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 operated as a senior leader—managing teams, budgets, and business units—essentially running “businesses within businesses.”

His career offered stability, growth, and the traditional promise of success—until 2016.

Mike was laid off from Microsoft, and within days, his wife also lost her job. Faced with uncertainty, his instinct was to return to corporate life. But something didn’t feel right. Instead, he paused and, with his wife, began asking deeper questions about their values, lifestyle, and what they truly wanted next.

That moment sparked a complete shift.

Transitioning into entrepreneurship required more than a career change—it demanded a new identity. Mike leaned on his operational background, implementing structure through KPIs, goal-setting, and disciplined execution. But he quickly realized that mindset—not tactics—was the real challenge.

Exploring new opportunities, he was drawn to land investing—a niche in real estate with strong returns and low competition. He and his wife committed, invested in education and coaching, and within a year built a business capable of replacing their income.

At the same time, they made a bold move from Texas to Colorado, creating space to reinvent themselves away from familiar expectations.

Today, Mike blends corporate discipline with entrepreneurial freedom. His journey reflects a powerful truth: success isn’t just about what you build—it’s about who you become in the process.

Connect with Mike:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelbdeaton/

Website: https://flippingdirt.us/realitycheck/

Atomic CEO

We help owners who build and maintain buildings install a CEO Operating System so they can think differently, lead differently, and grow the business beyond themselves.

Https://www.atomicbusinesscoaching.com

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 but linear. From growing up under the influence of a high-performing father—a professional athlete turned successful entrepreneur—to navigating his own path through sports, business, and eventually technology, Stevie’s story is one of evolution, discomfort, and relentless curiosity.

What makes Stevie’s perspective so compelling is that he didn’t arrive in tech through a traditional route. In fact, much of his career has been shaped by stepping into rooms where he felt he didn’t belong and choosing to move forward anyway.

Stevie opens up about one of the most difficult transitions a person can face: letting go of an identity. As a young athlete, his world revolved around performance, competition, and the expectation of success. But injuries forced him to confront a new reality, one where he had to redefine who he was and what he was capable of.

That shift, while challenging, became a turning point. It taught him that identity is not fixed, it’s something we continuously shape. And often, growth begins the moment we’re willing to step away from who we thought we were supposed to be.

At the core of Stevie’s philosophy is techno-optimism, the belief that technology, despite its risks, is one of humanity’s greatest tools for progress.

He acknowledges that we are living in a time of massive uncertainty:

• AI is reshaping industries
• Career paths are becoming less predictable
• The pace of change is accelerating faster than ever

Yet, instead of fear, Stevie sees opportunity. He believes that technology will eliminate much of the “meaningless work” that consumes our time, allowing people to focus on creativity, strategy, and human connection.

Today, he’s actively building AI-first, agent-driven companies, rethinking not just how businesses operate, but also what it means to be a leader in this new era.

• 🌐 Techno Ventures:https://www.techno.ventures/#intro
• 💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ghiassi

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-heavy thinking, navigating pivots, and building businesses in today’s rapidly evolving AI-driven landscape.

If you’ve ever felt stuck between “doing it right” and just getting started—this episode is your permission slip to move.

👤 About Ryan Musselman Ryan Musselman is a content strategist, entrepreneur, and former corporate executive with a background in sales, marketing, and digital media.

• Former Google employee
• Led multiple startup content companies through acquisition
• Served as VP of Content at Cinemark, exploring new media models like bringing YouTubers to the big screen
• Built a successful business in LinkedIn content, ghostwriting, and coaching.
• Now focused on AI-driven marketing and content systems, with a specialty in bottom-of-funnel strategy that drives action—not just attention.

Ryan is known for his sharp thinking, simple execution philosophy, and ability to challenge conventional “build a brand first” advice.

Connect with Ryan: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rmuss/

Website: https://www.coacheswhoclose.com/

Atomic CEO.

We help owners who build and maintain buildings install a CEO Operating System so they can think differently, lead differently, and grow the business beyond themselves.

➡️ https://www.atomicbusinesscoaching.com/

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 intentional way of living. His approach blends personal growth, accountability, and real-world experience—making his perspective both relatable and actionable.

What stands out about TJ is his ability to simplify what leadership actually looks like:

• Owning your decisions
• Taking responsibility for your outcomes
• Leading yourself before trying to lead others

This conversation goes beyond business—it’s about identity, growth, and what it truly means to become the CEO of your own life.

TJ Arella is the Co-founder and Coach at 8Well, where he works with individuals to elevate their mindset, take ownership of their lives, and operate with greater clarity and intention.

Through his coaching and leadership, TJ helps people move from passive participation to active leadership in both business and life.

Connect with TJ:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tjarella/ ; https://www.instagram.com/8well.life/?hl=en Website: https://8welllife.com/

Atomic CEO.

We help owners who build and maintain buildings install a CEO Operating System so they can think differently, lead differently, and grow the business beyond themselves. ➡️

https://www.atomicbusinesscoaching.com/

In this episode, we sit down with Joe Beauchamp—a seasoned leadership development specialist, executive coach, and founder of Beauchamp Team Growth Solutions—for a powerful conversation on what it truly takes to grow as a business owner and leader.

