Explore every episode of the podcast The Company of Dads Podcast
Dive into the complete episode list for The Company of Dads Podcast. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.
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Title
Pub. Date
Duration
EP131: Why You Should Care About Care
12 Nov 2024
00:43:03
Interview with Elissa Strauss / Expert on What Care Does For Us
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
Male caregivers are increasing in number. They're Lead Dads to their children and their wives. They're more vocal in the office. They're taking on roles that have been traditionally assigned to women based on outdated gender stereotypes. And care has changed them in positive ways. So why does it seem so strange for men to be taking on these roles? And why do they get mocked for doing so? Elissa Strauss, author of "When You Care: The Unexpected Magic of Caring for Other," has great insight.
Interview with Timothy Smith / a.k.a. The Financial Dad
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
Why don't parents talk more about personal finance with their children? You talk to them about all the ways to keep them safe - dating, drugs, drinking, doing the right thing in tough situations. All super important, and so, too, is understanding financial choices - and the consequences they can have. Tim Smith, the Financial Dad, says too many parents don't understand personal finance themselves. He's here to offer actionable advice.
Interview with Will Hoffman / Rare Disease Advocate
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
Will Hoffman is a runner and when his son was diagnosed with NF - an incurable genetic condition that causes tumors to grow on nerves throughout the body - he ran towards the problem. With his son, with others, he tried to figure out what he could do and that was to raise money. But he had other children and had to balance that. Learn what he does to make it all work.
Interview with Kate Mangino / Gender Expert, Researcher, Author
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
Splitting up work at home equally doesn’t mean you do the dishes and I take out the trash. It means both partners share the mental load of running a house, raising children and tending to all the things that crop up. Kate Mangino spent time with 40 men who are equal partners to their spouses – as verified by their spouses – to write her new book Equal Partners: Improving Gender Equality at Home. What she found was the upbringings of the 40 weren’t always traditional – some were raised by single parents, some felt different growing up, some came from violent households. But their willingness to take on more of the mental load when they got married was summed up in a positive way: they felt it was better for them to be equal contributors in their relationships and they didn’t feel like that was a sacrifice. Admirable stuff. But listen to learn why so many of the 40 asked for anonymity and still don’t know each other.
Interview with Andrew Jensen / Pro Athlete, Mental Health Advocate, Suicide Survivor
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
Andrew Jensen was an elite athlete all through the junior and university ranks. Handsome, fit and charming, he nearly reached the pinnacle of his sport, falling just a few notches short of playing on the PGA Tour. Throughout it all, Andrew was struggling with his sense of self-worth and hanging everything on his professional golf performance. Under that pressure, he played worse, and his mental health declined. He tried to take his own life three times. Now as a Lead Dad to his wife and their one-year-old son, he still worries about his own mental illness. He talks candidly on this episode about his own struggles and also about his desire to help other men in need.
Interview with Brian Page / Founder of Modern Husbands, Financial Literacy Expert
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
For our first joint podcast, Paul Sullivan, founder of The Company of Dads, and Brian Page, founder of Modern Husbands, come together to discuss what the two groups have in common and where we differ. No competition here, just two men discussing one set of key issues that have come out of the pandemic: what it means to be a Lead Dad or Modern Husband in this changing world of work and home life. Listen to hear what Brian and Paul have to say about money, marriage and the pursuit of dad and husband happiness.
Interview with Han-Son Lee / Founder of Daddilife, Leader in HR Change in the UK
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
Han-Son Lee, the founder of Daddilife, a parenting website for fathers in the United Kingdom, is working to change the way companies treat working dads. Human resources departments can be there to facilitate changes and help create Working Dad Groups, but the only way men are going to come on board is if there are effective mentor groups. Listen to Han-Son talk about how to create these groups and why a lot of effort at the start pays dividends that grow exponentially for years.
