Startup Dad

Amit Shah is the COO of Virta Health, a company on a mission to reverse Type 2 diabetes, and a dad to two young children. As a high-level executive and father, Amit has navigated the challenge of balancing his demanding career with raising a family. In this conversation, he shares his approach to intentional parenting, the value of shared family principles, and how he prioritizes both work and home life in his fast-paced world. We discussed:

• The power of partnership: How Amit and his wife, Bijal, support each other in their careers while raising two young kids.
• Balancing career and family: The conscious decisions Amit and Bijal made to ensure their careers and family life could thrive together, despite the challenges.
• Shared values in parenting: Amit’s approach to instilling values like kindness, curiosity, and persistence in his children and how he aligns with his wife on these principles.
• Parenting through trade-offs: The sacrifices Amit has made to maintain work-life alignment, including how they manage time, travel, and childcare logistics.
• Raising resilient kids: Amit’s thoughts on teaching his kids resilience through boundaries and handling disappointment.
• The importance of structure: How Amit uses his love for operations and structure to maintain balance and ensure his family’s needs are met.

Where to find Amit Shah

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amitrshah1/ 

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 Amit Shah, COO at Virta Health

(03:49) The decision to start a family: career executives navigating parenthood

(06:11) Shared values and partnership: aligning family and career priorities

(07:59) Logistics and support systems: the power of the one calendar rule

(29:35) Advice for career-focused executives considering parenthood

(32:46) Facing the inevitable trade-offs: making parenting and career work together

(33:16) Aligning family and career priorities: finding balance in a busy life

(34:07) Parallels between work and family: applying business skills to parenting

(34:49) Supportive work environment: the impact of a family-friendly workplace

(36:01) Favorite books to read to kids: Amit’s go-to parenting reads

(45:00) Balancing nutrition and health for kids: Amit’s approach to healthy eating

(49:34) Negotiating parenting styles: challenges and compromises in raising kids

(50:46) Fun and challenges of parenting: Amit’s personal parenting philosophy
(54:49) Lightning round: the diaper genie, minivans, and other parenting hacks

Resources From This Episode:

Virta Health: https://www.virtahealth.com/

Diaper Genie: https://www.diapergenie.com/

Minivans (Toyota Sienna): https://www.toyota.com/sienna/

Giraffes Can’t Dance (Book): https://www.amazon.com/Giraffes-Cant-Dance-Giles-Andreae/dp/0545392551 

Wonderbly (Personalized Books): https://www.wonderbly.com/

Cat & Jack (Target Clothing Brand): https://www.target.com/b/cat-jack/-/N-qqqgm 

Khan Academy Kids (App): https://learn.khanacademy.org/khan-academy-kids/

—

Support Startup Dad

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

Lee Robinson is the VP of Developer Education at Cursor, one of the fastest-growing AI developer tools in the world. Before Cursor, he spent five years at Vercel helping define how modern developers learn and build on the web.

He’s also a husband and a dad to a young daughter, with a second daughter on the way. When I first invited Lee on the show, he had a five-month-old baby and felt like he was deep in the trenches of new parenthood. Nearly a year later, we finally sat down to talk about what that first year of fatherhood was really like.

In this episode, Lee shares how becoming a dad changed his perspective on work, ambition, empathy, and priorities. He talks about parenting while working inside hypergrowth startups, navigating family planning with an intense career, setting boundaries, sharing the load at home, and how Lee thinks about AI, education, and raising kids in a rapidly changing world. We discussed:

• Becoming a dad inside hypergrowth startups: What it was like navigating new parenthood while working at two of the fastest-growing companies in tech.
• Questioning readiness for fatherhood: How uncertainty, self-doubt, and honest conversations with his wife shaped the decision to start a family.
• Miscarriage and pregnancy anxiety: The emotional challenges that came before their first daughter and how it changed Lee’s perspective on control and fear.
• Setting boundaries without losing ambition: Why prioritizing health and family actually made Lee better at his job, not worse.
• Sharing the load at home: How Lee and his wife divide responsibilities, protect evening routines, and make remote work actually work for their family.
• Raising kids in an AI-powered world: Lee’s thoughts on education, curiosity, and why he wants his daughters to believe they can build and shape the future.

Where to find Lee Robinson

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leeerob/ 
• X: https://x.com/leerob
• YT: https://www.youtube.com/@leerob
• Website: www.leerob.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 Lee Robinson, VP of Developer Education at Cursor

(01:05) The first year of fatherhood: how becoming a dad changed everything

(03:06) Building inside two hypergrowth startups while raising a young family

(06:17) Deciding to have kids: timing, doubt, and tough conversations

(09:31) Parenting with an intense career: fears vs reality

(15:10) Deciding to start a family: timing, anxiety, and hard conversations

(20:12) What becoming a dad changed that Lee didn’t expect

(28:16) Sharing the load at home: dividing responsibilities with intention

(32:07) Protecting family time without sacrificing ambition

(35:13) Seeing my wife become an incredible mom

(37:34) Parenting challenges we’re still figuring out

(39:47) Empathy after becoming a dad: seeing the world differently

(43:46) AI and education: how Lee thinks about raising kids in a new era

(53:07) Looking ahead to 2026: family, work, and optimism

(54:02) Lightning round: parenting products, minivans, and dad life

Resources From This Episode:

Cursor: https://cursor.com/ 

Vercel: https://vercel.com/ 

ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com/ 

Baby bottle washer: https://a.co/d/aGUSOwn 

Toy Story (Film): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114709/ 

Finding Nemo (Film): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0266543/  

