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 his old identity to start over from scratch. From leaving everything behind in Dubai with nothing but a passport and a one-way ticket, to building a six-figure solopreneurship that teaches others how to live on their own terms, Moe’s story is one of destruction, rebirth, and radical ownership.

About Moe Choice

Moe Choice is an ICF-accredited coach, solopreneur, and mentor who helps first-time solopreneurs create a life and business that works without the usual noise—no expensive funnels, no paid ads, no endless content grind. After burning out and walking away from twelve failed business ideas and an entire life in Dubai, Moe reinvented himself by embracing the philosophy of “teaching what you want to learn.” Today, he empowers entrepreneurs worldwide with a lifetime mentorship model, showing them how to earn independently, scale smartly, and live life on their own terms.

In this episode, Thomas and Moe discuss:

• Killing the old identity
  Moe shares how he realized he couldn’t “cherry-pick” parts of his old life—he had to leave it all behind to start fresh.
• The discipline of freedom
  Why real independence isn’t chaos—it requires structure, focus, and daily discipline.
• From depression to rebirth
  Moe opens up about the dark period when he couldn’t get out of bed, and how that struggle became the catalyst for reinvention.
• Mentoring solopreneurs through experience
  His model of acting as a “temporary co-founder” for first-time solopreneurs, providing lifetime access and results-driven mentorship.
• Defining success on your own terms
  Why success isn’t about money—it’s about doing what you want, when you want, with whoever you want.
• The power of questioning everything
  How a Socratic, “says who?” mindset reshaped Moe’s approach to life, faith, and entrepreneurship.

Key Takeaways:

• Freedom requires discipline
  Without structure, freedom becomes chaos. Discipline creates the foundation for independence.
• Sometimes you must kill the old you
  Reinvention means letting go of everything—even the parts you once liked—to start fresh.
• Rock bottom can be the turning point
  Depression and burnout nearly destroyed Moe—but they became the catalyst for transformation.
• Mentorship beats methods
  Business growth isn’t about expensive funnels or tools—it’s about learning directly from someone who’s walked the path.

Connect with Moe Choice:

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moechoice/
🌐 Website: http://www.moechoice.com/podcast

Connect with Thomas Helfrich:

📣 Twitter: https://twitter.com/thelfrich
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/cutthetie/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomashelfrich/
🌐 Website: http://www.cutthetie.com
📧 Email: t@instantlyrelevant.com
🚀 http://instantlyrelevant.com

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Cut The Tie Podcast with Jason VanDevere

What happens when the family business is your “golden ticket”—but not your dream? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Jason VanDevere, entrepreneur, creator of the Goal Crazy planner, real estate investor, and author of Dream Driven.

Jason shares how he walked away from a fourth-generation car dealership legacy to build something of his own: a business that helps people clarify goals, make plans, and execute daily. From designing a paper planner in a digital-first world, to building a subscription model, to publishing his new book, Jason’s story proves that cutting the tie to expectation can open the door to true ownership—of your career, your time, and your life.

About Jason VanDevere

Jason VanDevere is the founder of Goal Crazy, a 90-day planner designed to help people set meaningful goals, make daily progress, and hold themselves accountable. What began as a side project has grown into workshops, courses, coaching programs, and now his new book, Dream Driven, which guides aspiring entrepreneurs in finding the right business idea, validating it, and launching it with confidence. Alongside his business, Jason has built a portfolio of rental properties and, most importantly, a life centered on his wife and three young children.

In this episode, Thomas and Jason discuss:

• Cutting ties with the family business
  Jason explains how he stepped away from his family’s dealerships despite success, expectations, and his last name on the building.
• The journey to creating Goal Crazy
  From six months of interviews with entrepreneurs to seven brutal focus groups, Jason describes how persistence turned an idea into a viable product.
• Why paper still wins
  Jason breaks down why a physical planner beats digital apps for focus, clarity, and productivity.
• Stacking assets: planner, coaching, book
  How one simple product turned into a system of revenue streams and positioned Jason as a thought leader.
• Designing a life you want
  Building a business that supports a 30–35 hour workweek, time with family, and long-term wealth through real estate.