Interview with Mike McGee / Marketing Guru, Lead Dad to Annika Sorenstam
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
Mike McGee was a sports marketing guru in his own right before going to work for Annika Sorenstam, one of the greatest golfers of all time. About 15 years ago, their relationship turned romantic, and he’s now a Lead Dad to Annika and their children Will and Ava. Growing up in a golf family – his father was PGA Tour winner and Ryder Cupper Jerry McGee – he learned from his parents about what it meant to live in a true partnership. “I knew I had the love in my heart to do this and the ability to support Annika,” he said. “I’d lived it: it’s about the kids and supporting your spouse. I’m very fortunate to do that.” Listen to how Annika and Mike make the partnership work – and why he prefers guys ribbing him go with Mr. Annika.
Interview with Bruce Feiler / Creator of The Council of Dads, thinker on family and friends
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
Bruce Feiler is best-selling author, sought-after speaker and contemporary thinker on fatherhood, family and work. He may be best known as the creator of The Council of Dads, an idea and a book he conceived when he was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor in his leg. He wanted to recruit other dads to be there for his daughters if he wasn’t, and the council was born. He’s also written The Secrets of Happy Families, which is filled with actionable advice that we can take to make our lives better. Listen to us talk about fathers, family and what he calls a crisis of friendship among men today.
Interview with Paula Ratliff / Tech Leader, Workplace Thinker, Kentucky Colonel
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
Men far outnumber women in tech, but Dads have the ability to even the playing field for working moms, says Paula Ratliff, president of Women Impact Tech, which helps women thrive in the tech space. She talks about the “He’s for She’s” that helped her in her own career and can help women today. What’s needed she said is more mentors for working mothers and also great appreciation and understanding for working parents – who have proven they can work effectively in a remote or hybrid workplace. While she’s been doing this work for 20 years, there is a sobering statistic that still persists: mothers get a five to 10% pay cut for each child they have, while fathers get a 6% pay bump per child. Listen to her discuss why she’s optimistic that coming out of the pandemic the tech industry is at an inflection point that could bring real change for working parents.
Interview with Kenneth Braswell / National Expert on Responsible Fatherhood
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
What’s a big lesson for fathers? Having patience – and the understanding that none of us can do it all, says Kenneth Braswell a leader in the responsible fatherhood movement. Kenneth is the chief executive officer of Fathers Incorporated, a widely recognized nonprofit that supports fathers, researchers, and policymakers. His group focuses on providing services to thousands of organizations working to ensure that fathers can contribute to the healthy well-being of their children. He is also the author of the autobiography “When The Tear Won’t Fall” and four children’s books. Listen to him talk about what fathers can do but also what government agencies and workplaces need to do to help fathers succeed in their parenting roles.
Interview with Gary Barker / Leader in the Global Men’s Movement / O.G. Lead Dad
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
Gary Barker is a leading global voice in engaging men and boys in advancing gender equality and creating a positive view of masculinity. He is the CEO and founder of Equimundo, which has worked for 20 years in more than 40 countries - starting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He’s also the founder of MenCare, a global campaign working in 50 countries to promote men’s involvement as caregivers. Gary co-created and leads the International Men and Gender Equality Survey (IMAGES), the largest-ever survey of men’s attitudes and behaviors related to violence, fatherhood, and gender equality, and is a co-author of the State of the World’s Fathers reports. Listen to him speak about how mens’ roles have changed in the decades he’s been working in the field.
Interview with Carrie Schwab Pomerantz / Expert in Family Finances
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
Carrie Schwab Pomerantz is an absolute expert in family finance. She has served two White House administrations. She advised the Council on Financial Literacy under President George W. Bush, and was later appointed by President Barack Obama to the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability. She knows first hand that investing fads never work. When she asked her dad, legendary mutual fund pioneer, Charles Schwab, what to invest in, he didn’t give her a hot stock tip: he told her to diversify her portfolio and to keep saving. All good money decisions start with a conversation. Listen to her talk about why passing on good values around money is the most important thing you can do.
EP120: What Does It Mean To Be A Successful Working Parent?
