Dad Up Podcast

🎙️ Welcome to a new episode of the Dad Up Podcast!

🟫 Habits Of Confident Fathers | Christopher Brown & Bryan Ward | Ep. 330

👉 In this episode of the Dad Up Podcast, Bryan Ward sits down with Christopher Brown.

👉 Christopher A. Brown is the President of National Fatherhood Initiative® (NFI), where he leads the organization’s strategy, operations, and fundraising efforts.

👉 Since joining NFI in 2000, Christopher has been instrumental in establishing the organization as the nation’s leading provider of fatherhood education, evidence-based programs, and training for professionals who serve families.

👉 An applied anthropologist, author, and nationally recognized fatherhood expert, Christopher has dedicated his career to studying masculinity, fatherhood, and men’s health across cultures.

👉 He has developed many of NFI’s evidence-based and evidence-informed fatherhood programs and continues to train organizations nationwide on effectively engaging fathers in their services and communities.

👉 Christopher is the author of numerous journal articles and book chapters focused on child health and family well-being.

👉 His highly anticipated first book, The 24:7 Dad: 12 Habits of Confident Fathers, was released in 2026 and offers practical wisdom for dads seeking to lead their families with confidence and purpose.

👉 A sought-after media expert, Christopher has been featured by the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, Nick Jr. Magazine, CNN, and has appeared on countless fatherhood and family-focused podcasts and webinars.

👉 In recognition of his impact, he received the 2024 Outstanding Fatherhood Leadership Award from the National Partnership for Community Leadership.

👉 Christopher is the proud father of two daughters, a grandfather, and lives with his wife in the Austin, Texas area.

👉 Follow the Dad Up Podcast for more conversations on fatherhood, leadership, and becoming the man your family needs.

👉 Like this episode? Be sure to subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and share it with your friends and families you know that may be trying to successfully coparent.

👉 Links are in my bio or in the show notes!

Dad Up!

Where Fathers Break Cycles & Build Legacies.

📞 Contact with Bryan Ward:

✅ Dad Up Instagram:

https://instagram.com/daduppodcast

✅ Dad Up YouTube:

https://youtube.com/c/DadUpPodcast

✅ Dad Up Apple Podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dad-up-podcast/id1486764562

✅ Dad Up LinkTree:

https://linktr.ee/Daduptribe

📞 Contact with Christopher Brown:

✅ Christopher Brown’s Website:

http://confidentfathers.com/

🎙️ Welcome to a new episode of the Dad Up Podcast!

🟫 Balancing Personal Passions With Family Life | Dr. Corey Holmes & Bryan Ward | Ep. 329

👉 In this episode of the Dad Up Podcast, Bryan Ward sits down with Dr. Corey Holmes.

👉 Dr. Corey W. Holmes is a distinguished foreign affairs expert, educator, and devoted father whose career has spanned both the executive and legislative branches of the U.S. government.

👉 He holds a Ph.D. in African Studies from Howard University, an MBA, and a bachelor’s degree from Clark Atlanta University. In addition to his government service, Dr. Holmes has shared his expertise as an adjunct professor at both Howard University and New York University.

👉 A Fulbright and Boren Scholar with extensive international experience, Dr. Holmes has contributed thought-provoking work to publications including the London School of Economics blog and leading South African academic journals. His writing uniquely blends deep scholarly insight with practical wisdom and real-world application.

👉 Originally from Detroit, Michigan, Dr. Holmes now resides in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, with his family. Beyond his professional accomplishments, he is passionate about golf, fine spirits, and cigars, interests he views as opportunities to cultivate meaningful relationships and create moments of reflection.

👉 As a husband, father, educator, and global thinker, Dr. Holmes brings a powerful perspective on leadership, purpose, and the delicate balance of career, personal passions, and fatherhood.

👉 Follow the Dad Up Podcast for more conversations on fatherhood, leadership, and becoming the man your family needs.

👉 Like this episode? Be sure to subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and share it with your friends and families you know that may be trying to successfully coparent.

👉 Links are in my bio or in the show notes!

Dad Up!

Where Fathers Break Cycles & Build Legacies.

📞 Contact with Bryan Ward:

✅ Dad Up Instagram:

https://instagram.com/daduppodcast

✅ Dad Up YouTube:

https://youtube.com/c/DadUpPodcast

✅ Dad Up Apple Podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dad-up-podcast/id1486764562

✅ Dad Up LinkTree:

https://linktr.ee/Daduptribe

📞 Contact with Dr. Corey Holmes:

✅ Corey Holmes Website:

Golf, Cigars, & Scotch

✅ Corey Holmes LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/corey-holmes

🎙️ Welcome to a new episode of the Dad Up Podcast!

