Working Dads

Free Ideas is your ultimate resource for entrepreneurial inspiration and actionable strategies. Follow along as I document the journey of building a digital marketing agency from the ground up, leveraging the power of my own company, Penji, to test and refine real-world business practices.

Working Dads is a kids podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 335 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Unknown Host hosts Working Dads, a kids show with 335 episodes published.

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  Episode #347

  Divorce When His Son Was 6 Months Old. Here's What He Built Instead.

  Sep 27, 202642 min

  Nick Howe sat in a room staring at his newborn son. And knew he couldn't do it anymore. Not the marriage. Not the version of himself he'd been performing for everyone else. Not the cycle he'd watched his parents and grandparents repeat for decades. So at six months old, his son Cam became the reason Nick asked for a divorce — and the reason he started rebuilding everything from the ground up. In this episode Nick — single dad, founder of Hugs, and one of the most emotionally raw guests we've had on the show — gets honest about breaking a generational cycle, the weekly ritual he started with Cam at age four that his son's teacher is now raving about, and how that same ritual became a company built to help couples do what Nick and his son figured out between them. This one is different. And it might stay with you. Three things you'll learn: The weekly six-question ritual Nick started with his son at age four called Cups and Spoons — what it is, why he built it, and what it's doing for a ten-year-old that most adults still can't do at thirty Why Nick says the microsecond between when your emotions heat up and when you explode is the most important moment in fatherhood — and how he trained himself to find it How Nick turned a bedtime ritual into a platform for couples and therapists — and why the best company he ever built started as a conversation with a four-year-old About Nick Howe Nick Howe is the founder of Hugs, a relationship-building platform that helps couples and therapists deepen emotional connection and communication between sessions. He is a single dad to Cam, ten years old, and the creator of Cups and Spoons — a weekly ritual that started between a dad and his four-year-old son and grew into a company. He is based in the US and is one of the most emotionally transparent founders we've had on this show. About Working Dads Working Dads is the podcast for fathers figuring out work, family, and everything in between. Every week host Johnathan Grzybowski sits down with working dads — founders, executives, investors, and everyday fathers — for honest conversations about the guilt, the grind, the marriage, the money, and what it actually takes to build a career and a family without dropping the ball on either. New episode every week Subscribe to Built During Bedtime — our weekly newsletter for working dads Join the community — Slack and Facebook group Subscribe & Connect Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6aicwtpAEKrXfeViWeCESn?si=sP-QFbZETneBRIGUuoXC1w Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/free-ideas/id1082216467 YouTube/Tiktok/Instagram: @workingdadsco Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/workingdadsco/ Website: workingdads.co For dads figuring out work, family, and everything in between. Nobody prepares you for this. Not the guilt of leaving for work when your kid is still asleep. Not the pressure of providing for a family while trying to build something that actually matters. Not the identity crisis that hits when you realize you're not just the guy who grinds anymore — you're somebody's dad. And that changes everything. I started Working Dads because I lived that. I'm co-founder of Penji, husband to Emily, and dad to a two-year-old who already has more energy than I do. I've been bootstrapping a company for over a decade and I still don't have it all figured out. But I've learned that the most dangerous thing a working dad can do is try to figure it out alone. So every week I sit down with founders, executives, investors, and everyday dads who are in the thick of it. We talk about the real stuff. The marriage conversations you keep avoiding. The financial pressure nobody admits to. The moment your kid looks up at you and you realize you've been somewhere else even though you've been standing right there. We've also got Built During Bedtime — my weekly newsletter for working dads. The one thing I write after my daughter goes to sleep. Straight to your inbox. No fluff. And we've got a community. Slack channel and Facebook group full of dads who get it. The kind of guys you can be honest with. The kind of friendships that actually go somewhere. Come find your people. Working Dads. For dads figuring out work, family, and everything in between.