—

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

Pranav Piyush is the co-founder and CEO of Paramark, a marketing analytics company, and a dad to two young children. On his entrepreneurial journey, Pranav has faced health challenges, raised kids without a local support network, and balanced family life with the demands of running a startup. In this conversation, he shared his parenting philosophy alongside his founder wisdom. We discussed:

• The hero at home: How Pranav’s wife, Charu, has played a key role in supporting his entrepreneurial journey and balancing family life.
• Startup struggles and family life: The challenges Pranav faced starting a company with two young kids and without a local support system.
• The balance of 9-9-6: Pranav’s personal take on balancing work and parenting by dedicating quality time to his kids, especially on weekends.
• Parenting through health challenges: How a major health scare for one of his daughters shaped his perspective on family and resilience.
• Challenging kids to think: Pranav’s approach to fostering curiosity and critical thinking in his children, including using trivia and custom GPT tools.
• Building responsibility and agency: Why Pranav believes it’s crucial to instill a sense of personal accountability and how he applies this in his parenting.

Where to find Pranav Piyush

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pranavp/ 
• X: https://x.com/pranavpiyush
  
  

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 Pranav Piyush, Co-Founder and CEO at Paramark

(02:10) The hero at home: how Pranav’s wife supports his entrepreneurial dreams

(06:02) Raising a family as immigrants: the challenges and rewards

(22:03) Parenting principles: joining your kids in fun activities and creating memories

(25:38) Challenging your kids: encouraging curiosity and critical thinking

(30:24) Enjoying the small moments: family time, digital detox, and connecting

(32:52) Education: why pranav believes it’s broken and needs change

(33:20) Boredom in school: how it reflects a systematic issue

(34:52) Solutions beyond school: the search for engaging education

(35:49) The role of AI in education: will technology revolutionize learning?

(36:30) Why college still matters: the importance of traditional education

(41:25) Teaching personal accountability: how pranav instills responsibility in his kids

(45:11) Technology and kids: setting boundaries and encouraging real-world experiences

(47:16) Exciting family plans: what’s next for Pranav and his kids

(49:57) Lightning round: the SNOO, unlimited iPad time, and other parenting hacks

Resources From This Episode:

Paramark: https://paramark.com/ 

SNOO (and other Happiestbaby products): https://www.happiestbaby.com/ 

Zootopia 2 (Film): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5042066/ 

Back to the Future (Film): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088763/

Taylor Swift (Artist/Music): https://www.taylorswift.com/

The Warriors (Basketball Team): https://www.nba.com/warriors/

CocoMelon (TV Show): https://www.cocomelon.com/

Toyota Sienna (Car Model): https://www.toyota.com/sienna/ 

Honda Odyssey (Car Model): https://www.honda.com/odyssey 

GTMN (Podcast): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gtmn/id1845001203  

Brandformance (Podcast): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brandformance/id1746064786  

—

Support Startup Dad

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

Jason Smith is the Co-Founder and CEO of Klue, an AI-powered competitive intelligence platform. He’s a five-time startup founder, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, and a father of two daughters. But his most transformative experience wasn’t raising capital or scaling companies. It was stepping away from it all to travel the world with his wife and kids.

When his daughters were just 8 and 9, Jason and his wife quit their jobs, pulled the kids out of school, and spent a full year traveling across 11 countries. We discussed:

• Leaving work to reconnect: What prompted Jason to walk away from startup life and plan a year-long trip around the world with his wife and two daughters.
• When things go wrong: Why Jason believes travel disasters make the best family memories and how they used setbacks to teach adaptability and problem-solving.
• Building deep connections off-grid: How spending 24/7 together changed their family dynamic, from independent dinners to hard conversations.
• Teaching self-reliance through discomfort: Jason shares his philosophy on preparing kids for the real world and why he sees challenge as essential, not optional.
• From startup grind to dad mode: The binary approach Jason takes to work and parenting, and why he believes being all-in matters more than balance.
• How his daughters see him now: Why watching their dad work hard, and then totally disconnect, influenced how his kids think about careers, failure, and ambition.

Where to find Jason Smith

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/onemoresmith/  

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) Welcoming Jason Smith, Co-Founder and CEO at Klue

(01:09) What sparked a year-long trip around the world

(02:21) How planning the journey went from 6 weeks to 12 months

(05:08) The wild story of renting their house before quitting their jobs

(06:33) Early travel struggles and breakthrough moments

(09:54) Teaching kids on the road and bringing learning to life

(12:48) Volunteering in Peru and breaking the privilege bubble

(17:03) Favorite travel memories and embracing the unexpected

(24:51) Why real connection takes getting off the grid

(36:17) How his daughters see startups and business now

(39:35) Navigating AI and the new rules of work

(41:15) Building resilience by leaning into hard things

(46:27) United front parenting and avoiding the ‘ask mom, ask dad’ trap

(48:26) How the parent-child relationship evolves over 20 years

(51:44) Teaching work ethic and financial independence

(01:00:49) Lightning round: parenting quirks, movie picks, and minivan takes

Resources From This Episode:

Klue: https://klue.com/ 

Jason’s Travel Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1vMnTDHe6c 

One More Smith (Jason’s Blog): https://onemoresmith.com/ 

Jolly Jumper: https://jollyjumper.com/ 

The Matrix (Film): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0133093/ 

Frozen (Film): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2294629/ 

Support Startup Dad

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

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/ 

—

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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