Working Dads

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Working Dads episodes

November 01 The Reality of Raising Kids Abroad and Coming Back to New York
In this episode, Nick Tran joins Jonathan on The Working Dads Podcast to share his candid journey as a global marketing executive and father of two. Moving back to New York City after spending three years living in London, Nick reflects on what it truly means to raise kids with a global perspective while maintaining strict family boundaries. He dives into the realities of balancing a high-level corporate career, navigating the chaotic shift from a slow European lifestyle back to the U.S. hustle, protecting children from toxic screen-time culture, and why being fully present at the dinner table matters more than any professional milestone.
Three things you'll learn:
1. How living abroad can transform your children's perspective and help them build a lifelong global mindset.
2. The practical boundaries and discipline needed to protect your family culture when returning to a fast-paced corporate environment.
3. Why strict limits on short-form screen time are critical for modern child development, and how to guide kids toward meaningful media.
What we cover:
00:00 – Introduction and the chaotic joy of the kids' first day back to school in New York
04:15 – Moving back to New York after three years living a slower, European-centric lifestyle in London
05:43 – Setting strict family boundaries: Committing to home-cooked family dinners amidst the New York hustle
07:30 – Navigating screen-time guardrails, short-form video risks, and introducing kids to classic Looney Tunes
12:10 – How a child’s unfiltered perspective influences creative problem-solving and modern marketing
14:28 – The shifting landscape of the alcohol and spirits industry: Are younger generations actually drinking less?
16:15 – Why the reason people go out has changed: Shifting from drinking-centric culture to activity-based socializing
18:35 – The post-COVID pendulum swing: Doubling down on physical activations and real-world brand experiences over AI
20:50 – The challenge for CMOs: Justifying long-term offline experiential marketing budgets to CFOs
26:00 – Transitioning across iconic companies (TikTok, Hulu, Samsung) with the ultimate goal of teaching in grad school
28:10 – Early memories: Bringing a two-year-old to work and playing with prop money guns
31:10 – How working inside tech giants completely shifted his perspective on kids and technology
34:10 – The cardboard box metaphor: Why kids don't need expensive toys, they just need your presence
35:48 – Final advice for new fathers: Cultivating true human connection in an increasingly isolated, screen-driven world
About Working Dads
Working Dads is the podcast for fathers figuring out work, family, and everything in between. Every week host Johnathan Grzybowski sits down with working dads — founders, executives, investors, and everyday fathers — for honest conversations about the guilt, the grind, the marriage, the money, and what it actually takes to build a career and a family without dropping the ball on either.
🎙 New episode every week
📩 Subscribe to Built During Bedtime — our weekly newsletter for working dads
💬 Join the community — Slack and Facebook group
Subscribe & Connect
🎧 Spotify: Working Dads
🎧 Apple Podcasts: Working Dads
📺 YouTube: @workingdadsco
👥 Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/workingdadsco/
🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/working-dads-co/
🌐 Website: workingdads.co
For dads figuring out work, family, and everything in between.
Nobody prepares you for this.
Not the guilt of leaving for work when your kid is still asleep. Not the pressure of providing for a family while trying to build something that actually matters. Not the identity crisis that hits when you realize you're not just the guy who grinds anymore — you're somebody's dad. And that changes everything.
I started Working Dads because I lived that. I'm co-founder of Penji, husband to Emily, and dad to a two-year-old who already has more energy than I do. I've been bootstrapping a company for over a decade and I still don't have it all figured out. But I've learned that the most dangerous thing a working dad can do is try to figure it out alone.
So every week I sit down with founders, executives, investors, and everyday dads who are in the thick of it. We talk about the real stuff. The marriage conversations you keep avoiding. The financial pressure nobody admits to. The moment your kid looks up at you and you realize you've been somewhere else even though you've been standing right there.
We've also got Built During Bedtime — my weekly newsletter for working dads. The one thing I write after my daughter goes to sleep. Straight to your inbox. No fluff.
And we've got a community. Slack channel and Facebook group full of dads who get it. The kind of guys you can be honest with. The kind of friendships that actually go somewhere.
Come find your people.
Working Dads. For dads figuring out work, family, and everything in between.
38 min
October 25 He Survived 9/11. Here’s What It Taught Him About Life.
David Weild IV was on the top floor of the World Trade Center just days before 9/11.
On September 11, 2021, while serving as Vice Chairman of Nasdaq and preparing to open the market, he watched the second plane hit the Twin Towers. In the chaotic days that followed, David helped lead the charge to safely reopen the U.S. markets, advocated for critical economic relief, and eventually chaired a charity dedicated to supporting children who lost parents in the tragedy. In this episode, David—former Nasdaq Vice Chairman, founder, father of three, and long-time market leader—shares a raw and deeply insightful look into leadership under pressure, family history, public policy, and raising a family through seismic historical moments.