  ListenShow Notes
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  Episode #349

  He Packed Up His One-Year-Old and Moved Across the Country for a Job. Here's What He Learned

  Sep 27, 202618 min

  Steve’s episode of the Working Dads Podcast premieres on YouTube October 4 . Stay tuned! Steve and his wife were both from LA. Then he took a job in New York. Packed up his one-year-old son. Moved across the country away from every friend and family member they had. And just figured it out. New Jersey. San Francisco for fifteen years. Back to New York. Back to the Bay. San Diego. And eventually back to California where it all started. In this episode Steve — C-suite tech marketing executive, husband, and dad to a son who is now out of college — gets honest about what years of travel and relocation actually does to a marriage, why he and his wife made a conscious decision to never pressure their son in areas he didn't have a passion for, and the one thing his son said to him recently that told him everything he needed to know about how it all turned out. Three things you'll learn: How Steve and his wife managed unexpected travel, relocation, and career pressure without losing each other — and why communication wasn't just important, it was everything The parenting philosophy Steve and his wife applied from day one — knowing what your kid is actually good at, setting realistic expectations, and never projecting your own ambitions onto them What Steve's adult son recently said back to him that he never remembered saying out loud — and why it's the clearest sign that the values actually stuck About Steve Steve is a C-suite marketing executive with a career rooted in tech and advertising. He and his wife grew up in LA, raised their son across multiple cities including New Jersey, the San Francisco Bay Area, and San Diego, and have recently settled back in California. His son is out of college and — by every measure that matters — turned out exactly right. About Working Dads Working Dads is the podcast for fathers figuring out work, family, and everything in between. Every week host Johnathan Grzybowski sits down with working dads — founders, executives, investors, and everyday fathers — for honest conversations about the guilt, the grind, the marriage, the money, and what it actually takes to build a career and a family without dropping the ball on either. New episode every week Subscribe to Built During Bedtime — our weekly newsletter for working dads Join the community — Slack and Facebook group Subscribe & Connect Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6aicwtpAEKrXfeViWeCESn?si=sP-QFbZETneBRIGUuoXC1w Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/free-ideas/id1082216467 YouTube/Tiktok/Instagram: @workingdadsco Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/workingdadsco/ Website: workingdads.co For dads figuring out work, family, and everything in between. Nobody prepares you for this. Not the guilt of leaving for work when your kid is still asleep. Not the pressure of providing for a family while trying to build something that actually matters. Not the identity crisis that hits when you realize you're not just the guy who grinds anymore — you're somebody's dad. And that changes everything. I started Working Dads because I lived that. I'm co-founder of Penji, husband to Emily, and dad to a two-year-old who already has more energy than I do. I've been bootstrapping a company for over a decade and I still don't have it all figured out. But I've learned that the most dangerous thing a working dad can do is try to figure it out alone. So every week I sit down with founders, executives, investors, and everyday dads who are in the thick of it. We talk about the real stuff. The marriage conversations you keep avoiding. The financial pressure nobody admits to. The moment your kid looks up at you and you realize you've been somewhere else even though you've been standing right there. We've also got Built During Bedtime — my weekly newsletter for working dads. The one thing I write after my daughter goes to sleep. Straight to your inbox. No fluff. And we've got a community. Slack channel and Facebook group full of dads who get it. The kind of guys you can be honest with. The kind of friendships that actually go somewhere. Come find your people. Working Dads. For dads figuring out work, family, and everything in between.

  ListenShow Notes
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  Episode #346