23 Jul 2024
00:27:55
Interview with Anthony Franzese / Seeker of Fatherhood Wisdom
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
What does it mean to be a Successful Working Parent? It's a question Anthony Franzese, a healthcare sales executive, had when he became a father. So he went on a quest: if you have fatherhood questions, ask a parent - or 52 of them. That's what Anthony did and nearing the end of the year he has some revelations. Listen in.
EP27: Want Your Kids To Excel? Join The Parent Nation
02 Aug 2022
00:37:15
Interview with Dana Suskind / Surgeon, Author, Child Development Expert
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
Dana Suskind is an acclaimed pediatric surgeon at the University of Chicago and the author of “Parent Nation: Unlocking Every Child’s Potential, Fulfilling Society’s Promise.” What’s a parent nation? It’s a group that values and supports the labor and love of raising the next generation, particularly in the early years. The health and well-being of those children is very much dependent on what parents can do. But is it all on Lead Dads – or Lead Moms to figure it out? Or does society have a role to play? When things aren’t going right have we failed? Listen to Dr. Suskind talk about a different way to view parenting and learn how to create real change in a post-pandemic world where work and family are intertwined.
Interview with Jay Lauf / Thinker on the Future of Work, Reformed Daily Commuter
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
Jay Lauf is the co-founder and president of Charter, a news site going deep on the future of work. He’s had a great career in magazines and media. He was the chairman and publisher of Quartz, the publisher of The Atlantic and the publisher of Wired. But for 20 years, the constant was his daily commute: he was veteran of Metro North, the train that took him from Fairfield, Conn, to New York City. It was a two-plus hour commute just one way. It got so bad that he preferred flying far away to sitting on that train to go into the office. Covid changed all that. At home with his wife and two daughters, he found the joys of being a LeadDad, getting time back after years of commuting. It changed his view on work and parenting. He’s never going back to the daily commute. But more broadly, he’s using that experience to influence the conversation on what work will look like going forward. Listen to what we should do be productive and happy people and workers.
EP25: Feeding Time – How To Make It Fun, Not Frustrating
19 Jul 2022
00:29:05
Interview with Jill Castle / Expert on Feeding Kids For Maximum Health and Happiness
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
Parenting is some combination of exhausting and exhilarating. Making healthy meals can fall into the exhausting category. And it’s complicated: if Daddy is drinking a rum punch and attacking a basket of fried seafood, can he really tell his kids to skip the Shirley Temples and chicken fingers? Jill Castle, childhood nutrition expert and founder of The Nourished Child, has some answers. She worked at Massachusetts General Hospital and Boston Children’s Hospital before starting her own practice. She’s also a mother of four – and here’s where theory met practice: it wasn’t always easy for her to get her own children to eat. They’re all adults now, so she figured it out. But listen to her journey as a professional and a parent – it’s instructive for all of us.
EP24: The Role Dads Need To Play in a Kid’s Education
12 Jul 2022
00:35:48
Interview with Jeffrey Forte / National Advocate for Families / Special Ed Attorney
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
Jeff Forte is special education attorney in Connecticut and advocate for parents and children. He runs one of the few law practices in the state dedicated entirely to helping families navigate the state’s special education laws to insure their children get an appropriate education. Sometimes this means negotiating with a school district to get more services for a child who may be struggling with reading or math; other times it means suing that district to pay for that child to be placed into a school that suits his or her educational and behavioral needs better. One thing that is essential, Jeff says, is for Dads and Moms to both be there in the educational negotiations. Without a united front, kids end often up with less than they require. Listen to his reasons for Dads participating more in their children’s education and becoming their advocate in school.
Interview with Stephanie Coontz / Expert on Contemporary Families and Marriage
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
How have husbands and wives balanced working, parenting and being together throughout history? Stephanie Coontz, the director of research and public education at the Council on Contemporary Families, says it’s generally not how most of think about it today. If anything, the past 50 or 60 years are an historical aberration – since it used to be more egalitarian. So now, employers assume when women become mothers they will be less committed to the job and therefore they’re more reluctant to promote them, while men who become fathers will be more committed – so those who want to take parental leave get penalized as not being a good worker. Listen to her discuss how working moms and Lead Dads can reset those expectations and allow a better working environment to come out of the pandemic.