🟫 Ambitious Dads | Jeff Hittner & Bryan Ward | Ep. 328

👉 In this episode of the Dad Up Podcast, Bryan Ward sits down with Jeff Hittner.

👉 Jeff Hittner is an executive coach, leadership expert, entrepreneur, and founder of Ambitious Dads, a movement dedicated to helping fathers lead with greater purpose, presence, and emotional intelligence both at home and in their careers.

👉 With more than 25 years of experience building leadership programs and coaching executives around the world, Jeff has worked with CEOs, global organizations, nonprofit leaders, and emerging executives to create healthier cultures and stronger leadership.

👉 Jeff’s journey into fatherhood deeply shaped his mission. After learning he could not become a biological father, he was forced to redefine what fatherhood truly meant.

👉 That experience became the foundation for his work helping modern dads navigate the tension between ambition, family, identity, and emotional well-being.

👉 Today, he is the proud father of two boys and uses his personal story to inspire fathers to lead with authenticity, courage, and connection.

👉 Prior to founding Ambitious Dads, Jeff launched IBM’s global Corporate Social Responsibility consulting practice and served as a leadership professor for the Bard MBA in Sustainability program.

👉 He has also coached leaders on six continents and designed leadership initiatives for mission-driven organizations worldwide.

👉 Through coaching, speaking, writing, and his Ambitious Dads podcast, Jeff is helping redefine success for a new generation of fathers, proving that leadership at home matters just as much as leadership at work.

👉 Follow the Dad Up Podcast for more conversations on fatherhood, leadership, and becoming the man your family needs.

👉 Like this episode? Be sure to subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and share it with your friends and families you know that may be trying to successfully coparent.

👉 Links are in my bio or in the show notes!

Dad Up!

Where Fathers Break Cycles & Build Legacies.

📞 Contact with Bryan Ward:

✅ Dad Up Instagram:

https://instagram.com/daduppodcast

✅ Dad Up YouTube:

https://youtube.com/c/DadUpPodcast

✅ Dad Up Apple Podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dad-up-podcast/id1486764562

✅ Dad Up LinkTree:

https://linktr.ee/Daduptribe

📞 Contact with Jeff Hittner:

✅ Jeff Hittner LinkTree:

https://linktr.ee/ambitiousdads

✅ Jeff Hittner Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/hittdog

🎙️ Welcome to a new episode of the Dad Up Podcast!

🟫 Why Trauma Is Misunderstood | Veronica Thompson & Bryan Ward | Ep. 327

👉 In this episode of the Dad Up Podcast, Bryan Ward sits down with Veronica Thompson.

👉 Veronica Thompson, LCSW, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Trauma Therapist, committed Christian, and survivor of childhood sexual abuse.

👉 For more than two decades, she has dedicated her life to helping children, teens, adults, and families navigate the devastating effects of sexual abuse and trauma while finding a path toward healing and restoration.

👉 Veronica uniquely combines Biblical truth with trauma-informed clinical care, helping Christians better understand trauma, PTSD, abuse, and recovery, without spiritualizing pain or minimizing Scripture.

👉 Her compassionate and evidence-based approach creates space for healing that honors both the nervous system and the Word of God.

👉 Throughout her career, Veronica has equipped churches, leaders, families, and individuals to respond to suffering with discernment, courage, truth, and compassion.

👉 She is passionate about helping faith communities become safe, informed, and healing-centered spaces where survivors can truly be seen, heard, and supported.

👉 Veronica earned her Master of Science in Social Work from Columbia University in New York, where she also minored in Law.

👉 She received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, Connecticut.

👉 With wisdom, grace, and deep professional insight, Veronica offers faith-based clinical tools for healing while helping families recognize, prevent, and respond to childhood sexual abuse.

👉 Follow the Dad Up Podcast for more conversations on fatherhood, leadership, and becoming the man your family needs.

👉 Like this episode? Be sure to subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and share it with your friends and families you know that may be trying to successfully coparent.

👉 Links are in my bio or in the show notes!

Dad Up!

Where Fathers Break Cycles & Build Legacies.

