In this episode of Grit Won't Quit, Tom sits down with Nicole of Discover Your Root Wellness to talk about mental health, holistic healing, and helping people create lasting change through wellness. With a background in psychology and personal struggles with anxiety at a young age, Nicole shares how her own experiences led her toward yoga, holistic health, and eventually building a business focused on helping others feel better physically and mentally. She explains why she believes wellness is never "one size fits all" and how she tailors her yoga classes and wellness coaching to the energy and needs of each individual. Tom and Nicole also discuss her experience discovering she had Lyme disease, the eye-opening moments she had working alongside holistic doctors, and why she became passionate about focusing on root causes rather than simply masking symptoms. This episode is a real conversation about wellness, patience, and making small consistent changes that can lead to a healthier life over time. 🎙🔥

In this episode of Grit Won't Quit, Tom sits down with Maya Bundesen-Magier, founder of Map My Milk, to talk about how a personal experience led her to create an AI-powered platform helping parents better understand infant food allergies and sensitivities. A former occupational therapist with no coding background, Maya shares how she taught herself the tech side of building a startup after struggling to find tools that connected a mother's diet to a baby's reactions. What started as a personal challenge became a mission to create a more useful, user-focused solution for families navigating difficult health questions. Tom and Maya also dive into the realities of building a health tech company from scratch, the role of AI in healthcare, and the importance of staying mission driven while creating something that genuinely helps people. This episode is all about innovation, persistence, and turning personal challenges into meaningful solutions. 🎙🔥

In this episode of Grit Won't Quit, Tom sits down with Leo Cervantes of Chilangos Mexican Restaurant for an inspiring conversation about hard work, opportunity, and perseverance. Originally from just outside Mexico City, Leo shares his journey of coming to America in search of a better future. From getting his first job as a dishwasher without even knowing what a dishwasher was, to learning English while working as a busboy, Leo opens up about the challenges, risks, and mindset that helped him grow. Tom and Leo also talk about opening his first restaurant with only $500 in his pocket, the people who believed in him along the way, and how Chilangos has now been part of the Atlantic Highlands community for over 25 years. They also touch on his time serving as a councilman in Highlands and the story behind his book Chilangos in House. This episode is a real conversation about chasing the American dream and never being afraid to knock on the next door.

In this episode of Grit Won't Quit, Tom sits down with Karina Gaudier, founder of Autism Workforce Solutions, to talk about the untapped potential of neurodiverse talent and why so many companies are missing the mark when it comes to hiring and retaining autistic employees. Drawing from her own experiences as an autistic professional, Karina shares how those challenges inspired her to build a company focused on helping organizations create better workplaces through understanding, support, and smarter hiring practices. She explains how small adjustments in communication, onboarding, and management can make a major impact on employee success and retention. Tom and Karina also dive into the larger conversation around workplace inclusion, the misconceptions surrounding autism in professional settings, and why embracing neurodiverse talent can create stronger teams and better business outcomes. This episode is a powerful conversation about leadership, opportunity, and building workplaces where more people can thrive. Learn more at AutismWorkforceSolutions.com 🎙

In this Chef Series episode of Grit Won't Quit, Tom and Chef Mike are joined by Joe Leone of Joe Leone's Italian Specialties for a conversation about friendship, food, and the realities of the restaurant industry. With Mike and Joe having been friends for over 30 years, the episode dives into everything from starting out in wholesale and chasing payments to how the industry has changed over time. They discuss the chaos that comes with food service, how COVID completely shifted the business, and why employee loyalty looks very different today. The conversation also touches on overrated food trends, underrated traditional flavors, and the importance of cooking food that genuinely makes people happy. Tom, Mike, and Joe break down competition in the industry, why reputation matters, and how a few bad workers can impact everyone around them. This episode is a real behind-the-scenes look at the food world from people who've lived it for decades.

In this episode of Grit Won't Quit, Tom sits down with Angela Mancini, founder of La Luna Counseling & Wellness and The Drop In Nest, for a conversation about mental health, entrepreneurship, and building support systems that people truly need. After experiencing postpartum anxiety and depression herself, Angela was inspired to create La Luna Counseling & Wellness, a practice built around helping people feel seen, supported, and comfortable asking for help. Since launching in 2022, La Luna has expanded to multiple locations while continuing to grow its client-centered approach to care. Tom and Angela also dive into her newest venture, The Drop In Nest, a virtual urgent care concept for mental health designed to help people connect with support immediately instead of waiting days or weeks for an appointment. They discuss how conversations around mental health have evolved, the importance of recognizing when everyday life is being impacted, and the challenges of starting a second business while continuing to grow the first. This episode is a real conversation about burnout, healing, entrepreneurship, and creating spaces where people can get help when they need it most.

In this episode of Grit Won't Quit, Tom sits down with Scott Mahoney of Family Wealth Management to talk about what it really takes to survive and succeed in the financial services industry. Scott shares his journey from the early days of struggling to find clients to building a thriving business over the past 20 years. He opens up about the challenges most advisors face, including low conversion rates, long sales cycles, and the pressure that causes many to burn out early. Tom and Scott dive into the importance of patience, authenticity, and continuous learning. They discuss how building genuine relationships, planting seeds for future opportunities, and staying consistent through market ups and downs are what truly create long term success. Scott also shares insight into leading a team, navigating uncertain markets, and why trust is everything in this business. This episode is all about perseverance, mindset, and doing the right things over time to build something that lasts.

In this episode of Grit Won't Quit, Tom sits down with Maurice Greene to talk about the transition from college football to building a successful career in HR and sales. Maurice shares how the mindset, discipline, and work ethic he developed through sports carried over into his professional life. From putting in extra effort to staying consistent through long sales cycles, he breaks down what it really takes to grow in competitive environments. Tom and Maurice dive into the importance of building genuine relationships, earning trust in sales, and why authenticity matters more than ever. They also discuss how applying lessons from sports can shape leadership, career growth, and long-term success. This episode is all about mindset, consistency, and doing the little things right over time.

In this episode of Grit Won't Quit, Tom is joined again by Aaron Levine for another Book Club conversation, this time diving into The Science of Scaling by Dr. Benjamin Hardy. Tom and Aaron give an honest take on the book, including why some of the concepts are hard to embrace and the level of commitment it truly takes to create massive change. They talk about setting aggressive timelines that force action, the reality of operating at the level of the top 0.01%, and what happens when your growth starts to separate you from your peer group. The conversation also explores identifying the parts of your business that aren't scalable, quitting the wrong things faster, and the importance of raising your standards if you want to grow. They also touch on how having a coach or outside perspective can be critical when trying to implement these ideas in the real world. This episode is a real and unfiltered look at what it actually takes to scale, and why most people won't do it. Tune in and take away something valuable. 

In this episode of Grit Won't Quit, Tom sits down with Hadri Jaffal, the force behind Iron Body Fit, to talk about what it really takes to grow a business when traditional funding isn't an option. After facing a major setback with a failed bank loan, Hadri shares how he shifted his mindset and focused on building momentum instead of chasing the perfect pitch. By leveraging storytelling, relationships, and relentless execution, he was able to raise capital, build belief in his vision, and scale Iron Body Fit into a global franchise with hundreds of locations across France and the US. Tom and Hadri dive into how momentum becomes the real currency in business, how to attract investors without formal pitches, and what it takes to expand quickly while managing the chaos that comes with growth. They also discuss the role of culture, leadership, and why the human element still matters even as AI continues to evolve. This episode is all about thinking differently, moving fast, and building something big without waiting for perfect conditions.