EP22: A ‘Stunt Guitarist’ Talks About Choices & Contentment
28 Jun 2022
00:44:03
Interview with Chris Bell / Musician, Lead Dad of Two, Guitar Master
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
A New Hampshire guy originally, Chris Bell has called Austin, Texas, home for almost two decades. A classically trained musician, he used to teach but now he is, what he calls, a ‘stunt guitarist’! He and his wife knew each other since they were kids but they reconnected 20 years ago. He’s the Lead Dad to their two boys. Most recently, he’s made a reputation for himself as a ‘luthier’ – a word I’ve been dying to use in an introduction. And he’s got some serious thoughts on the challenges of being a Lead Dad when you have a passion that conflicts with family life. Listen to hear more on stunt guitaring, guitar making and a guitar guy’s guide to Lead Dadding.
Interview with Nick Brophy / Bakery Owner, Career Supporter, Wise Man
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
Today my guest is Nick Brophy, father of five children, ages 7 to 24. Nick played football at Princeton and the team won the Ivy League championship his junior year. Then he took a traditional path to Wall Street. He loved it and excelled at it for nearly 20 years. His wife Sarah was also enjoying a thriving career. Then they started having kids. In 2013, after adopting their third child, Nick’s wife found out she was pregnant. They were at crossroads. Nick put his hand up to be the Lead Dad and walked away from Wall Street, to the disbelief of friends. The past 9 years have taken him on a journey he hadn’t planned, one that has been rewarding but not without its challenges. Men, society still says, are supposed to be the breadwinners and nowhere is that more true than on Wall Street. Today, Nick is an owner of two bakeries, while his wife Sarah is in her dream job at Uber. Listen to hear how he’s adjusted and thrived.
Interview with Rob Kenney / Creator of "Dad, How Do I?"
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
Rob Kenney came up for the idea for “Dad, How Do I?” during the pandemic. He wanted to provide what he calls “Dadvice,” to kids who didn’t have a dad. He knew that role personally, growing up without a father – his mom died and his dad left the family when Rob was 14. Little did he know that his first video on how to tie a tie would strike a cord. In a little over two years, he’s gone from working in sales and being a loving dad to two grown children to being a wildly popular YouTube Dad who is sought out for advice, be it how to fix a toilet or understand the rules of football. Listen to how he came to this mission of helping kids with or without fathers – and dancing to the Monday Night Football Song!
EP19: The Funniest Lead Dad in America Shares His Secrets
07 Jun 2022
00:47:59
Interview with JR Havlan / 8-Time Emmy Award-Winning Comedy Writer, Lead Dad
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
A funny thing happened on the way to J.R. Havlan using his college degree to get a job on Wall Street: the stock market crash of 1987. With every offer evaporating, he did the next logical thing and went into comedy. While he surely would have been the funniest guy at the water cooler, he also was legit, All-Pro funny. After doing the rounds at New York’s comedy clubs – and faxing, yes, faxing, jokes into shows – he landed a writing gig on The Daily Show, when Craig Kilborn was the \host. Then a guy named Jon Stewart came along and the show took off. J.R., who has won eight Emmy Awards (but who’s counting), spent 18 years there. He had other writing jobs afterwards, including at The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, but as his kids became school aged, he opted to write for himself so he could be the Lead Dad to his son and daughter. This also allows his wife to go all in on her career in school nutrition. Listen to JR’s tips on shrugging off PTA slights, immersing himself in his kids schools and creating shelf space in a Manhattan apartment for his Emmys.
EP18: How All Working Husbands Can Become Lead Dad Material
31 May 2022
00:25:06
Interview with Lara Bazelon / Lawyer, Author, Honest Assessor of Dads
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
Lara Bazelon is an attorney and author of the book Ambitious Like A Mother: Why Prioritizing Your Career is Good for Your Kids. Her book is about this moment in time, when we’ve come out of the pandemic where whole groups of people have been able to work from home, and that has allowed spouses to see exactly what the other one was doing and when. Listen to her thoughts on shaking off lingering stereotypes – like who’s the breadwinner and who’s the caregiver – to create better relationships and more dynamic families.