  22 Years Married. Two Kids Living on Their Own. Here's What He Did Right. |

  Sep 20, 202621 min

  Three things you'll learn: The one word Chris says is the real secret to a long marriage — and why it's not love, communication, or compatibility How Chris used sales to raise his kids — from dinner table negotiations to ordering their own food at age five in controlled stranger interactions that built real confidence Why Chris says the most important thing a parent can do is stop shielding their kids from the consequences of their own behavior — and what happens to kids whose parents never let them feel it What we cover: 00:00 — Introduction Chris Yeager, real estate professional, sales veteran of multiple decades, husband of 22 years, and father of a 21-year-old son and 20-year-old daughter 00:00 — The secret to 22 years It's not love. It's gratitude. Why feeling lucky to have your partner — and actually showing it — is what gets you through the hard times 00:00 — Wife of ten siblings, husband of two The adjustment from a small family to a big one. And why being aligned on the big picture stuff has always been the foundation 00:00 — She quit her job when the kids were born The financial sacrifice. The commute into Charlotte in the dark. The months where sales was up and the months where it wasn't. And why knowing the big picture made it easier 00:00 — Daycare and social work How his wife found the perfect solution — working in daycare with their kids right there — and why it was great for her mental health and the family's finances simultaneously 00:00 — Sales at the dinner table Informal sales lessons by osmosis. Teaching his kids to close. And why his daughter learned to ask the closing question before she knew what it was 00:00 — Ordering their own food at age five Making kids talk to strangers in controlled environments. Restaurants. Phone orders for pizza. Why discomfort at five makes confidence at twenty-five 00:00 — Kids living on their own Son moving six hours away by choice. Daughter heading to Raleigh. And why Chris calls this his proudest moment as a father 00:00 — Don't shield them The one piece of advice Chris would give every new dad. Let them feel the consequences of their behavior. Be the backstop — not the shield. About Chris Yeager Chris Yeager is a real estate professional and lifelong sales veteran based in Charlotte, North Carolina. He has been married for twenty-two years, is the father of a 21-year-old son and 20-year-old daughter, and has spent his career in sales and sales management across multiple industries. He is a former college athlete, a competitive by nature, and a working dad who believes the dinner table is the best sales training ground there is. LinkedIn: [Chris's LinkedIn] About Working Dads Working Dads is the podcast for fathers figuring out work, family, and everything in between. Every week host Johnathan Grzybowski sits down with working dads — founders, executives, investors, and everyday fathers — for honest conversations about the guilt, the grind, the marriage, the money, and what it actually takes to build a career and a family without dropping the ball on either. No gurus. No highlight reels. Just real talk. New episode every week Subscribe to Built During Bedtime — our weekly newsletter for working dads Join the community — Slack and Facebook group Subscribe & Connect Spotify: [link] Apple Podcasts: [link] YouTube: [link] Newsletter: [link] Slack: [link] Facebook Group: [link] LinkedIn: [link] Website: [link] For dads figuring out work, family, and everything in between. Nobody prepares you for this. Not the guilt of leaving for work when your kid is still asleep. Not the pressure of providing for a family while trying to build something that actually matters. Not the identity crisis that hits when you realize you're not just the guy who grinds anymore — you're somebody's dad. And that changes everything. I started Working Dads because I lived that. I'm co-founder of Penji, husband to Emily, and dad to a two-year-old who already has more energy than I do. I've been bootstrapping a company for over a decade and I still don't have it all figured out. But I've learned that the most dangerous thing a working dad can do is try to figure it out alone. So every week I sit down with founders, executives, investors, and everyday dads who are in the thick of it. We talk about the real stuff. The marriage conversations you keep avoiding. The financial pressure nobody admits to. The moment your kid looks up at you and you realize you've been somewhere else even though you've been standing right there. We've also got Built During Bedtime — my weekly newsletter for working dads. The one thing I write after my daughter goes to sleep. Straight to your inbox. No fluff. And we've got a community. Slack channel and Facebook group full of dads who get it. The kind of guys you can be honest with. The kind of friendships that actually go somewhere. Come find your people. Working Dads. For dads figuring out work, family, and everything in between.