Key Takeaways

• Dreams give goals meaning
  Without a dream, goals lack direction and purpose.
• Clarity beats complexity
  A simple written plan executed daily drives better results than juggling multiple apps.
• Ship, then sharpen
  Painful feedback is the key to creating a product people actually use.
• Build assets that stack
  A product can open the door to coaching, courses, and a book—each fueling the next.
• Define success on your terms
  Jason measures success by supporting his family and raising his kids—not by titles or legacy.

Connect with Jason VanDevere

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonvandevere/
🌐 Goal Crazy (90-Day Planner): https://goalcrazy.com

Connect with Thomas Helfrich

🐦 Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/thelfrich
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomashelfrich/
🌐 Website: https://www.cutthetie.com
📧 Email: t@instantlyrelevant.com
🚀 Instantly Relevant: https://instantlyrelevant.com

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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 she helps mid-career executives stop feeling invisible and start landing offers.

About Laurie Jane Roth:

Laurie Jane Roth built her career in IT recruiting, spending 25 years at the decision table hearing what hiring managers really say. Today she leads The Inside Game, where she coaches professionals—from college grads to executives—on how to interview with confidence, stand out in a crowded market, and win roles others can’t. With deep insider perspective and proven coaching methods, Laurie helps candidates cut ties with defeat and rebuild their path to success.

In this episode, Thomas and Laurie discuss:

• The myth of “being good is enough”
  Why many skilled professionals still fail interviews without intentional preparation.
• Inside the hiring conversation
  The unfiltered reasons candidates get rejected—and why they’re rarely about skills.
• From defeated to confident
  How Laurie meets candidates where they are and rebuilds both strategy and mindset.
• The résumé red flags
  Why titles like “Founder/Owner” can hurt—and how “Consultant” opens doors.
• Defining success with purpose and freedom
  Why impact and autonomy matter more than titles or job stability.

Key Takeaways:

• Soft skills decide the outcome. Technical expertise won’t save poor delivery.
• Rebuild confidence first. Interview success starts with belief and structure.
• Own your story. Clarity beats “I can do everything.”
• Adapt or evolve. When industries shift, reinvention is the only option.

Connect with Laurie Jane Roth:

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-jane-roth-084769/
🔗 The Inside Game on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/www.dsn-it.com/

Connect with Thomas Helfrich:

🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/thelfrich
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/cutthetiegroup
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomashelfrich/
🌐 Website: https://www.cutthetie.com
✉️ Email: t@instantlyrelevant.com
🚀 InstantlyRelevant: https://instantlyrelevant.com

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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 programs that help underserved entrepreneurs start and scale real businesses. Faris’s philosophy—start where you are—isn’t theory. It’s the playbook he lived, and now teaches across communities from small-town Michigan to emerging markets around the world.

About Faris Alami

Faris Alami is the founder of International Strategic Management (ISM), where he and his team design and deliver entrepreneurship and small-business development programs for communities worldwide—especially underserved and underrepresented groups. Drawing from his lived experience as a refugee and immigrant, Faris equips founders to move from idea to execution through practical strategy, relationship building, and his Resiliency Canvas framework.

In this episode, Thomas and Faris discuss:

• Cutting ties with the life you didn’t choose
  Growing up Palestinian in Kuwait, fleeing the Gulf War, and facing homelessness—Faris explains how survival forced unexpected pivots and new definitions of success.
• From engineering dreams to entrepreneurship on necessity
  The moment a simple T-shirt project sparked a shift from “planned career” to “creating value with what’s in front of you.”
• Serving the overlooked—on purpose
  Why 90% of ISM’s work focuses on underserved, underrepresented communities—and how representation inside program teams builds trust from day one.
• The Resiliency Canvas & ‘Start Where You Are’
  How reframing constraints unlocks action, and why focusing on what you do have beats waiting for perfect conditions.
• Redefining success: family, service, and spark
  Measuring success by the light in an entrepreneur’s eyes—and how that fuels Faris’s mission while providing for the people who matter most.

Key Takeaways

• Start where you are
  Stop waiting for perfect resources. Inventory what you have—skills, relationships, time—and move.
• Proximity builds trust
  Programs led by people who reflect the community create buy-in, momentum, and better outcomes.
• Resilience is a muscle
  Forward motion amid uncertainty beats “perfect plans” that never launch.
• Success is service
  When your clients win, you win—income, impact, and identity align.
• You can’t lose if you don’t quit
  You might change routes, but persistence gets you to the finish line.