EP119: What You Can Learn From A Challenging Childhood
09 Jul 2024
00:27:55
Interview with Verne Marble / Veteran, Advisor, Father
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
Verne Marble is one of four and the father of four. His childhood was a bit haphazard. But he's a committed father who was clear-eyed about what mattered for his family. After college he wanted to serve his country but a few years into his Naval service he made a change so he could be more present for his family. Listen to what he did and why the lessons in those early years have informed what he's done in business and in life.
Interview with Franco Finstad / Jazz Trumpeter, City Dad, Quick-witted Storyteller
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
Franco Finstad is a dad-at-home in Manhattan, as he calls it on his LinkedIn profile. He has twins, a boy and a girl. Before they were born, he was a software engineer and a musician – trumpet being his instrument. But a funny thing happened on the way to being the Lead Dad to his twins. While he and his wife – a financial adviser – were in agreement that this was what worked for their family, it’s not been without its issues. What do you do when your wife introduces you to people at a work party and they walk away when you tell them you’re a dad-at-home? How do you adapt when you thought other caregivers would accept you in an open-minded city like New York? It’s all about how you describe what you do. And as Lead Dads know, words matter, so listen to what Franco has to say about his journey – and how he frames it to others.
Interview with Kamau High / Journalist / Kid Pickup Pro / Lead Dad
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
Kamau High is a senior editor at The Baltimore Sun, where he helps shape the news agenda and manages a team of reporters. It’s been an interesting path to get where he is. He married his high school sweetheart. They moved to New York, they had fun, they worked – she is a cardiologist, he was a reporter at the Financial Times. And then they had a daughter and a different life beckoned. Today, Kamau is the diversity, equity and inclusion editor as well as the education editor at one of America’s most storied city newspapers. (The creator of The Wire once worked there.) His wife works for an insurance company and their daughter is a teenager – about to enter high school! He’s happy to say that the new way we work has suited his family better, with a greater ability to work from home and go into the office for important meetings. That said, the car line for school pickup remains a constant. Listen to him talk about Lead Dadding a teenager, managing work deadlines and car line drama.
Interview with Tony Maws / Award-Winning Chef, Restauranteur, Lead Dad
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
Famed chef, Tony Maws was a central part of the Boston food scene for more than two decades. He won a slew of chef honors, including the highest – a James Beard Award. One of his restaurants, Craigie on Main, attracted a loyal foodie following who gathered around his famed chef’s table. (He also had a more casual burger joint because, well, who doesn’t love a good burger?) But being the chef-owner and being there for your family isn’t always compatible. The pandemic changed Maws’ thinking. He is embracing being a Lead Dad for his teenage son and wife, a public school teacher. Listen to him talk about restaurants, family and the greatness of a roasted chicken. (It’s on the menu at least once a week in his home.)
Interview with David Weinstein / Legendary Baby Doctor – At Nearly 11,000 Births
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
David Weinstein has delivered nearly 11,000 babies in the New York area—most at Stamford Hospital in Connecticut. He’s one of the all-time greats. Stories of his grace and coolness under pressure are legion. High-risk pregnancies? No problem. Record deliveries in a day? 12 – out of 600 a year for him and his partner in their prime. Time with his own family? Turns out he had a streak of delivering most of his babies while his kids were asleep. Ahead of Mother’s Day, Dr. Weinstein shared some of his extraordinary experiences and talked about some of the lessons he’s learned after bringing so many babies into the world. Listen to his wisdom on parenting from the very start.
Interview with Max Rivera / New York City Firefighter, Lead Dad
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
After the September 11 attacks, Max Rivera knew he wanted to be a New York City firefighter. It’s not an easy job to get but he was determined to do it. It took him over a decade to accomplish his goal. But he made it and was assigned to a storied fire house in Flatbush, Brooklyn. He’s now part of an elite special operations squad that backs up other fire houses. While he can leave the job at work, it’s harder to leave his Lead Dad responsibilities at home when he reports to the station. He’s got support: his community of fellow firefighters. Because of their schedules of days living in the firehouse and days off, New York’s Bravests are a group full of Lead Dads. What’s more difficult – responding to a three-alarm fire or being a Lead Dad on little sleep to his two kids when his wife is at the office? Hear for yourself.
