In this heartfelt episode of Hot Topics, hosts J. Fotsch and Will Cox sit down with Zach Troutman—coach, community leader and founder of Follow the Leader—to discuss the impact of intentional fatherhood, mentorship and vulnerability. Zach opens up about growing up without his dad, losing his best friend to suicide and how these experiences shaped his mission to provide stability, openness and support for his children and others.

Key points include the power of transparency in fatherhood, how grief can be channeled into advocacy and mentorship and why dads must model emotional awareness for their kids. Zach also shares how his approach to parenting—screen-free weekdays, consistent structure and honest conversations—helps build strong, emotionally resilient sons. Through his coaching and suicide prevention work, he inspires others to love deeply, lead intentionally and step in as father figures where needed.

Episode Highlights

[02:56] – "Being their dad has opened me up because I don't want any of the dirtiness inside of me to get on them."

[05:57] – "I wanted to keep Adam's name alive… to create safe spaces for students, adults, businesses."

[10:39] – "Sometimes people don't understand—like, I can't meet you where you're at if I don't know where you're at."

[17:58] – "God, if they make a mistake today, let it be their mistake and not because they followed someone."

[25:23] – "I don't want my kids to ever think their Blackness is a handicap. I'm like, no—it's a superpower."

[30:54] – "It is literally set up for us to be mediocre parents... but being a great father, you gotta be intentional."

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