“You Can’t Please Everyone Forever”—How Riggs Eckelberry Took Full Ownership of His Business

Cut The Tie Podcast with Thomas Helfrich

Riggs Eckelberry, CEO of OriginClear, joins Thomas to unpack the broken water system, decentralization, and what it means to cut the tie to pleasing others. From rejecting broken industry norms to walking away from Wall Street pressure, Riggs shares a refreshingly honest look at entrepreneurship, leadership, and finding your own path—even if it takes decades.

About Riggs Eckelberry:

Riggs is the founder and CEO of OriginClear, a public company leading the decentralized water movement. A former corporate exec and nonprofit leader, Riggs now advocates for do-it-yourself water treatment systems for industrial users—bringing innovation and accountability to one of the world’s most neglected infrastructure sectors.

In this episode, Thomas and Riggs discuss:

• Cutting the Tie to Pleasing Everyone
  Riggs talks about the trap of building for investors, advisors, and outsiders—and the moment he stopped doing it and finally owned his leadership.
• The Myth of Centralized Infrastructure
  He explains why massive water systems don’t work anymore, and how modular, onsite water treatment is the real future.
• Focusing on the Core
  Riggs shares how he finally doubled down on OriginClear’s most scalable units instead of chasing every “bright idea.”
• Relearning Leadership in Real Time
  After years of trial and error, Riggs explains how he rebuilt confidence, trusted his gut, and stopped chasing solutions that didn’t fit.

Key Takeaways:

• You Don’t Need Permission
  Sometimes the tie to cut is waiting for someone else to say yes—leadership starts when you decide.
• Old Systems Can’t Solve New Problems
  From water to entrepreneurship, big outdated systems break down under pressure—innovation comes from the edges.
• Stick With It Until It Clicks
  It might take years, but when your business finally hits momentum, you’ll be glad you didn’t bail early.
• Don’t Underestimate What You’ve Already Built
  The thing you’ve quietly been building might be the future—it just needs your full belief and focus.

"Your judgment is better than you think it is—stop handing the keys to someone else."
— Riggs Eckelberry

CONNECT WITH RIGGS ECKELBERRY:

Website: https://originclear.com
Sign up: Legends of Water Monthly Broadcast
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/riggs

CONNECT WITH THOMAS:

X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/thelfrich | https://twitter.com/nevbeenpromoted Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hovienko | https://www.facebook.com/neverbeenpromoted
Website: https://www.neverbeenpromoted.com/
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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@neverbeenpromoted
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomashelfrich/
Email: [e-mail]
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