EP12: Prepping Lead Dads To Be Ready From The Start
19 Apr 2022
00:31:45
Interview with Keegan Albaugh / Founder of Dad Guild, Educator, Lead Dad
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
Keegan Albaugh readily admits that his wife, a grad student and stand-up comic, pushed him into starting what became Dad Guild. But after he gathered with a handful of other new fathers in Burlington, Vermont, he realized what he was striving to do was no joke. Normalizing fathers taking care of their babies was serious business. Tons of funny moments ensued along the way. Imagine a gaggle of dads with babies strapped to their chests walking through a park – the reactions were more akin to seeing a Hell’s Angels parade than watching parents care for newborns. Albaugh has built Dad Guild into a network of 500-plus fathers around Vermont and he is partnering with national organizations to spread what they’re doing for new parents. Hear how he has brought new dads out of their shells and helped them overcome basic fears and anxieties around being a Lead Dad to their young children.
EP11: How To Balance Two Careers Without Resentment
12 Apr 2022
00:45:43
Interview with Michael Teager / Jazz saxophonist, Early Remote Worker, Lead Dad
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
Michael Teager is a renown saxophone player with multiple recordings who was gigging several times a week before his son was born. His wife, a musician and teacher, needed to return to work fairly quickly, so he stepped up to take over childcare duties. He felt he could make it all work. He stopped teaching, reduced his gigs, and asked to shift the hours of his job as a business manager to nights. But it came at a cost: sleep, music friendships, free time. He thought his life would return to normal in 2019 when his son went to school, but then Covid hit and his son was back with him. Oh and the family had moved to Buffalo, where he knew no one. Listen to how Teager balanced so much, kept following his passion and never quit.
EP10: Stepping Up For Your Family Doesn’t Mean Stepping Back From Work
05 Apr 2022
00:19:47
Interview with Nikola Gasic / Newly minted C.F.A. Charterholder, Parent and Lead Dad
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
Nikola Gasic believed his employer when it offered him paternity leave when his son was born: take it, someone else will cover for you, your job will be here when you return. He took paternity leave to spend time with his son but he also took it because his wife’s job was more entrepreneurial than his: if she was out for six months it would be a set back to her career. As an investment manager, he could step back into his role and rely on teammates to keep things going. And in between juggling Lead Dad responsibilities, he decided to complete the hardest professional exam in finance. So when he returns to work, he’ll do so as a C.F.A. charterholder. Listen in to hear more serious Lead Dad balancing.
Interview with Dr. Jamie Ladge / Expert on The Trade-Offs Parents Make and How Work is Changing
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
Jamie Ladge, an associate professor of management and organizational development at Northeastern University, comes at the work-life debate with a lot of questions. Why is it hard to be both a good parent and a good worker? Can fathers be competent dads and professionals? Will involved dads be penalized like working moms have been? Where does the change start? (Hint: Not at the top.) Listen to her answer these questions and also provide suggestions on what companies need to do to adapt to the new world of work and advice on how men and women can be parents and workers without guilt.
Interview with Alex McKenzie / Emperor of Ice Cream, Sobriety Advocate, Lead Dad
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
Alex McKenzie was the Emperor of Ice Cream, a life-long food lover who created an ice cream business (named for a Wallace Stevens poem) that was thriving pre-pandemic. He’d done many other things in the food world. He’s worked in the fields and in restaurants. The fish business – he’s swum in that tank. He’s also produced rock music and public radio podcasts. The most challenging role, though, has been figuring out his current dynamic: part-time college professor, LeadDad to his daughter and husband whose wife’s career as an architect has taken off. Hear him talk about the need to define and re-define roles in a Lead Dad home.