Connect with Faris Alami

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/farisalami
🌐 International Strategic Management (ISM): https://myisminc.com/

Connect with Thomas Helfrich

🐦 Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/thelfrich
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomashelfrich/
🌐 Website: https://www.cutthetie.com
📧 Email: t@instantlyrelevant.com
🚀 Instantly Relevant: https://instantlyrelevant.com

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Serious about LinkedIn Lead Generation? Stop Guessing what to do on LinkedIn and ignite revenue from relevance with Instantly Relevant Lead System

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 premium it deserves. Christian unpacks how to mine your story (even the hard parts) into a differentiated personal brand that attracts the right clients.

About Christian Ray Flores

Born in Chile and raised across Africa and Europe, Christian witnessed civil war, economic collapse, and oppressive systems—experiences that forged his obsession with autonomy, mastery, and purpose. He became a top-charting pop artist across 15 countries, then transitioned into startups, media, and philanthropy in the U.S. Today he coaches founders, creators, and executives to build premium personal brands through Xponential Life, while sharing frameworks via his newsletter and podcast, Exponential Edge. His throughline: turn your history—gifts, scars, and all—into fuel for meaningful work.

In this episode, Thomas and Christian discuss:

• Create on demand
  Why you were “born a creator”—and how to engineer daily creative state instead of waiting for inspiration.
• From trauma to treasure
  Mining your lived experience (even the hard parts) into a unique market edge and message.
• The premium play
  “Aim for premium.” Why the middle is crowded, and how to earn—and charge for—category-of-one value.
• Identity > environment
  Refusing to be defined by broken systems; building agency, not excuses.
• Reinvention as a habit
  Inciting events (layoffs, collapses, pivots) as launchpads to rebrand and reprice your future.

Key Takeaways

• Premium isn’t a price—it's positioning. Choose a niche problem, obsess over outcomes, and charge accordingly.
• Your story is your strategy. The right clients buy who you are as much as what you do.
• Creativity is a system. Build rituals that put you in a creative state daily.
• Don’t settle for the middle. It’s crowded, generic, and forgettable—go where value is obvious.

Connect with Christian Ray Flores
🚀 Xponential Life (Coaching): https://www.xponential.life/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianrayflores/

Connect with Thomas Helfrich

🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/thelfrich
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/cutthetiegroup
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomashelfrich/
🌐 Website: https://www.cutthetie.com
✉️ Email: t@instantlyrelevant.com
🚀 InstantlyRelevant: https://instantlyrelevant.com

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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), implement only what moves the needle, and fire the work that quietly bleeds profit.

About Brandy Lawson

Brandy Lawson is the founder of FieryFX, an innovation consultancy that helps kitchen & bath designers streamline with AI, automation, and practical app stacks. A former big-tech pro turned agency owner, Brandy blends no-BS coaching with hands-on systems to deliver measurable impact. She prioritizes what works, ditches what doesn’t, and guides teams through the human side of change so improvements actually stick. Her five-minute business podcast distills strategy into action for busy owners.

In this episode, Thomas and Brandy discuss:

• “No one likes change.” Now what?
  Why successful teams still resist tools—and how to coach through the messy middle.
• AI for laggard industries
  Practical wins designers can ship this quarter (visuals, scopes, client comms) instead of chasing shiny objects.
• Only implement what moves the needle
  Brandy’s impact-first rule: if it doesn’t improve profit, speed, or client experience, it doesn’t ship.
• Bad-fit work is expensive
  How to spot misaligned projects early—and Brandy’s GTFO process for letting them go.
• ADHD-friendly execution
  Body-double sessions, time-boxing, and other real tactics that keep creative owners shipping.

Key Takeaways

• Impact over “interesting.” If a tool doesn’t change outcomes, it’s a distraction.
• Change what people do, not just what they use. Adoption beats features.
• Fire the wrong work. Bad-fit clients quietly drain profit and morale.
• Make it ADHD-proof. Short cycles, tight scopes, and visible wins keep momentum.