With over 30 years of experience in corporate management and education, Joe brings a rare combination of real-world business expertise and academic depth, holding both an MBA and a Master of Science degree. Throughout his career, he has trained and coached hundreds of professionals across multiple industries, helping them improve performance, increase productivity, and drive profitability.

Joe’s approach stands out because he doesn’t just teach concepts—he focuses on implementation that sticks. By combining training with coaching, he ensures that business owners and leaders don’t just learn new strategies, but actually apply them consistently to create long-term results.

As a Certified Executive Program Leader, Coach, Speaker, and Trainer with the Maxwell Leadership Team, Joe is equipped with world-class leadership frameworks from John Maxwell, widely recognized as one of the most influential leadership experts in the world.

Joe is deeply committed to helping individuals become the best version of themselves while building organizations rooted in growth, accountability, and excellence.

Connect with Joe:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-a-beauchamp-mba-ms-42348072/

Website: https://www.beauchampteam.com/

____________

Atomic CEO.

We help owners who build and maintain buildings install a CEO Operating System so they can think differently, lead differently, and grow the business beyond themselves. ➡️

https://www.atomicbusinesscoaching.com/

Adam and Tom from Atomic Business Coaching help entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, and small business owners simplify how they grow their businesses. As business coaches, authors, and speakers, they share practical strategies, leadership insights, and mindset shifts that help business owners stop feeling overwhelmed and start leading with clarity and confidence.

Tom Marino brings extensive operational leadership experience. Today, he helps entrepreneurs build discipline, strengthen decision-making, and overcome the limiting beliefs and sabotaging behaviors that often hold business owners back.

Adam focuses on business strategy, accountability, and practical execution, helping entrepreneurs turn ideas into focused action that drives real results.

Through the Be The CEO Coaching Program, their podcast, Adam and Tom help business owners move beyond working in their business and start leading it like a true CEO.

If you're an entrepreneur looking to grow your business, develop a CEO mindset, and build sustainable success, this channel is for you.

Topics We Cover

1. Small business growth
2. CEO mindset for entrepreneurs
3. Leadership and business strategy
4. Sales and business development
5. Overcoming limiting beliefs
6. Productivity and focus for business owners

🌐 Learn more:

https://atomicbusinesscoaching.com

Danny DelVecchio is known for simple and stress-free content systems for ambitious founders who want visibility that drives revenue. He has helped 250+ companies and generated $20M+ in pipelines.

Three and a half years ago, he quit his corporate job to build an online business. Since then, he’s landed 250+ clients and made over 7 figures from my organic content, without any paid ads. The most important "content hack" that he's realized is that the best content doesn't come from brainstorming. It comes from the conversations you're already having: sales calls, client meetings, podcasts, workshops. So he built Content on Easy Mode, the only content consultancy that builds a complete program around the conversations already happening in your business. He combines social selling, content, and video creation into one stress-free system.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannydelvecchio/

LinkedIn Business Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/contentoneasymode/

Book a call with Danny: https://calendly.com/coachdcreates/video

In this episode of the Be The CEO Podcast, Tom and Adam explore the hidden “deep freeze” that can affect businesses, both seasonally and psychologically. Using real-world examples and client experiences, they unpack how decision-making slows during certain times of the year and how many leaders unknowingly build their plans on unrealistic assumptions about time, energy, and momentum.

The conversation shifts into a deeper exploration of belief systems, how outdated beliefs create misalignment, how entrepreneurs get stuck in practitioner mode, and why upgrading your thinking is essential as you evolve from practitioner to owner to CEO. They explain how decisive action, commitment, and alignment between belief and behavior determine whether you build momentum or stall out.

This episode is a practical reminder that growth requires regular recalibration. When you upgrade your beliefs, your behaviors shift, and that’s what ultimately drives sustainable success in both life and business.

🎧 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

1. Why businesses lose more productive weeks than they realize each year
2. How seasonal slowdowns expose weak decision-making habits
3. The difference between practitioner, owner, and CEO thinking
4. Why upgrading your belief system is necessary for growth
5. How misalignment creates burnout and frustration
6. The role of commitment and conviction in real transformation

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Seasonal slowdowns and the business “deep freeze”

05:00 – How many weeks you really have to do business

10:00 – Practitioner vs. Owner vs. CEO mindset

14:00 – Upgrading beliefs and eliminating misalignment

18:00 – Commitment versus interest

22:00 – Simplifying life and business through alignment

🔥 Power Quotes

You don’t really have 52 weeks to do business; you have closer to 40.

If you don’t upgrade your beliefs, you’ll stay stuck in old behaviors.

Misalignment is the first signal that something needs to change.

Business and life are simple; they’re just not easy.

📝 Topics Covered

1. Seasonal business cycles
2. Decision-making and momentum
3. Belief system upgrades
4. Practitioner to CEO evolution
5. Alignment and personal growth
6. Commitment and conviction

🧭 Key Takeaway

Growth requires intentional recalibration. As markets change and you evolve personally, your belief systems must evolve too. When you regularly evaluate your convictions, upgrade outdated thinking, and align your behaviors with your current vision, you eliminate friction and accelerate progress.

💬 Connect with Us

👉 Visit bethe.ceo

👉 Follow Tom Marino & Adam Hurd on LinkedIn & Instagram