EP118: How To Manage The Intersection Between Love & Money
25 Jun 2024
00:33:44
Interview with Abby Davisson / Expert on Money and Love
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
Should love and money be linked together? If you want to be happy in life, Abby Davisson argues 100 percent. She wrote about it with one of her Stanford Business School professors - but that interest came out of a project she worked on with a fellow student, who is now her husband. They have two kids, too. Learn how to work through the areas that people always argue about when it comes to love and money.
EP7: The Importance of Community for Single Lead Dads
15 Mar 2022
00:30:45
Interview with Nathan Richardson / Entrepreneur, Florida transplant, Father of Twins
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
Nathan Richardson was a New Yorker, and the community in his neighborhood allowed him to be a single Lead Dad to twins, a boy and a girl, and still work at the top of his profession. He had time to volunteer and be with each of his kids alone, knowing his neighborhood network was there to help. But stuck in a New York apartment during Covid, he made the tough choice to leave the city behind and move to Miami. His kids have adapted, but there have been challenges. Hear him talk about the importance of other parents for single Lead Dads.
Interview with Tino Ricci / Husband to an ER Nurse, Home Depot Associate, Lead Dad
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
When the pandemic began, Tino Ricci’s wife was an emergency room nurse outside of Ft. Worth, Texas. She was seeing first-hand how devastating the virus could be – and worried about bringing it home to her family. Tino stepped up, shifted his schedule, and took the lead on parenting and virtual-schooling. It was a role he embraced. After being a professional golfer for a decade, Tino began working at the Home Depot so he could be the Lead Dad to their children and support his wife’s dream of being a nurse. The pandemic got him thinking: Why is this such a hard role for men to take on? Hear more.
An Interview with Brad Klontz / Financial Psychologist, Tik Tok Influencer and Lead Dad
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
What holds some men back from becoming Lead Dads – or at least openly embracing the role? It starts with traditional perceptions of masculinity, of being the higher earner, of being the provider, of not engaging as much with parenting and family tasks. But it’s not something that’s hardwired. Men can become more comfortable being Lead Dads and still fulfill their potential. What does it take? Dr. Klontz discusses his findings.
EP 4: Rethinking Career and Family Responsibilities
22 Feb 2022
00:26:24
Interview with Dave Andrews / Air Force Officer, Commercial Pilot, Lead Dad
Hosted By Paul Sullivan
Flying was Dave Andrews’ dream. As an officer in the Royal Canadian Air Force, he flew military operations and supported humanitarian aid missions; he also flew the prime minister under the call sign, CanForce One. He went on to fly for Air Canada where he was just as likely to wake up in Hawaii as Canada. But his priorities shifted when his son was born. Now he works in civil aviation and is a Lead Dad to his wife, a doctor, and their son. Hear how he managed the shift and has continued to be fulfilled.
EP3: Kids and Money – What You Do, Not What You Say
15 Feb 2022
00:31:53
Interview with Steve Israel / Financial Adviser, Ex-NFL Player, Lead Dad of Four
Hosted by Paul Sullivan
Talking to kids about money and financial responsibility isn’t easy. What might matter more is what your kids see you doing, not what they hear you saying. “Whatever I preached, they had to see me doing it,” said Steve Israel, who was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams and played 10 years in the NFL. He now works as a private banker and financial adviser to families.
EP2: Fatherhood and Football With a Super Bowl Champ
08 Feb 2022
00:26:22
Interview with Najee Goode / Super Bowl Champion, Entrepreneur and Lead Dad
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
The former linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles has sacked Tom Brady and intercepted him. He started a company, Veepio, that seeks to change the financial landscape for college athletes. Now living in Jacksonville, Florida, Najee is the lead dad to his two daughters, 5 and 4. He’s applied football lessons to fatherhood – and shares them along with some juicy stories from his Super Bowl LII win against the Patriots in 2017.
