“Don’t Lose Your Family in the Hustle”—What 39 Airbnbs Taught Eric Dingler About Success

Cut The Tie | Define Success on Your Own Terms

Cut The Tie Podcast with Thomas Helfrich

Entrepreneur and digital nomad Eric Dingler joins Thomas to talk about building a location-independent business, cutting ties with traditional success paths, and designing a life centered on freedom, family, and purpose. From pastoring a church to leading a marketing agency while traveling full-time with four kids, Eric shares the mindset and structure behind his unconventional path.

About Eric Dingler:

Eric is the founder of a U.S.-based digital marketing agency that helps local service businesses build simple, effective marketing systems. He also coaches entrepreneurs who want to create location-independent businesses. Eric and his wife homeschool their four kids through “world schooling” as they travel full-time.

In this episode, Thomas and Eric discuss:

• Cutting the Tie to Doing It All Yourself
  Eric shares how a passing coaching comment—"real estate agents don’t build the houses they sell"—helped him shift from self-employment to scalable business ownership.
• How Adoption Fueled Entrepreneurship
  To fund an adoption, Eric started building websites on the side of his pastor role—and it grew into a mission-driven business model that donates 51% of profit to help other families adopt.
• Designing a Life Through Intentional Choices
  From funding adoptions to choosing not to buy a house, Eric and his family cut ties with expectations and built a life around experiences—not possessions.
• Rethinking Education & Raising Free Thinkers
  The Dinglers use world schooling to educate their children while traveling, tailoring lessons based on geography, history, and hands-on experiences in each country.

Key Takeaways:

• You Choose the Life, Not Just the Stuff
  Success is about choosing the kind of life you want—not just acquiring things.
• Leadership Sets the Ceiling
  Your business can’t outgrow your leadership capacity—study sales and leadership early.
• Don't Lose Family to the Hustle
  The journey shouldn’t leave your loved ones behind. Bring them with you.
• Make the Most of Your Dash
  Life is short. Live it with intention. Chase the dream now, not someday.

"Everybody gets a dash—live yours on purpose."— Eric Dingler

CONNECT WITH ERIC DINGLER:

Website: https://www.ericdingler.com → redirects to LinkedIn

CONNECT WITH THOMAS:

X (Twitter): https://x.com/CutTheTieX
Facebook: http://facebook.com/groups/CutTheTie
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cutthetiecommunity/
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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cutthetie
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomashelfrich/
CutTheTie.com

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Chapters

1. “Don’t Lose Your Family in the Hustle”—What 39 Airbnbs Taught Eric Dingler About Success (00:00:00)

2. Introduction (00:00:02)

3. Eric's Digital Nomad Journey (00:00:25)

4. Cutting the Tie: From Self-Employed Pastor to Business Owner (00:00:43)

5. Living the Dash: Building a Life by Design, Not by Default (00:06:51)

6. Redefining Education and Freedom for the Whole Family (00:07:45)

7. Sources of Inspiration and the Power of Delegation (00:09:36)

8. Must-Read Book: In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day (00:10:38)

9. What He’d Do Differently: Travel Sooner, Learn Sales Earlier (00:11:58)

10. Biggest Pitfall: Don’t Lose Your Family While Chasing Your Dream (00:13:28)

11. Connecting and Closing (00:14:09)