📞 Contact with Bryan Ward:

✅ Dad Up Instagram:

https://instagram.com/daduppodcast

✅ Dad Up YouTube:

https://youtube.com/c/DadUpPodcast

✅ Dad Up Apple Podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dad-up-podcast/id1486764562

✅ Dad Up LinkTree:

https://linktr.ee/Daduptribe

📞 Contact with Veronica Thompson:

✅ Veronica Thompson’s Website:

http://veronicathompson.com

✅ Veronica Thompson’s Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/veronicathompsonlcsw/

🎙️ Welcome to a new episode of the Dad Up Podcast!

🟫 Dad Can You Not? | Chip Leighton & Bryan Ward | Ep. 326

👉 In this episode of the Dad Up Podcast, Bryan Ward sits down with Chip Leighton a powerful voice known for his bold humor, real-life storytelling, and unapologetic take on personal growth.

👉 Chip has built a platform that cuts through the noise, using both comedy and truth to challenge men to take ownership of their lives, their mindset, and their role as fathers.

👉 We dive deep into what it really means to break generational cycles and step into the responsibility of leadership within your home.

👉 Chip shares his perspective on discipline, identity, and the importance of showing up consistently, even when it’s hard, inconvenient, or uncomfortable.

👉 This conversation isn’t about perfection, it’s about progress, accountability, and becoming the man your family needs you to be.

👉 We also unpack the power of humor as a tool for connection, how to navigate adversity without losing yourself, and why so many men stay stuck and how to break out of it.

👉 Chip brings both energy and authenticity to this episode, offering practical insights and mindset shifts that every dad can apply immediately.

👉 If you’re serious about leveling up, leading with intention, and building a legacy your kids will be proud of, this episode will hit home.

👉 Follow the Dad Up Podcast for more conversations on fatherhood, leadership, and becoming the man your family needs.

👉 Like this episode? Be sure to subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and share it with your friends and families you know that may be trying to successfully coparent.

👉 Links are in my bio or in the show notes!

Dad Up!

Where Fathers Break Cycles & Build Legacies.

📞 Contact with Bryan Ward:

✅ Dad Up Instagram:

https://instagram.com/daduppodcast

✅ Dad Up YouTube:

https://youtube.com/c/DadUpPodcast

✅ Dad Up Apple Podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dad-up-podcast/id1486764562

✅ Dad Up LinkTree:

https://linktr.ee/Daduptribe

📞 Contact with Chip Leighton:

✅ Chip Leighton’s Book:

https://theleightonshow.com/book/

✅ Chip Leighton’s Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/the_leighton_show

✅ Chip Leighton’s YouTube:

https://youtube.com/@leightonshow

✅ Chip Leighton’s Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/theleightonshow

🎙️ Welcome to a new episode of the Dad Up Podcast!

🟫 When Fathers Lead | Jeff Hamilton & Bryan Ward | Ep. 325

👉 In this episode of the Dad Up Podcast, Bryan Ward sits down with Jeff Hamilton, pastor, championship coach, father, and founder of Dad Academy, to talk about what it truly means to lead as a man in today’s world.

👉 Jeff shares powerful insights on faith-driven fatherhood, leadership in the home, raising resilient kids, and why the greatest championship a man can win is inside his own family.

👉 As both a pastor at Hills Church OC and a championship-level coach, Jeff has spent decades mentoring young men and fathers to live with purpose, discipline, and faith.

👉 Through his platform Dad Academy, Jeff helps men grow into stronger fathers by focusing on faith, discipline, and intentional leadership in the home.

👉 His message centers on one simple belief: the most important championship a man will ever win is the one inside his own family.

👉 Jeff’s work continues to impact fathers, coaches, and leaders who want to build stronger families and raise the next generation with character, resilience, and faith.

👉 If you’re a dad who wants to break cycles, build legacy, and become the father your kids truly need, this episode will challenge and inspire you.

👉 Follow the Dad Up Podcast for more conversations on fatherhood, leadership, and becoming the man your family needs.

👉 Like this episode? Be sure to subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and share it with your friends and families you know that may be trying to successfully coparent.

👉 Links are in my bio or in the show notes!

👉 Comment below: What did leading as a father means to you?

Dad Up!

Where Fathers Break Cycles & Build Legacies.