Interview with Kristen M. Shockley / Professor, University of Georgia
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
The pandemic changed parenting and relationships overnight. Kids were forced home from school. Parents were sent into remote work or forced to juggle shifts with parenting. Into this chaos, stepped Kristen Shockley, a professor at the University of Georgia, who wanted to know what this sudden shift did to how couples worked, parented and cleaned up afterward. What she found revealed unexpected insight into on relationships, but it also offered valuable lessons for the new world of work.
EP117: Barbells to Braids: How A Bouncer Led An Awakening
11 Jun 2024
00:45:00
Interview with Michael Ray / International Fatherhood Advocate
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
Michael Ray provided security for music superstars - Jon Bon Jovi, Whitney Houston, INXS. Bruce Springsteen was the nicest. Then, on the cusp of turning 50, he became a father. Less than two years later, going through a cancer scare, he became a solo dad, when his daughter's mother left them both. Today, a decade later, he's a leading voice for father's rights in Australia and beyond. It all began when he was told he couldn't braid his young daughter's hair before her ballet recital. Listen to how he's changing hearts and minds.
Interview with Sean Keenan / Lessons from a Divorced Dad
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
Sean Keenan, an economist by training, has a harrowing story about a divorce that went to such a dark place. The least of it was it drained his savings account. His two children were put at the center of a horrifying alimony and custody battle. The accusations and allegations are extreme and terrifying for any parent. He’s not exactly coming out of it now, but he does have residential custody of his son and daughter. Here's what he learned.
Interview with Adrienne Prentice / Parent Coach for Companies
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
Adrienne Prentice loved being a lawyer and was working her way up within the general counsel's office. She went on parental leave when her first child was born - and returned to find her position had changed. She wasn't invited to certain meetings or assigned to cases that involved travel. The assumptions that were made bothered her deeply. That motivated her to create Keep Company, which works with law firms to put better caregiver policies in place. Listen to what workers can do to help themselves.
EP114: Be A Better Husband And Father On Your Terms
30 Apr 2024
00:41:54
Interview with Dan Doty / Founder of Evryman, Engaged Fatherhood Leader
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
Before the pandemic, Dan Doty was one of the best known advocates for helping men live better, fuller and more fulfilled lives. He was a founder of EVRYMAN, which led group retreats but was ascending to a near-spiritual level of support for men. He was as comfortable talking to Joe Rogan as he was on The Today Show. But all wasn't what it seemed for Dan as a father and husband. While he was helping other men, he wasn't helping himself. A journey into the woods, literal at times, changed how he approached himself and his work. Now he's ready for a comeback. Listen to how he changed and you can too.
Interview with Jon Macaskill / Navy Seal, Advocate of Mindful Meditation
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
When a doctor told Jon Macaskill, a decorated Navy Seal with decades of combat experience, that meditation could ease his mental health struggles, he laughed. He didn't want to hear anything about that "hippie sh@t" - he was an elite warrior who led other elite warriors into and out of combat. So why was what he was doing now not working for him, the doctor asked? That got Jon thinking and led him on a journey to become an advocate for mindfulness within the Seal Teams and for men and fathers more broadly. Learn how this "hippie sh@t" can help all men.
EP112: How Not To Ruin Parental Leave, If You're A Manager
02 Apr 2024
00:33:46
Interview With Dr. Amy Beacom / Parental Leave Expert
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
Companies can have the most generous, equitable parental leave policies - plans polished and perfected to allow mothers and fathers time to bond with their new baby and return to work feeling valued. And then a manager ruins it all with a snide comment. Or calls during leave. Or has no plan for return whatsoever. Enter Amy Beacom, founder of The Center for Parental Leave Leadership. Listen to her tips on how not to be that manager and learn to lead a better way.
EP129: What If Video Games Aren't Killing Your Kids' Minds?
22 Oct 2024
00:16:28
Interview with David Graham / eSports Entrepreneur and Parental Ally
HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVAN
There are outdoor sports like football, soccer and tennis. And there are eSports like Fortnite and League of Legends. As parents, should we care which ones are children engage in? The answer from a leading eSports entreprenuer may surprise you. It starts with the question: How do we help our kids develop life skills? Listen for 5 tips.