're old enough to drive? In this inspiring episode of Cut The Tie , Thomas Helfrich sits down with Alice Ksendzova, a 15-year-old entrepreneur already working across multiple startups—from Amazon tools to YC-backed AI companies. With wisdom well beyond her years, Alice sha...

Send us Fan Mail Cut The Tie Podcast with Corrine Ishio What happens when being a top performer becomes a trap? In this episode of Cut The Tie , Thomas Helfrich sits down with Corrine Ishio, founder of My Working Soul , a company built on the radical idea that “talent is built, not found.” After a high-achieving career in corporate HR, Corrine made the leap into entrepreneurship—redefining what it...