On this episode of the Encourage Mindset Podcast, host Ethan Van De Hey welcomes Tim Tonella — the founder of Matchstar Venture Search, a national executive search firm that helps venture-backed tech companies build their leadership teams. Tim steps away from business talk in this episode to focus on the personal side: mental health, daily rituals, the power of helping others, and his philosophy on how winners build real success by refusing to waste time on things that do not matter.
Watch the Full Episode with Tim Tonella
What Tim Tonella Does at Matchstar Venture Search
Tim Tonella runs Matchstar Venture Search, a national executive search firm hired by venture-backed tech companies — usually by the founders, CEOs, and their boards — to build out key leadership teams. He and his team scour the country to find C-suite executives like CMOs, CFOs, and COOs who can drive growth at these companies. But while Tim’s professional world is high-stakes executive recruiting, this conversation goes much deeper than business.
The Best Cure for Depression: Help Someone Else
Tim shares one of his most powerful personal beliefs with Ethan: if you ever feel depressed or stuck for any reason, the best way to get out of that state is to immediately do something for somebody else. Whether it is a charitable act, a word of encouragement, or a genuine compliment, taking action for another person shifts your focus outward and reminds you of the role we all play in making the world better.
Tim frames this not as empty advice but as a daily practice he lives by. He tells Ethan that humans are built for connection and service, and when you orient your energy toward building relationships and bringing good into the world, the personal benefits follow naturally. This is not about ignoring your own struggles — it is about breaking the cycle of inward-focused negativity through outward action.
Tim’s Daily Evening Ritual
When people talk about morning rituals and evening rituals, Tim has a specific practice he does every night. Before going to bed, he spends a minute or two looking back at the day. He identifies two or three beautiful things that happened — the miracles of everyday life that are easy to overlook when you are moving fast. Whether through prayer, meditation, or simple reflection, this nightly practice keeps Tim grounded and grateful even during the most demanding seasons of business.
Ethan highlights how refreshing it is to hear someone running a national search firm talk about gratitude and reflection rather than hustle metrics. Tim agrees and emphasizes that the personal and professional sides of success are not separate — what you do for your mind and spirit directly fuels your performance in business.
Stop Wasting Time on Things That Do Not Matter
The core message of this episode is Tim’s conviction that real success comes from ruthlessly eliminating time-wasters. He and Ethan discuss how most people fill their days with activity that feels productive but does not actually move them toward their goals. Tim’s approach is to identify the highest-impact actions — both personally and professionally — and protect those with discipline.
For Tim, wasting time is not just about scrolling social media or watching TV. It is also about spending emotional energy on worry, comparison, and negativity. Winners, he argues, build real success by being intentional about where they direct their limited time and energy. Every minute spent on something that does not matter is a minute stolen from something that does.
Why This Episode Matters
Tim Tonella’s conversation with Ethan Van De Hey is a masterclass in integrating personal wellbeing with professional success. If you are a leader looking for permission to prioritize mental health alongside business goals, an entrepreneur struggling with time management, or someone who has lost sight of what really matters in the daily grind, Tim’s approach — serve others, reflect daily, and stop wasting time — offers a practical and deeply human roadmap.
Connect with the Encourage Mindset Podcast
The Encourage Mindset Podcast is hosted by Ethan Van De Hey and brings together leaders, entrepreneurs, and high-performers who share their real stories and strategies for growth. Subscribe on YouTube to catch every new episode.
Related Episodes You Might Enjoy
If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these related episodes from the Encourage Mindset Podcast:
- Dr. Lucy Johnson: Small Wins, Big Results
- Merrick Calmer: You Pay Now In Sweat Or Later In Regret
- Chris Whited: Win The Future One Step At A Time
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