Episodes

Why Boring Work Creates Extraordinary Business Growth
38
June 24, 2026

Why Boring Work Creates Extraordinary Business Growth

Are you constantly busy but still feel like your business isn't growing? In this episode, Tom Marino and Adam T. Hurd dive deep into one of the biggest challenges entrepreneurs face: The Founder's Trap . They explore why today's business owners are addicted to constant stimulation, shiny objects, and busyness—and how that mindset prevents meaningful growth. You'll learn why the most successful business owners embrace routine, consistency, and even boredom to create extraordinary results. From ov...
The Hidden Reason Your Business Has Stalled at Its Current Level
37
June 17, 2026

The Hidden Reason Your Business Has Stalled at Its Current Level

Are you working harder than ever but still can't seem to break through to the next level in your business? In this episode of the Atomic CEO Podcast, Tom Marino and Adam T. Hurd explore one of the biggest challenges entrepreneurs face: transitioning from one level of success to the next. Whether you're trying to reach your first $100K, scale to $1M, or grow from $5M to $25M, the obstacles are often the same. You'll discover why so many business owners hit a growth ceiling, how comfort can become...
You’re the Best Employee in Your Own Business—Here’s Why That’s a Founder Trap Problem
36
June 10, 2026

You’re the Best Employee in Your Own Business—Here’s Why That’s a Founder Trap Problem

Are you the hardest-working employee in your own business? In this episode of the Atomic Business Coaching Podcast, Tom Marino and Adam Hurd dive deep into The Founder’s Trap —the challenge that keeps many successful business owners stuck, overwhelmed, and unable to scale. If you've built a successful company but still find yourself handling sales, operations, customer issues, hiring, training, and everything in between, this conversation is for you. You'll discover: ✅ What the Founder’s Trap re...
The #1 Mistake Business Owners Make: Trying to Do It Alone
35
June 3, 2026

The #1 Mistake Business Owners Make: Trying to Do It Alone

Are you a business owner, entrepreneur, or CEO who feels like you're carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders? You're not alone. In this episode, Tom Marino and Adam Hurd explore one of the most common yet least discussed challenges of entrepreneurship: CEO isolation. While friends, family, and employees may support you, few truly understand the pressure, responsibility, and uncertainty that comes with being the person steering the ship. That's why they created their CEO Mastermind exp...
Why Success Still Feels Empty | Redefining Success for Entrepreneurs
34
May 26, 2026

Why Success Still Feels Empty | Redefining Success for Entrepreneurs

Why do so many entrepreneurs achieve success… yet still feel dissatisfied? In this powerful episode, Tom Marino and Adam dive deep into the psychology of success, happiness, dissatisfaction, and personal evolution as a business owner. They explore why reaching your goals often creates a brand-new question instead of lasting fulfillment — and why high achievers constantly feel pulled toward “what’s next.” This conversation is for entrepreneurs, CEOs, business owners, and ambitious professionals w...
Escaping the Founder Trap | How Entrepreneurs Become True CEOs
33
May 13, 2026

Escaping the Founder Trap | How Entrepreneurs Become True CEOs

Are you building a business… Or did you accidentally build yourself a job? In this episode of the Atomic Business Coaching Podcast, Tom Marino and Adam Hurd dive deep into The Founder’s Trap — the stage where entrepreneurs become overwhelmed, overworked, and stuck doing everything inside their business, essentially they have become the best employee in their business. Many business owners hit a ceiling before reaching $1 million in revenue because they stay trapped in the identity of the employe...
The Truth About Building a Content Business | Steve DeAngelis on Storytelling & Growth
32
May 6, 2026

The Truth About Building a Content Business | Steve DeAngelis on Storytelling & Growth

Steve DeAngelis didn’t set out to become a CEO—he set out to create. What started as a simple Instagram DM turned into years of collaboration, storytelling, and building alongside others. From producing music festivals and independent films to founding MMP Creations , Steve’s journey has always been rooted in one core belief: if you can bring the right people together, you can make anything happen. That belief now shows up fully in Bella Vita Studios , a professional podcast and content studio i...
“If They Can Do It, Why Can’t I?” – Brandon Havrilla on Becoming a CEO
31
April 29, 2026

“If They Can Do It, Why Can’t I?” – Brandon Havrilla on Becoming a CEO

Brandon Havrilla’s story is one of natural entrepreneurship evolving into intentional leadership. Now the CEO of Redmax Life, a creative ecosystem that produces large-scale experiential builds for major brands, Brandon didn’t arrive at success through a single breakthrough moment. Instead, his journey reflects a steady progression from instinct-driven hustle to strategic, CEO-level thinking. From a young age, Brandon was wired differently. Whether it was running lemonade stands, shoveling snow, ...
Why Land Investing is the Best Kept Secret in Real Estate: A Conversation with Mike Deaton
30
April 22, 2026

Why Land Investing is the Best Kept Secret in Real Estate: A Conversation with Mike Deaton

Mike Deaton’s journey begins on a familiar path—college, career, and climbing the corporate ladder. Without a clear long-term vision early on, he found his footing in big tech, building a career with companies like Motorola, Nokia, and Microsoft. At Motorola and Nokia, Mike developed his foundation in operations during the rise of the mobile industry. He later joined Microsoft, where he led supply chain operations across the Americas for hardware products like Xbox and PCs. In these roles, he op...
Everyone is Afraid of AI... This Tech Optimist Isn’t with Steve Ghiassi
29
April 15, 2026

Everyone is Afraid of AI... This Tech Optimist Isn’t with Steve Ghiassi

Stevie Ghiassi is not your typical tech entrepreneur. Based in Australia and operating on a global scale, he’s spent over a decade at the forefront of innovation—building and scaling technologies across major internet protocols like VoIP, WebRTC, and blockchain. As the co-founder of Techno Ventures, Stevie describes himself as a “techno-optimist,” someone who doesn’t just believe in the future of technology but is actively building it. In this episode, Stevie shares a journey that is anything bu...
Why You DON’T Need a Brand to Start a Business with Ryan Musselman
28
April 8, 2026

Why You DON’T Need a Brand to Start a Business with Ryan Musselman

In this episode of The Atomic CEO Podcast, Tom and Adam sit down with Ryan Musselman—former Google leader and VP of Content at Cinemark turned entrepreneur—to explore what it really takes to step out of the corporate world and build a business on your own terms. Ryan shares his journey from leading digital content companies and scaling startups to walking away from structured corporate systems and embracing experimentation, iteration, and agency. The conversation dives into unlearning process-he...
CEO Isn’t a Title – It's a Mindset : Real Talk with TJ Arella
1
April 1, 2026

CEO Isn’t a Title – It's a Mindset : Real Talk with TJ Arella

In this episode of the Atomic CEO Podcast, we sit down with TJ Arella, Co-founder and Coach at 8Well, to talk about what it really means to take ownership of your life and business. TJ isn’t your typical “CEO.” He represents a new wave of leaders—people who aren’t hiding behind titles but instead are actively building, evolving, and leading from the front. As a co-founder of 8Well, TJ is focused on helping individuals elevate their standards, take control of their decisions, and step into a more...