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“Don’t Die on the Sofa Scrolling”—Why Steven Puri Helps People Unlock Their Greatness
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 effects, to launching companies that failed, to building Sukha—a flow state app that helps people focus—Steven shares his journey of reinvention and resilience. He shows why success is about doing the thing you’re capable of, not just scrolling your life away.
About Steven Puri
Steven Puri is the founder of The Sukha Company, where he helps people enter flow state, eliminate distraction, and do their best work. Before building Sukha, Steven worked as a senior executive at Fox and DreamWorks, produced digital effects on more than a dozen films (including True Lies and Independence Day), raised over $20M in venture capital, and launched three companies—one successful exit, two failures. His mission today is simple: help people unlock their potential and finish the work that matters.
In this episode, Thomas and Steven discuss:
- From Hollywood to startups
How Steven went from Academy Award–winning visual effects producer to building tech companies. - The biggest tie to cut: others’ opinions
Why the hardest part of failure is facing friends and family—and how to push through shame. - Redefining success
Moving from chasing Oscars and exits to helping people write their novel, finish their PhD, or simply stay focused. - Failure as fuel
How two failed startups reshaped Steven’s perspective, leading him to discover what truly matters. - Life, family, and legacy
Why becoming a husband, soon-to-be father, and mentor gave Steven a new purpose beyond business metrics.
Key Takeaways
- Don’t waste your life scrolling
The biggest tragedy is never trying to do the thing inside you. - Failure is not fatal
Steven’s two failed companies taught him more than his successful exit ever did. - Success is helping others unlock potential
Real achievement is measured by the lives you impact. - Cut the tie of others’ opinions
You can’t let shame or judgment from friends and family stop you from trying again. - History repeats—learn from it
Human behavior cycles. Understand it, and you’ll spot patterns for opportunity.
Connect with Steven Puri
📎 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-puri/
🌐 Website: https://www.thesukha.co/
📧 Email: steven@thesukhacompany.com
Connect with Thomas Helfrich
🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/thelfrich
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/cutthetie
📎 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomashelfich
🌐 Website: https://www.cutthetie.com
📧 Email: thomas@instantlyrelevant.com
🚀 Instantly Relevant: https://instantlyrelevant.com
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Published on 1 week, 2 days ago