The ‘Mister Rogers’ of Corporate America shows Gen Z how to handle toxic bosses
After two decades climbing the corporate ladder at companies ranging from ABC to ESPN to Charter Communications (known as Spectrum), Timm Chiusano left everything to become a content creator.
Not only was he shying away from high titles, he was also highly paid. In his peak years, Chiosano was making between $600,000 and $800,000 a year. But in June of 2024, after giving 12 weeks’ notice, he “removed himself of responsibility” from his corporate job as vice president of production and creative services at Charter.
He did it all to help others overcome workplace challenges, and appreciate the more mundane parts of life on TikTok.
What started out as short vlogs about just about anything in 2020 (reviews about protein bars, sushi, sneakers) later turned into videos about growing up and dealing with life’s challenges, like coming to terms when you have a toxic boss. Today, his TikTok platform has more than a million followers.
Aided by the virality of his “loop” format where videos end and seamlessly return to the beginning, he began creating more videos as a side hustle in addition to his daily tasks at the office.
“How can I make people smarter and more comfortable about their careers in ways that will help on a daily basis?” Chiosano said luck.
Today, he can use many titles: former VP at a Fortune 100 company, motivational speaker, father, content creator, or, as he calls himself, the Mister Rogers of corporate America.
Just as the late public television icon helped children overcome the complexities of childhood, Chiosano wants to help young people think about how to approach their careers and their potential to make an impact.
“Mister Rogers is the greatest of all time,” he said. “I’ll never be able to reach that level of influence. But it’s an easy way to describe what I’m trying to do, and it always gives me a goal to strive for.” “There are some parallels here with eccentricity.”
He fired himself after 25 years in the corporate world
Even with his years at the company, Chiosano doesn’t resemble the look of a typical CEO. Today, he dresses like a relaxed Brooklyn dad, with a load of tattoos and a confidence that could blend in with any modern middle-aged man in SoHo. During our interview, he showed off one of the first tattoos he got: two businessmen shaking hands, a reference to Radiohead OK computer Album.
“This is a dope Monday in your 40s,” he began one of his videos.
It consisted of Chiusano doing everyday things like eating leftovers, going to the gym, training for the New York City Marathon, taking out the trash, driving his daughter to school, rehearsing a Ted Talk, eating lunch with his wife, and brand deal meetings. Although the content seems pretty ordinary, that’s the point.
“The reason I kicked myself out in the first place was because I was here,” he says in the video while picking up his daughter from school.
Today, Chiusano spends his days creating content about navigating workplace culture, public speaking, brand deals, brand partnerships, executive coaching, writing a book, and the most important job: being a father to his 13-year-old daughter, Evelyn.
“I’m basically flat [in salary] “To where I was, that’s all I could want in the world. The ability to send my child to the school she went to, eat as much sushi as I wanted, and do nice things for my wife,” he said.
In fact, when he sits inside one of his favorite New York City spots, Lure Fishbar, he’s constantly stopped by regulars who know him by name. He notes that one of his favorite interviews he filmed here was with legendary director Ken Burns.
Advice for Gen Z
At a time when Generation Z is turning toward unconventional paths, like content creation or trading skills instead of just a 9-to-5 office job, Chiosano opens a lens to what life is like when they decide to be present instead of always looking for what’s next, a mistake he said he made in his 20s.
Instead, he wants to teach the younger generation how to build skills for as long as possible, but “if you’re unhappy, that’s a whole different conversation.”
“I think some people will make themselves more miserable because they feel like that’s what’s expected of a situation,” he said.
“I would love to be able to empower your generation more, and be like someone should be the head of HR at that very random company to set great standards and practices for a better work-life balance for employees.”
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2025-12-06 11:03:00