📞 Contact with Bryan Ward:

✅ Dad Up Instagram:

https://instagram.com/daduppodcast

✅ Dad Up YouTube:

https://youtube.com/c/DadUpPodcast

✅ Dad Up Apple Podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dad-up-podcast/id1486764562

✅ Dad Up LinkTree:

https://linktr.ee/Daduptribe

📞 Contact with Jeff Hamilton:

✅ Jeff Hamilton’s LinkTree:

https://linktr.ee/hamilton_jeff

✅ Jeff Hamilton’s Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/hamilton_jeff

✅ Jeff Hamilton’s Dad Academy:

Parenting | Dad Academy | United States

🎙️ Welcome to a new episode of the Dad Up Podcast!

🟫 Leading As A Father Without Losing Yourself | Kenyada Meadows & Bryan Ward | Ep. 324

👉 In this episode of the Dad Up Podcast, I sit down with Kenya Meadows,

👉 Kenyada Meadows believes the old model of dominance, control, and self-sacrifice is broken and it’s costing men their families, their health, and their humanity.

👉 Kenyada is a financial services executive, governance expert, board member, and leadership coach with over 25 years leading audit, risk, and compliance across some of the world’s most demanding Wall Street institutions.

👉 He’s a Harvard Business School alumnus, author, and Master Certified Executive Coach, holding CPA, CIA, and CFE credentials.

👉 Kenyada mastered the traditional playbook, outworking, outlasting, outperforming, until life forced a reckoning.

👉 As senior leadership responsibilities collided with fatherhood and caring for an ailing parent, he confronted the hidden cost of success and questioned whether well-being could survive on the margins.

👉 That turning point led him to develop The New Alpha, a powerful framework built on three pillars: Home, Work, and Self.

👉 This approach redefines leadership through balance, emotional integrity, and presence, where vulnerability becomes strength and wholeness becomes the true measure of success.

👉 Today, we’re talking about how men can lead with purpose, show up fully at home, and succeed at work, without losing themselves in the process.

👉 Follow the Dad Up Podcast for more conversations on fatherhood, leadership, and becoming the man your family needs.

👉 Like this episode? Be sure to subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and share it with your friends and families you know that may be trying to successfully coparent.

👉 Links are in my bio or in the show notes!

👉 Comment below: What did leading as a father mean to you?

Dad Up!

Where Fathers Break Cycles & Build Legacies.

📞 Contact with Bryan Ward:

✅ Dad Up Instagram:

https://instagram.com/daduppodcast

✅ Dad Up YouTube:

https://youtube.com/c/DadUpPodcast

✅ Dad Up Apple Podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dad-up-podcast/id1486764562

✅ Dad Up LinkTree:

https://linktr.ee/Daduptribe

📞 Contact with Kenyada Meadows:

✅ Kenyada Meadows’s Website:

Executive Parent Company

✅ Kenyada Meadows’s Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/100bookeverything

✅ Kenyada Meadows’s LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenyadameadows

🎙️ Welcome to a new episode of the Dad Up Podcast!

🟫 Raising Kids Beyond The Scoreboard | Harvey Araton & Bryan Ward | Ep. 323

👉 In this episode of the Dad Up Podcast, I sit down with Harvey Araton, New York Times best-selling author, award-winning sports journalist, and co-producer of the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary “When The Garden Was Eden.”

👉 With over 25 years writing for The New York Times and ten powerful books behind him, Harvey brings unmatched insight to sports, life, and legacy.

👉 Now, Harvey is speaking directly to young readers and families with his upcoming middle-grade novel, “The Goal of the Game,” releasing December 2025 through Koehler Books.

👉 We dive into how storytelling impacts youth, what sports can teach parents today, and how resilience shows up on and off the field.

👉 If you’re a dad, coach, athlete, sports fan, or parent wanting to raise resilient kids, this conversation is packed with perspective you won’t want to miss.

👉 Follow the Dad Up Podcast for more conversations on fatherhood, leadership, and becoming the man your family needs.

👉 Like this episode? Be sure to subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and share it with your friends and families you know that may be trying to successfully coparent.

👉 Links are in my bio or in the show notes!

Dad Up!

Where Fathers Break Cycles & Build Legacies.

📞 Contact with Bryan Ward:

✅ Dad Up Instagram:

https://instagram.com/daduppodcast

✅ Dad Up YouTube:

https://youtube.com/c/DadUpPodcast

✅ Dad Up Apple Podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dad-up-podcast/id1486764562

✅ Dad Up LinkTree:

https://linktr.ee/Daduptribe

📞 Contact with Harvey Araton:

✅ Harvey Araton’s Website:

Harvey Araton - Home

✅ Harvey Araton’s Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/harveyjaraton

✅ Harvey Araton’s Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/harvey.araton

🎙️ Welcome to a new episode of the Dad Up Podcast!

