In this special simulcast of The Neil Haley Show and the Storehouse Media Group Podcast, Neil “The Media Giant” Haley and Sherrie Price Clark welcome Steven Puri, a former senior executive at DreamWorks and 20th Century Fox, film producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Sukha. Steven discusses his journey from computer programming to Hollywood, his experiences building technology companies, and his mission to help people improve focus and productivity through flow states.
Steven shares how his technical background led him into the film industry as movies increasingly relied on digital effects. He worked on major productions, including Independence Day, Die Hard 5, The Wolverine, Star Trek, and Transformers. As the producer of the digital effects for Independence Day, he was part of the team whose work earned an Academy Award for visual effects. That experience also helped him launch his first company, building a team of digital effects professionals and raising venture capital to support the business.
Steven discusses his entrepreneurial journey, including raising over $20 million across three ventures and learning from business failures. He explains why he bootstrapped Sukha and emphasizes building products customers are willing to pay for instead of relying on investors.
Steven reflects on leaving the film industry after becoming frustrated with the focus on commercial success over creative quality. His experience working on major franchises like Die Hard and The Wolverine led him to seek more meaningful work.
Steven explains how his struggles with focus and procrastination inspired him to create Sukha, a productivity platform designed to help people achieve flow, stay focused, and avoid distractions.
Steven explains that Sukha brings several focus tools together in one place, including distraction blocking, music, task management, and a supportive assistant that helps users stay on track. Rather than requiring people to open several separate applications, the platform is designed to make starting a focused work session simple. The discussion also explores how flow states can help entrepreneurs, writers, designers, and other professionals complete meaningful work while feeling less overwhelmed.
Neil shares his own experiences using AI tools to organize tasks, improve accountability, and increase productivity. Their conversation examines how technology can enhance human abilities rather than simply replace workers. Steven emphasizes that people need uninterrupted time to think deeply, create original work, and pursue meaningful goals in a world designed to compete for their attention.
Steven explains that Sukha is driven by his desire to help people achieve meaningful personal and professional goals. He shares the story of a user who completed his doctoral dissertation while balancing work and family responsibilities, highlighting the importance of protecting time and staying focused on what matters most.
Throughout the interview, Steven offers insights into entrepreneurship, creativity, focus, and the importance of using time intentionally. His message is clear: instead of allowing distractions to consume the day, people can create space for meaningful work and bring their ideas to life.
🧷To Learn More:
📍Visit Sukha to learn about its flow-state productivity platform and try the free three-day trial: thesukha.co.
📍For more information about media, podcasting, publishing, and other services, visit storehousemediagroup.com