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #344

  Laid Off With a 7-Month-Old at Home. Here's What He Did Next

  Sep 13, 202627 min

  Three things you'll learn: What Joe did in the first three months after his layoff that made everything worse — and the moment his wife called him out that finally changed things Why Joe says he'd take a pay cut to spend more time with his kids — and what that decision says about the shift happening in this generation of working dads The bedtime routine Joe and his wife built that isn't just about sleep — it's about making sure his kids feel safe enough to talk to him when they're older What we cover: 00:00 — Introduction Joe, IT professional of 18+ years, stepfather to an 11-year-old, and dad to a 2-year-old son and 3-and-a-half-year-old daughter 00:00 — The layoff that broke him Daughter was seven months old. Wife became the provider. Depression, anxiety, obsession with job searching — and going to the gym every day while still taking two naps a day. 00:00 — His wife calling him out The conversation that finally snapped him back. She's not gonna be this young forever. That line changed everything. 00:00 — Getting out of the rut Fishing with a friend. Fresh air. Movement. And why stopping the obsession was the thing that finally worked. 00:00 — Four layoffs and counting What getting laid off four times teaches you about resilience, identity, and what actually matters as a working dad 00:00 — The income stream question ATR Payroll. A fitness coaching business. Multiple streams. And the math behind building enough that your family has options. 00:00 — I'd take a pay cut to be present The line that stopped the conversation. Why Joe said it. And what it means for every working dad listening. 00:00 — The bedtime routine Reading a story. Asking how their day was. Giving kids the openness now so they'll talk to you when it actually matters. 00:00 — Phones in the car The one move Joe makes when they go out as a family. No reason to go back and get it. 00:00 — Date night and staying connected Monthly goal. Softball schedules that get in the way. And why tomorrow night matters. 00:00 — Parting words Take a breath. Step back. Get the thousand foot view. You're not perfect and you don't have to be. About Joe Joe is an IT professional with 18-plus years of experience, a stepfather to an 11-year-old, and a father of two young children. He is also building a side business with ATR Payroll and previously launched a fitness coaching brand. He is a husband, a bowling league regular, and a working dad who has been laid off four times and come back every single time. LinkedIn: [Joe's LinkedIn] About Working Dads Working Dads is the podcast for fathers figuring out work, family, and everything in between. Every week host Johnathan Grzybowski sits down with working dads — founders, executives, investors, and everyday fathers — for honest conversations about the guilt, the grind, the marriage, the money, and what it actually takes to build a career and a family without dropping the ball on either. No gurus. No highlight reels. Just real talk. New episode every week Subscribe to Built During Bedtime — our weekly newsletter for working dads Join the community — Slack and Facebook group Subscribe & Connect Spotify: [link] Apple Podcasts: [link] YouTube: [link] Newsletter: [link] Slack: [link] Facebook Group: [link] LinkedIn: [link] Website: [link] For dads figuring out work, family, and everything in between. Nobody prepares you for this. Not the guilt of leaving for work when your kid is still asleep. Not the pressure of providing for a family while trying to build something that actually matters. Not the identity crisis that hits when you realize you're not just the guy who grinds anymore — you're somebody's dad. And that changes everything. I started Working Dads because I lived that. I'm co-founder of Penji, husband to Emily, and dad to a two-year-old who already has more energy than I do. I've been bootstrapping a company for over a decade and I still don't have it all figured out. But I've learned that the most dangerous thing a working dad can do is try to figure it out alone. So every week I sit down with founders, executives, investors, and everyday dads who are in the thick of it. We talk about the real stuff. The marriage conversations you keep avoiding. The financial pressure nobody admits to. The moment your kid looks up at you and you realize you've been somewhere else even though you've been standing right there. We've also got Built During Bedtime — my weekly newsletter for working dads. The one thing I write after my daughter goes to sleep. Straight to your inbox. No fluff. And we've got a community. Slack channel and Facebook group full of dads who get it. The kind of guys you can be honest with. The kind of friendships that actually go somewhere. Come find your people. Working Dads. For dads figuring out work, family, and everything in between.