🟫 The Mozy Story | Charlie Sherts & Bryan Ward | Ep. 322

👉 In this episode of the Dad Up Podcast, I’m joined by Charlie Sherts, a seasoned medical device engineer and inventor with over 20 years of experience bringing innovative products to market.

👉 But Charlie’s most meaningful invention didn’t start in a lab, it started on the sidelines of his kids’ outdoor sports games, watching his own mother shiver through cold, windy afternoons just to support her grandkids.

👉 That moment sparked the creation of Mozy, a patented, weatherproof thermal wrap that uses the laws of heat transfer and thermodynamics to keep you up to 500% warmer than traditional blankets, without batteries, cords, or external heat sources.

👉 Drawing from his deep background in medical device engineering, Charlie designed Mozy to be:

• ​ Safe (no external power or electronics)
• ​ Reliable (durable and weatherproof)
• ​ Intuitive (30-second setup)
• ​ Simple (powered by your own body heat)

👉 Mozy has since been featured in Rolling Stone, Outside Magazine, and Today Show, proving that some of the most impactful innovations are born from deeply personal family moments.

👉 This conversation dives into fatherhood, problem-solving, empathy, and what happens when dads use their skills not just to build products, but to build legacies.

👉 Follow the Dad Up Podcast for more conversations on fatherhood, leadership, and becoming the man your family needs.

👉 Like this episode? Be sure to subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and share it with your friends and families you know that may be trying to successfully coparent.

👉 Links are in my bio or in the show notes!

Dad Up!

Where Fathers Break Cycles & Build Legacies.

📞 Contact with Bryan Ward:

✅ Dad Up Instagram:

https://instagram.com/daduppodcast

✅ Dad Up YouTube:

https://youtube.com/c/DadUpPodcast

✅ Dad Up Apple Podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dad-up-podcast/id1486764562

✅ Dad Up LinkTree:

https://linktr.ee/Daduptribe

📞 Contact with Charlie Sherts:

✅ Charlie Shert’s Website:

https://getthemozy.com/blogs/news/from-the-brrr-ainchild-how-i-use-my-own-mozy

✅ Charlie Shert’s Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/get_the_mozy?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

✅ Charlie Shert’s Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/getthemozy?mibextid=wwXIfr&mibextid=wwXIfr

👉 What happens when you achieve everything you were told would make you happy and still feel empty?

👉 In this powerful episode of the Dad Up Podcast, I sit down with Thomas Blottenberger, founder of The Risk Reward Agency, to unpack why so many outwardly successful men feel inwardly stuck, disconnected, and unfulfilled.

👉 After a 15-year career as a financial advisor, Thomas realized something most men never slow down enough to confront: money doesn’t fix fractured marriages, unprocessed trauma, or a loss of identity. Success can hide the problem, but it can’t heal it.

👉 We dive deep into:

• Why financial success often masks emotional disconnection

• The hidden cost of validation-driven leadership

• How unprocessed trauma shows up in marriage and fatherhood

• Radical honesty, responsibility, and emotional mastery

• What it truly means to lead yourself before leading your family

• The difference between achievement and alignment

• Why men must rise emotionally not just professionally

👉 Blending insights from neuroscience, the Warrior’s Way, and his own story of emotional and spiritual rebirth, Thomas shares how men can reconnect, rebuild trust, and lead their homes with clarity and purpose.

👉 This conversation is real, raw, and deeply necessary for any man who wants more than surface-level success, especially husbands and fathers committed to breaking cycles and building legacies.

👉 Follow the Dad Up Podcast for more conversations on fatherhood, leadership, and becoming the man your family needs.

👉 Like this episode? Be sure to subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and share it with your friends and families you know that may be trying to successfully coparent.

👉 Links are in my bio or in the show notes!

Dad Up!

Where Fathers Break Cycles & Build Legacies.

📞 Contact with Bryan Ward:

✅ Dad Up Instagram:

https://instagram.com/daduppodcast

✅ Dad Up YouTube:

https://youtube.com/c/DadUpPodcast

✅ Dad Up Apple Podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dad-up-podcast/id1486764562

✅ Dad Up LinkTree:

https://linktr.ee/Daduptribe

📞 Contact with Thomas Blottenberger:

✅ Thomas Blottenberger’s Website:

Welcome To The Paradigm Shift

✅ Thomas Blottenberger’s Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/mr.blottenberger

✅ Thomas Blottenberger’s LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasblottenberger