Dr. Emilio Galán is a former medical student, entrepreneur, and now a full-time stay-at-home dad. He took a drastic turn in his career, moving from building a successful AI-driven company to focusing on family life after stepping away from the startup world. Dr. Galán shares how he navigated autoimmune health challenges, the difficult decision to leave his medical career behind, and the challenges of being a stay-at-home parent to his young children. We discussed:

• The pivot from entrepreneurship to fatherhood: Dr. Emilio Galán’s decision to leave his startup career behind and become a stay-at-home dad after stepping away from his company.
• Balancing health challenges with career demands: How Dr. Galán manages four autoimmune conditions and the toll his previous career took on his body.
• Building a family-first life: The struggles and rewards of becoming a full-time parent to two young children and how this shift allowed him to reconnect with his family.
• The philosophy of “Wipe the Butt”: Dr. Galán explains his approach to parenting, teaching responsibility, and maintaining boundaries while staying emotionally available to his kids.
• Finding contentment in the "dopamine desert": How Dr. Galán adjusted to life without the constant hustle of the startup world and learned to find joy in small, everyday moments.
• Self-care as a priority: How Dr. Galán incorporates practices like flexibility exercises and the Happy Body method to manage his physical and mental well-being while raising his kids.

Where to find Dr. Emilio Galán

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emiliogalan/ 
• X: https://x.com/emilio_galan
  
  

Where to find Adam Fishman

• FishmanAF Newsletter: www.FishmanAFNewsletter.com 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/ 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupdadpod/ 

In this episode, we cover:
(00:00) Welcome Dr. Emilio Galán, former co-founder of Robin Healthcare, now a stay at home dad

(03:03) Early life and aspirations of becoming a doctor

(06:12) The struggles and realities of medical school

(09:04) Founding Robin: the start of his entrepreneurial journey

(12:51) Transitioning from startup life to stay-at-home dad

(17:26) Finding balance: self-care, family, and health

(21:16) Navigating parenthood, resentment, and expectations

(31:51) Advice for founders who are parents

(37:43) The long-awaited family project: creating meaningful work

(38:49) Understanding emotions, needs, and communication

(39:34) Creative expression and setting requests in parenting

(42:21) Celebrating personal growth and change as a dad

(43:55) Contrarian take: why shyness doesn’t exist

(47:08) Contrarian take: the “Wipe the Butt” philosophy

(50:51) The taco episode: a parenting breakdown moment

(58:21) Lightning round: parenting insights and funny dad moments

Resources From This Episode:

The Happy Body Method: https://thehappybody.com/the-happy-body-program/ 

Jordan Peterson: https://www.jordanbpeterson.com/

Brene Brown: https://brenebrown.com/

Gabor Maté: https://drgabormate.com/

Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy: https://www.selfleadership.org/

Nonviolent Communication: https://www.cnvc.org/

Alexa: https://alexa.amazon.com/

Google Home: https://store.google.com/us/product/google_home 

Land Before Time (Fil): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100507/

Jumanji (1995) (Film): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113497/

Dead Poets Society (Film): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097165/

Patch Adams (Film): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0129290/

Frida Baby (Butt Frida): https://www.fridababy.com/products/windi-the-wind-reliever 

Frida Baby (Nose Frida): https://www.fridababy.com/products/nosefrida-the-snot-sucker 

—

Support Startup Dad

For sponsorship inquiries, email: [email protected].
For Startup Dad Merch: www.startupdadshop.com

Michael Goodbody is the former Global Head of Marketing & Communications at Robinhood, CMO at Dave, and VP Marketing  at Credit Karma. A year ago, he resigned from his executive job at Robinhood to homeschool his children while traveling to 21 countries in just nine months.

Michael, a British expat married to a German partner, shares what it was like stepping away from a demanding executive career to prioritize global experiences with his family and a deep connection with his kids. We discussed:

• Ditching routine for the unknown: What drove Michael and his wife to finally say yes to a long-held dream of traveling the world with their kids.
• Homeschooling while abroad: How they navigated state regulations, picked a suitable curriculum, and stayed on track academically from Tanzania to China.
• Teaching math in paradise: Michael shares what it was like to turn a beach in French Polynesia into a classroom and how he helped his daughter jump two grade levels in math.
• Genetic testing and pregnancy stress: The emotional rollercoaster of discovering a rare genetic match mid-pregnancy and what they learned from it.
• Redefining success: Why Michael believes happiness matters more than grades or accolades, and how he’s shaping his parenting philosophy around presence over pressure.
• Parenting far from family: The pros and cons of raising kids without extended family nearby and why Michael and his wife chose to stay in the US.

Where to find Michael Goodbody

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelgoodbody/ 
• Twitter: https://x.com/mcgunome

Where to find Adam Fishman

• FishmanAF Newsletter: www.FishmanAFNewsletter.com 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/ 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupdadpod/ 

In this episode, we cover:
(00:00) Introducing Michael Goodbody, former Global Head of Marketing & Communications at Robinhood

(01:06) Leaving a top exec job to homeschool and travel

(02:36) Quitting Robinhood and chasing a dream

(05:04) Homeschooling logistics across 21 countries

(07:35) How they planned financially for a year off

(09:46) Learning through travel: science, history, and volcanoes

(22:50) Safari in Tanzania and chasing pandas in China

(26:28) What it’s like coming home after the journey

(29:28) A genetic testing scare during pregnancy

(33:50) Why fatherhood surprised Michael in a good way

(36:42) What he’d tell his pre-dad self

(40:05) Two principles that guide Michael’s parenting

(44:31) A/B testing parenting styles with two kids

(47:57) Redefining success for your kids

(52:02) Using AI to win parenting arguments

(58:20) Lightning round: parenting quirks, travel hacks, and dad skills

Resources From This Episode:

Robinhood: https://robinhood.com/ 

Generation Genius: https://www.generationgenius.com/ 

Waldorf Education: https://www.waldorfeducation.org/ 

Alexa: https://alexa.amazon.com/ 

Curious Kid (Podcast): https://www.curiouskidpodcast.com/ 

Greeking Out (Podcast): https://www.nationalgeographic.com/podcasts/greeking-out 

Million Bazillion (Podcast): https://www.marketplace.org/shows/million-bazillion 

Crystal Palace F.C.: https://www.cpfc.co.uk/ 

Short Circuit (Film): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091949/ 

Raiders of the Lost Ark (Film): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082971/ 

—

Support Startup Dad

For sponsorship inquiries email: [email protected].
For Startup Dad Merch: www.startupdadshop.com

Andrew Song is the co-founder of Make Sunsets, a climate startup working to slow global warming by deploying reflective aerosols in the stratosphere. A longtime startup operator, Andrew has spent his career taking contrarian paths, from early work in AI to now building one of the most debated climate interventions in the world. At Make Sunsets, he focuses on translating complex science into practical action, raising capital through unconventional channels, and pushing forward a mission-driven company designed to buy humanity time as temperatures rise.

But Andrew’s most demanding role is being a full-time single dad to his two young sons. After gaining sole custody due to their mother’s struggles with bipolar disorder, Andrew has learned to navigate parenting, entrepreneurship, and mental health advocacy all at once. Living in the Bay Area near extended family, he relies on community, resilience, and regimented prioritization to raise his boys while building a startup on hard mode. We discussed: 

• Why climate change became personal: How Andrew’s motivation to cool the planet is rooted in building a safer future for his kids.
• Building a startup on hard mode: What it’s like to raise venture capital, run a climate company, and be a full-time single dad at the same time.
• Navigating mental health and custody: Andrew’s experience gaining sole custody of his sons and why normalizing conversations around mental illness matters.
• Creating a village of support: How living near family and leaning on community makes single parenting and entrepreneurship possible.
• Choosing purpose over comfort: Why Andrew believes it’s possible to live modestly in the Bay Area while prioritizing meaningful work.
• Raising resilient, curious kids: From RV road trips to using AI as a learning tool, how Andrew encourages independence, curiosity, and grit at home.

Where to find Andrew Song

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajsong/ 
• Twitter: https://x.com/ASong408

Where to find Adam Fishman

• FishmanAF Newsletter: www.FishmanAFNewsletter.com 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/ 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupdadpod/ 

In this episode, we cover:
(00:00) Introducing Andrew Song, co-founder at Make Sunsets

(02:25) What Make Sunsets does and why Andrew started the company

(04:05) How reflective aerosols work to cool the planet

(07:01) Funding climate tech through individual “climate dads”

(09:04) From AI to climate intervention: Andrew’s unconventional career path

(10:49) Almost becoming a Catholic priest and choosing fatherhood instead

(13:27) Gaining sole custody and navigating parenting amid mental illness

(17:36) Explaining a parent’s absence to young children with honesty

(19:28) The isolation of being a single-dad-founder and seeking community

(20:47) Building a startup while raising two kids alone

(23:24) Living modestly in the Bay Area on a startup salary

(30:06) Relying on family support and rebuilding the “village”

(35:55) Traveling the West Coast in an RV with toddlers

(45:37) Lightning round: Legos, road trips, AI, and minivans

Resources From This Episode:

Make Sunsets: https://www.makesunsets.com/
Termination Shock - Neal Stephenson: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57094295-termination-shock
Terraform Industries: https://www.terraformindustries.com/
Y Combinator: https://www.ycombinator.com/
Bloomberg: https://www.bloomberg.com/
ChatGPT: https://chat.openai.com/
Sora: https://openai.com/sora
Alva Learning App (Educational app used by Andrew’s kids): https://www.alvalearning.com/
Scale AI: https://scale.com/
Monarch Money (Personal finance app Andrew references): https://www.monarchmoney.com/
World Book Encyclopedia: https://www.worldbook.com/
Doom: https://doom.com/
Pinocchio: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1488589/
Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076759/
Joshua Tree National Park: https://www.nps.gov/jotr/index.htm
iPad: https://www.apple.com/ipad/

—

Support Startup Dad

For sponsorship inquiries email: [email protected].
For Startup Dad Merch: www.startupdadshop.com

This special episode looks back at the most powerful moments from Startup Dad in 2025. Host Adam Fishman reflects on a year of raw, honest conversations with 46 founders, operators, and leaders who are also Dads (and sometimes, Moms) navigating the chaos of startup life while raising families.

From redefining balance and sharing mental load to leading through crises and building parenting systems that actually work, this episode captures the hard-earned wisdom from a community trying to do both: build companies and raise kids without losing their minds. We discussed: 

• What balance really means: Why Startup Dad guests reject work-life balance in favor of integration, trade-offs, and showing up fully wherever they are.
• Systems that protect what matters: From calendar blocks to structured rituals, the frameworks Dads use to stay present and sane.
• Raising resilient kids: Why letting kids fail, struggle, and make decisions is key to building confidence and grit.
• Mental load and invisible work: How Dads are learning to share not just chores, but the cognitive labor of running a household – and how far we still have to go.
• Building true partnerships: What it takes to communicate clearly, divide responsibilities, and support each other in parenting and work.
• Letting kids lead: From college choices to daily decisions; why modern fatherhood means preparing kids to own their path.

Where to find Adam Fishman

• FishmanAF Newsletter: www.FishmanAFNewsletter.com 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/ 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupdadpod/ 

In this episode, we cover:
(00:00) Startup Dad’s biggest year yet and what’s coming next

(02:12) Why balance is a myth and integration is the goal

(09:23) Letting kids struggle so they grow stronger

(13:54) When everything falls apart and you keep going anyway

(21:55) What it really means to be the lead parent

(25:41) The invisible work that’s burning parents out

(30:05) Tech boundaries that actually work at home

(37:37) Guardrails for parenting when you’re tired and overwhelmed

(44:31) Becoming a dad doesn’t happen all at once

(47:05) Helping your kid own their journey after high school

(50:09) Making marriage and startups work at the same time

(52:10) Why you need a village (even if it’s a group chat)

Support Startup Dad

For sponsorship inquiries email: [email protected].
For Startup Dad Merch: www.startupdadshop.com

Daniel Borok is a Managing Partner at nvp capital, an early-stage venture firm investing in founders building the next generation of vertical AI companies. With a focus on B2B applications, Dan spends his days meeting visionary entrepreneurs, making high-conviction bets at the pre-seed and seed stages, and helping early teams build durable companies. Before nvp, he held operating and investing roles across finance and tech, giving him a sharp eye for both product-market fit and founder grit.

But Dan’s most demanding portfolio companies might be his two young kids. He and his wife, Abby, a real estate investor, are raising their family in Manhattan’s West Village, just blocks from where he grew up. Whether he’s sprinting to catch the school bus, navigating dual-career logistics, or caddying for his daughter in junior golf tournaments, Daniel brings the same thoughtful, systems-driven mindset to parenting as he does to investing. We discussed:

• Why mornings are sacred: How Daniel and his wife start every day as a family, despite their busy careers.
• Balancing careers and family: From nannies to grandparent backup, Dan shares how they manage the scheduling puzzle.
• Letting kids fail on the golf course: Dan reflects on caddying for his daughter and learning to let go of control.
• Raising kids in New York City: Why Dan believes the city is one of the best places for kids to grow up.
• The importance of practice at work and home: Lessons from sports that translate into career and parenting growth.
• Why he tracks family time like OKRs: Dan shares the analog system he uses to ensure he’s prioritizing what matters most.

Where to find Daniel Borok

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dborok/ 
• X: https://x.com/danielborok

Where to find Adam Fishman

• FishmanAF Newsletter: www.FishmanAFNewsletter.com 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/ 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupdadpod/ 

In this episode, we cover:
(00:00) Introducing Daniel Borok, Managing Partner at nvp capital

(02:10) Balancing two careers in a dual-working household

(04:35) How the family manages childcare and travel schedules

(07:10) Starting a family later in life

(08:45) Raising kids in Manhattan vs. the suburbs

(14:40) The family’s big sports focus and weekend logistics

(17:34) Dan’s experience as his daughter’s golf caddy

(20:12) Most surprising parts of parenting

(23:43) How Dan thinks about tech exposure for his kids

(26:26) Using a weekly checklist like OKRs for parenting

(30:35) How he uses AI to reflect on weekly habits

(35:01) How he uses AI tools with his kids

(37:39) Helping kids discover their passions

(39:31) Applying sports practice frameworks to venture investing

(42:03) Lightning round: walkie-talkies, golf tees, dishwasher chaos

Resources From This Episode:

nvp capital: https://nvpcap.com/ 

The Disengaged Teen (Book by Jenny Anderson and Rebecca Winthrop): https://www.thedisengagedteen.com/ 

Training a Tiger (Book by Earl Woods): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/546636.Training_a_Tiger 

Atomic Habits (Book by James Clear): https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits 

Scooby Doo, Where Are You! (TV Show): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063950/ 

Bunk’d (TV Show): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4591680/ 

The Goonies (Film): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089218/ 

iPad: https://www.apple.com/ph/ipad/ 

—

Support Startup Dad
For sponsorship inquiries email: [email protected].
For Startup Dad Merch: www.startupdadshop.com

Oji Udezue is an AI Product Expert at ProductMind, and a veteran product leader with more than 25 years of experience across Typeform, Twitter, Calendly, Atlassian, Bridgewater, and Microsoft. He’s known for his deep thinking on product craft, leadership, and the future of work. He’s also the co-author (with his wife, Ezinne Udezue)  of Building Rocket Ships, a guide for builders and operators navigating high-stakes decision-making in fast-moving environments.

In this episode, we explore Oji’s philosophy on parenting through the lens of resilience, how it’s shaped, why it matters, and the role adversity plays in preparing kids for the real world. Oji shares a perspective informed by his multicultural upbringing, his frameworks for fostering independence, and the intentional choices he and his wife have made while raising two teenagers in a dual-career household. We discussed:

• Building resilience: What resilience means to Oji and why discomfort and challenge are essential for kids.
• Independence through decisions: How his 10,000-hour framework helps kids practice choice-making and responsibility.
• Learning through mistakes: Why micro-failures matter and how parents can stop rescuing children from small consequences.
• Kids as expanders: How children rise to expectations and adapt when treated as capable from an early age.
• Shepherding, not owning: Why parents should guide their kids’ path rather than shape them as extensions of themselves.
• Balancing careers and family: How he and his wife navigate dual careers and maintain steady routines and connections.

Where to find Oji Udezue

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ojiudezue/ 
• X: https://x.com/ojiudezue
• Website: https://www.productmind.co/
  
  

Where to find Adam Fishman

• FishmanAF Newsletter: www.FishmanAFNewsletter.com 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/ 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupdadpod/ 

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) Introducing Oji Udezue

(03:12) Starting a family while holding high-pressure, fast-growing careers

(05:26) Early parenting years: maintaining identity and bringing kids into adult life

(07:16) Defining resilience and why modern parenting often gets it wrong

(10:45) The 10,000 hours of independent decisions framework

(13:16) Lessons from Nigerian boarding school and developing early autonomy

(17:15) Letting kids fail safely: micro-failures, consequences, and growth

(19:51) Evaluating resilience through reactions under pressure

(22:31) Kids and career visibility: why children don’t care what you do for work

(24:27) Individuation: why Oji’s teens want their own paths, not his

(26:21) Rituals, routines, and staying connected in a dual-career household

(28:13) Advice for new parents: clarity of purpose, instinct, and overcoming fear

(31:17) Core parenting frameworks: oxygen mask, expanders, and shepherds

(43:10) AI, technology, and raising creative lateral thinkers in a changing world

(50:19) Lightning round: humor, parenting quirks, and closing reflections

Resources From This Episode:

Building Rocket Ships (Book by Oji Udezue & Ezinne Udezue): https://a.co/d/0nMe2WM  

ProductMind (Substack Newsletter): https://productmind.substack.com/ 

ProductMind.co (Website): https://productmind.co/ 

Lenny’s Podcast (Episode featuring Oji & Ezinne): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-ai-is-reshaping-the-product-role

The Time Machine (Book by H.G. Wells): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2493.The_Time_Machine

Typeform: https://www.typeform.com/

Calendly: https://calendly.com/

Atlassian: https://www.atlassian.com/

Bridgewater Associates: https://www.bridgewater.com/

Microsoft: https://www.microsoft.com/

Amazon Echo: https://www.amazon.com/echo 

Big Hero 6 (Film): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2245084/

—

Support Startup Dad
For sponsorship inquiries email: [email protected].
For Startup Dad Merch: www.startupdadshop.com

Allison Daminger is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she specializes in gender, family dynamics, and social inequality. She’s also the author of What’s on Her Mind: The Mental Workload of Family Life, which explores the often invisible cognitive labor that drives the daily operations of households.

In this episode, we talk about the concept of cognitive labor, how it’s defined, why it’s disproportionately placed on women in heterosexual partnerships, and the emotional and mental toll it takes. Allison shares insights from her years of research, including interviews with over 170 individuals in diverse family structures, shedding light on how cognitive labor impacts both professional and personal lives. We discussed:

• What is Mental Load and Cognitive Labor: Defining and explaining these concepts and her research.
• Understanding cognitive labor: How the mental work of anticipating needs, making decisions, and following through often falls disproportionately on women.
• Real-world examples: The everyday household tasks where cognitive labor shows up and how couples can divide this invisible work more equally.
• The Superhuman and The Bumbler: How gendered expectations shape household dynamics, with women often taking on the “Superhuman” role and men the “Bumbler” role.
• Breaking the mental load myth: Why cognitive labor isn’t about personality traits but about societal pressures and norms that influence how responsibilities are shared at home.
• Strategies for rebalancing: Practical ways couples can collaborate on household responsibilities, including setting up routines, improving communication, and managing expectations.

Where to find Allison Daminger

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisondaminger/ 
• Website: https://www.allisondaminger.com/
• Substack: https://allisondaminger.substack.com/
  
  

Where to find Adam Fishman

• FishmanAF Newsletter: www.FishmanAFNewsletter.com 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/ 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupdadpod/ 

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) Introducing Allison Daminger, assistant professor of sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison

(02:44) Defining cognitive labor in the home and workplace
(04:27) Real-life examples of cognitive labor
(07:56) The invisible mental load: What it means for parents
(13:42) Research on cognitive labor and family dynamics
(19:53) Household dynamics and gender roles in domestic labor
(26:01) Rationalizing the imbalance in cognitive labor at home
(46:56) Exploring gender roles in household leadership
(48:11) Motherhood and cognitive labor: The unseen work
(48:43) Ideologies vs realities of balanced households
(49:15) Career dynamics and household roles: The juggling act
(49:54) Challenges in achieving cognitive labor equality
(55:04) Balanced households: Structures for satisfaction
(01:15:36) Personal insights and reflections on cognitive labor

(01:27:47) Lightning Round: Final Thoughts and Quick Tips

Resources From This Episode:

What's On Her Mind (Book by Allison Daminger): https://www.amazon.com/Whats-Her-Mind-Mental-Workload/dp/069124538X 

The Daminger Dispatch (Newsletter): https://allisondaminger.substack.com/
The Second Shift (Book by Arlie Hochschild): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51848.The_Second_Shift
Fair Play (Book by Eve Rodsky): https://www.amazon.com/Fair-Play-Game-Changing-Solution-When/dp/0525541942 

Love To Dream Swaddle: https://lovetodream.com/ 

The Little Mermaid: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097757/ 

University of Wisconsin, Madison: https://www.wisc.edu/

NYT Wirecutter: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/gifts/

—

Support Startup Dad
For sponsorship inquiries email: [email protected].
For Startup Dad Merch: www.startupdadshop.com

Jamie Nacht is the co-founder and CEO of Havium, a company he built from the ground up with his wife and co-founder, Cristin. Together, they’re raising two young kids while juggling the nonstop realities of startup life, marriage, and modern parenting, all as a fully integrated team.

In this episode, Jamie shares his honest and often hilarious take on building a company with your spouse, creating parenting systems that actually work, and why sometimes the best way to help your kid process big emotions is to scream right along with them. We discussed: 

• The value of routines and structure: How simple systems like Pizza Friday and bedtime rituals help reduce friction and create predictability for young kids.
• Why “screaming it out” works: Jamie shares how he defuses tantrums by yelling alongside his kids, helping them process their emotions without shame.
• Teaching negotiation and responsibility: From chore taxes to bedtime story debates, Jamie’s approach helps his kids understand how the world really works.
• Practicing perspective as a parenting superpower: Whether it’s a hard week at work or spilled art projects, Jamie explains how he reframes moments to build resilience.
• “Anything is possible” parenting: How Jamie’s confidence borders on delusional (his wife’s words), and why he’s intentionally passing that belief on to his kids.

Where to find Jamie Nacht

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamienacht/ 
• Website: https://havium.com/

Where to find Adam Fishman

• FishmanAF Newsletter: www.FishmanAFNewsletter.com 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/ 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupdadpod/ 

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) Introducing Jamie Nacht, co-founder and CEO of Havium

(01:56) Building a startup with your spouse while raising kids

(06:58) Parenting frameworks that actually work

(07:05) Why perspective is Jamie’s superpower

(09:32) How much of your kid’s personality is already baked in

(15:06) Pretending to be a mermaid changed my parenting

(27:51) Teaching negotiation and real-world responsibility

(33:34) Your kids hear everything (even when you think they don’t)

(35:57) The rule we use for yelling in our house

(37:25) Giving kids tech that’s just annoying enough

(40:04) Using AI to make custom coloring books for your kids

(42:51) Why my in-laws moved 5 minutes away

(48:09) The bond with your kid doesn’t always start right away

(51:58) What I hope my kids learn from me

(56:35) Lightning Round: Must-haves, Laughs, and Dad hacks

Resources From This Episode:

Havium: https://havium.com/

Do Not Ring Doorbell Sign: https://a.co/d/4AK9A3j 

Amazon Fire 7 Kids Tablet: https://a.co/d/glUlvO5 

Bluey (TV Show): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7678620/ 

Sword In The Stone (Film): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057546/ 

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (Film): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091042/ 

The Little Mermaid: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5971474/

Migration: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6495056/?ref_=fn_t_1

Kia EV: https://www.kia.com/us/en/ev

—

Support Startup Dad
For sponsorship inquiries email: [email protected].
For Startup Dad Merch: www.startupdadshop.com

Dave Simnick is the founder and CEO of Soapbox, a company with a mission to provide personal care products while donating soap to those in need. He's also a husband and the father of a one-year-old son, Noah.

Listen to the whole episode for an amazing discount code at Soapbox! 

In this episode, Dave shares insights about the changes he faced when becoming a parent and how he’s adjusted his role as a CEO to manage his new responsibilities at home. We talked about the systems he and his wife have in place, the challenges of balancing work and parenting, and his personal frameworks for being a present and intentional Dad. We discussed:

• Parenting adjustments: How becoming a dad led Dave to shift his focus and say no to professional commitments to be more present with his son.
• Family support systems: The importance of clear communication and shared responsibilities with his wife to manage their dual-working household.
• Time management lessons: How being a parent has made Dave more intentional with his time, balancing professional and personal priorities.
• Parenting frameworks: The trifecta of clear communication, consistent boundaries, and overflowing affection, all modeled after his experience in education.
• Leadership lessons from fatherhood: How watching Noah learn to walk has taught Dave about perseverance and leadership.

Where to find Dave Simnick

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidsimnick/ 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidsimnick/
• Soapbox: https://www.soapboxsoaps.com/ 

Where to find Adam Fishman

• FishmanAF Newsletter: www.FishmanAFNewsletter.com 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/ 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupdadpod/ 

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) Welcome Dave Simnick, founder and CEO at Soapbox, and Dad of one

(02:12) Preparing for fatherhood as a CEO

(05:47) Adjusting time management after becoming a parent

(07:07) Saying no to professional commitments for family time

(09:05) Balancing work and parenting responsibilities

(11:12) Family systems for a dual-working household

(13:39) Learning from being a parent: the surprising aspects

(15:36) Time management hacks post-parenthood

(17:04) Parenting frameworks: communication, boundaries, and affection

(19:36) Embracing imperfection in parenting

(22:39) Leadership lessons from fatherhood

(25:09) Advice for younger self about parenting

(30:53) Parenting disagreements and challenges

(33:00) Soapbox’s mission and global impact

(37:10) Parenting superpower: joy

(41:00) Lightning Round: Parenting hacks and travel tips

Resources From This Episode:

Soapbox: https://www.soapboxsoaps.com/
Teach for America: https://www.teachforamerica.org/
Bum Brush (Poop Spatula): https://a.co/d/2ONUFid
Bluey: https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/shows/bluey
Mulan: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1856101/
The Sandlot: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108037/
Kia Carnival: https://www.kia.com/us/en/carnival
Kia Telluride: https://www.kia.com/us/en/telluride 

Mike Malloy’s episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJ9K0oR1nt4

Discount code: startupdad15

Baby Brezza: https://babybrezza.com/

Tulum: https://www.tulum.com/

Little Blue Truck: https://www.littlebluetruckbooks.com/books/

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Support Startup Dad
For sponsorship inquiries, email: [email protected].
For Startup Dad Merch: www.startupdadshop.com

In this episode of Startup Dad, Adam Fishman sits down with Chet Kittleson, serial founder and co-founder of Tin Can, an analog phone for kids that helps families stay connected without screens. He’s also a dad of three, building a hardware company from his kitchen table while raising a young family in Seattle.

Chet opens up about the inspiration behind Tin Can, how his childhood landline shaped the idea, and why he believes kids need more analog connections in a digital world. He talks candidly about the challenge of being “distracted dad” while building something he’s intensely passionate about, how he and his wife run their household like a startup, and why learning to unplug is still a daily work in progress. We discussed: 

• Creating balance at home: The systems, boundaries, and frameworks that help Chet stay grounded as a founder and father.
• Lessons from failure and obsession: What Chet’s learned about being present when work and family both demand everything.
• The art of analog parenting: How Chet and his wife teach their kids healthy relationships with technology and boredom.
• Raising kids is like running a business: From household “OKRs” to making space for unstructured family time.
• Hope for the next generation: Why Chet believes we’re entering an analog revival and what it means for parents raising digital natives.

Where to find Chet Kittleson:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ckittleson/ 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tincan.kids/
• Tin Can: https://tincan.kids/  

Where to find Adam Fishman

• FishmanAF Newsletter: www.FishmanAFNewsletter.com 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/ 
• X: https://x.com/fishmanaf
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupdadpod/ 

In this episode, we cover:
(00:00) Introducing Chet Kittleson
(02:31) The childhood inspiration that sparked the idea for Tin Can
(11:13) Finding balance between family life and startup life
(13:38) Lessons learned from building, failing, and trying again
(16:21) Partnering in parenting and business with his wife
(21:34) Building Tin Can from an idea to a real product
(35:22) How parenting priorities shift as kids grow
(36:16) What team dynamics look like inside a family-led startup
(37:14) Early prototypes and how the family helped shape Tin Can
(38:50) Seeing kids’ real reactions to the analog phone
(40:02) Teaching kids to balance tech time and real-world connection
(46:38) Finding optimism and practical solutions for modern parenting challenges
(50:11) How to support Tin Can’s mission to connect families
(53:10) Lightning round: paper calendars, dad hacks, and dishwasher rules

Resources From This Episode:

Tin Can: https://tincan.kids/ 

Paper calendar: https://a.co/d/dbPXEsG 

Brooks: https://www.brooksrunning.com/ 

The Anxious Generation (book): https://www.anxiousgeneration.com/ 

Brick (app): https://getbrick.app/ 

The Hundred-Foot Journey: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2980648/ 

Chef: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2883512/ 

Toy Story: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114709/ 

The Mighty Ducks: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104868/ 

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097523/ 

Freaky Friday: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0322330/ 

Freakier Friday: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31956415/ 

The Parent Trap: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120783/ 

Little Big League: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110363/ 

Rookie of the Year: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107985/ 

The Green Mile: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120689/ 

Rewind & Play: ABC The Millennial Way (book): https://a.co/d/6GI6tdC 

Tween Magazine: https://tweenmag.com/ 

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For sponsorship inquiries, email: [email protected]
For Startup Dad Merch: www.startupdadshop.com