Connect with Brandy Lawson

🌐 Website: https://fieryfx.com

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandylawson/

Connect with Thomas Helfrich

🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/thelfrich
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/cutthetiegroup
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomashelfrich/
🌐 Website: https://www.cutthetie.com
✉️ Email: t@instantlyrelevant.com
🚀 InstantlyRelevant: https://instantlyrelevant.com

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Serious about LinkedIn Lead Generation? Stop Guessing what to do on LinkedIn and ignite revenue from relevance with Instantly Relevant Lead System

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, commitment, and consistent execution.

About Kevin Weir:

Kevin Weir began his career through ROTC and the Army, expecting a 30–year military career. After the Cold War ended, he pivoted into corporate America—only to realize it wasn’t aligned with his purpose. Today, as a coach with ActionCOACH in Spokane, Washington, Kevin helps small and medium-sized business owners build companies that thrive without them. With a balance of teaching, motivation, and accountability, he empowers owners to break cycles of fear and excuses while scaling sustainably.

In this episode, Thomas and Kevin discuss:

• The three essentials of coaching
  Why every business owner needs a teacher, a motivator, and a butt kicker.
• Cutting ties with false security
  How leaving behind “safe” W-2 jobs revealed the true illusion of stability.
• Overcoming a fanatical fear of sales
  The mindset shifts Kevin had to make to step into entrepreneurship.
• The faith to trust the process
  Why belief in yourself, your system, and your calling is the foundation of growth.
• The lesson of decision-making
  Why “you can never change your mind until you make it up the first time” transformed his coaching and his life.

Key Takeaways:

• False safety is still unsafe. A paycheck doesn’t guarantee stability.
• Fear is the biggest tie. You can’t scale until you face it head-on.
• Decisions create freedom. Indecision keeps you stuck in cycles.
• Coaching is an investment. For every dollar you put in, you should expect multiples back.

Connect with Kevin Weir:

🌐 Website: https://www.kevinweir.com
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinweir
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/actioncoachspokane

Connect with Thomas Helfrich:

🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/thelfrich
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/cutthetiegroup
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomashelfrich/
🌐 Website: https://www.cutthetie.com
✉️ Email: t@instantlyrelevant.com
🚀 InstantlyRelevant: https://instantlyrelevant.com

Support the show

Serious about LinkedIn Lead Generation? Stop Guessing what to do on LinkedIn and ignite revenue from relevance with Instantly Relevant Lead System

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 of waiting for permission, and why building financial stability outside the industry gave him the creative control he always wanted.

About Devon Gummersall

Devon Gummersall launched his career as an actor at 14, starring in the iconic series My So-Called Life. After two decades of acting in television and film, he pivoted to directing and writing, leading feature films, television episodes, and eventually branded content. Today, through his company Authentic Content Productions, he helps brands—from startups to Microsoft—tell cinematic, authentic stories. His journey highlights the same truth entrepreneurs face: reinvention and ownership are the only way to thrive.

In this episode, Thomas and Devon discuss:

• The addiction of freelance highs and lows
  Acting feels like winning the lottery when you book a job—and devastation when you don’t.
• Pivoting to directing and ownership
  How buying one camera and betting on himself launched a thriving content business.
• The danger of trying to “do it all”
  Why clarity of brand beats scattershot attempts in both Hollywood and entrepreneurship.
• Financial freedom fuels creativity
  Stability from branded work allows Devon to take risks and enjoy auditions again.
• Hard-earned Hollywood lessons
  Why reinvention, focus, and saying no to bad fits apply equally to business owners.

Key Takeaways:

• Reinvention is survival. Don’t wait—pivot before you get stuck.
• Clarity wins. Diluting your brand makes you forgettable.
• Stability creates freedom. Financial security lets you take creative risks.
• Own your lane. In acting or business, trying to do everything means doing nothing well.

Connect with Devon Gummersall:

🌐 Website: https://authenticcontentprods.com
📸 Instagram (Devon): https://www.instagram.com/devon_gummersall/
📸 Instagram (Company): https://www.instagram.com/authentic_content_prods/

Connect with Thomas Helfrich:

🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/thelfrich
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/cutthetiegroup
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomashelfrich/
🌐 Website: https://www.cutthetie.com
✉️ Email: t@instantlyrelevant.com
🚀 InstantlyRelevant: https://instantlyrelevant.com

Support the show

Serious about LinkedIn Lead Generation? Stop Guessing what to do on LinkedIn and ignite revenue from relevance with Instantly Relevant Lead System