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #345

  Runs a Company With His Wife. Here's How They Haven't Killed Each Other

  Sep 6, 202626 min

  Three things you'll learn: How Bernard and his wife divided the business — sales vs. strategy, laundry vs. big picture — and why knowing your lane is the only way a husband-wife business actually survives Why Bernard says his teenagers seeing his daily struggle is one of the greatest gifts he can give them — and what he hopes they say about him when it's all said and done The one word Bernard says is the secret to navigating a business, a marriage, and two teenagers all at once — and why rigid systems will always break you What we cover: 00:00 — Introduction Bernard Nasouli, co-owner of iEmergent, husband, father of a 16-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter 00:00 — Building a business with your wife Third tour with the company. Married in 2004. Kids in 2009 and 2012. And the question everyone asks: how do you work with your spouse every day? 00:00 — Survive and advance The motto that runs the household and the business. What happens when you're already at capacity and there's nobody left to offload to. 00:00 — Knowing your lane Sales is Bernard's. Strategy is hers. Laundry is his — and don't touch his system. How clear domains keep the peace at home and at work. 00:00 — The mortgage industry timing Founded in 2000. Right into the mortgage meltdown. Then DuPont. Then back in 2015. And why he kept coming back. 00:00 — Coaching both kids in flag football Coming out of retirement to coach his 13-year-old daughter. The horse shows. The school functions. And why entrepreneurship made all of it possible. 00:00 — Holding kids accountable vs. holding employees accountable Why you can tell your kid to clean their room directly — and why you absolutely cannot do that with an employee. 00:00 — Teenagers seeing the struggle Full transparency with the kids about what running a business actually costs. And why Bernard thinks that's one of the best things he can do for their future. 00:00 — The acquisition conversation Growing to the point of attracting buyers. What changes when another party's interests enter the room. And why building to sell is a completely different business. 00:00 — The professor quote Don't play the game you find. Change the game you play. Why that line shaped every decision Bernard has made. 00:00 — The legacy Two happy kids who looked back and said they were loved — and were in awe of what their parents built. About Bernard Nasouli Bernard Nasouli is the co-owner of iEmergent, a data and forecasting company serving the mortgage industry. He grew up in Maryland, has lived in Iowa for twenty years, and has been with the company through three separate stints spanning from its founding in 2000 to today. He is a husband, business partner to his wife, flag football coach, horse show dad, and father of two teenagers. LinkedIn: [Bernard's LinkedIn] iEmergent: [link] About Working Dads Working Dads is the podcast for fathers figuring out work, family, and everything in between. Every week host Johnathan Grzybowski sits down with working dads — founders, executives, investors, and everyday fathers — for honest conversations about the guilt, the grind, the marriage, the money, and what it actually takes to build a career and a family without dropping the ball on either. No gurus. No highlight reels. Just real talk. New episode every week Subscribe to Built During Bedtime — our weekly newsletter for working dads Join the community — Slack and Facebook group Subscribe & Connect Spotify: [link] Apple Podcasts: [link] YouTube: [link] Newsletter: [link] Slack: [link] Facebook Group: [link] LinkedIn: [link] Website: [link] For dads figuring out work, family, and everything in between. Nobody prepares you for this. Not the guilt of leaving for work when your kid is still asleep. Not the pressure of providing for a family while trying to build something that actually matters. Not the identity crisis that hits when you realize you're not just the guy who grinds anymore — you're somebody's dad. And that changes everything. I started Working Dads because I lived that. I'm co-founder of Penji, husband to Emily, and dad to a two-year-old who already has more energy than I do. I've been bootstrapping a company for over a decade and I still don't have it all figured out. But I've learned that the most dangerous thing a working dad can do is try to figure it out alone. So every week I sit down with founders, executives, investors, and everyday dads who are in the thick of it. We talk about the real stuff. The marriage conversations you keep avoiding. The financial pressure nobody admits to. The moment your kid looks up at you and you realize you've been somewhere else even though you've been standing right there. We've also got Built During Bedtime — my weekly newsletter for working dads. The one thing I write after my daughter goes to sleep. Straight to your inbox. No fluff. And we've got a community. Slack channel and Facebook group full of dads who get it. The kind of guys you can be honest with. The kind of friendships that actually go somewhere. Come find your people. Working Dads. For dads figuring out work, family, and everything in between.

  ListenShow Notes

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