Three things you'll learn:
1. How David navigated leading the stock market through the immediate aftermath of 9/11 while balancing the responsibilities of having a newborn baby at home.
2. The critical public policy and economic reform work David continues to lead through The Weild Foundation to improve opportunities for future generations.
3. Why David believes true fatherhood requires showing up, unconditional love, leading by example, and guiding children through their own unique strengths and challenges.

About David Weild IV
David Weild IV is a prominent American investment banker, capital markets expert, and former Vice Chairman of Nasdaq, where he ran the global listings business. Known as the "Father of the JOBS Act," he has dedicated much of his career to financial market reform and expanding economic access. He is the founder of Weild & Co. and The Weild Foundation, a father of three adult children, and resides in the Greater New York area.

About Working Dads
Working Dads is the podcast for fathers figuring out work, family, and everything in between. Every week host Johnathan Grzybowski sits down with working dads — founders, executives, investors, and everyday fathers — for honest conversations about the guilt, the grind, the marriage, the money, and what it actually takes to build a career and a family without dropping the ball on either. 🎙 New episode every week

📩 Subscribe to Built During Bedtime — our weekly newsletter for working dads
💬 Join the community — Slack and Facebook group Subscribe & Connect
🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6aicwtp...
🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
📺 YouTube/Tiktok/Instagram: @workingdadsco
👥 Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/workingdadsco/
🌐 Website: workingdads.co
For dads figuring out work, family, and everything in between.
Nobody prepares you for this.
Not the guilt of leaving for work when your kid is still asleep. Not the pressure of providing for a family while trying to build something that actually matters. Not the identity crisis that hits when you realize you're not just the guy who grinds anymore — you're somebody's dad. And that changes everything.
I started Working Dads because I lived that. I'm co-founder of Penji, husband to Emily, and dad to a two-year-old who already has more energy than I do. I've been bootstrapping a company for over a decade and I still don't have it all figured out. But I've learned that the most dangerous thing a working dad can do is try to figure it out alone.
So every week I sit down with founders, executives, investors, and everyday dads who are in the thick of it. We talk about the real stuff. The marriage conversations you keep avoiding. The financial pressure nobody admits to. The moment your kid looks up at you and you realize you've been somewhere else even though you've been standing right there.
We've also got Built During Bedtime — my weekly newsletter for working dads. The one thing I write after my daughter goes to sleep. Straight to your inbox. No fluff.
And we've got a community. Slack channel and Facebook group full of dads who get it. The kind of guys you can be honest with. The kind of friendships that actually go somewhere.
Come find your people.
Working Dads. For dads figuring out work, family, and everything in between.
36 min
October 11 What This Dad Learned About Leadership and Life After Surviving Cancer
In this episode, we sit down with a dedicated father and entrepreneur to explore his remarkable life journey. After surviving cancer three times, he shares how these life-altering experiences reshaped his perspective on fatherhood, family, and business. From navigating unexpected parenthood to building and scaling multiple successful businesses, he offers candid insights on leaning on community, effective leadership, and prioritizing what truly matters.

Three things you'll learn:
1. How overcoming severe health challenges can transform your approach to parenting and personal resilience.
2. The importance of building and leaning on a strong support network in both family life and business.
3. Strategies for stepping back, delegating, and leading with empathy as an entrepreneur and a dad.

What we cover:
00:00 - Introduction and Welcome
00:08 - Meet the Guest: Fatherhood Journey Begins
00:50 - Navigating Cancer Diagnosis and Unexpected Parenthood
02:55 - Overcoming Cancer Three Times and Finding Resilience
04:36 - Candid Conversations with Family During Difficult Times
06:24 - Facing Life-Threatening Illness While Raising Young Children
08:03 - Starting and Scaling a Business Amidst Personal Challenges
08:41 - The Importance of Community and Support Systems
09:44 - Leadership, Teamwork, and Delegation in Entrepreneurship
11:12 - Transitioning from the Restaurant Industry to Consulting and Tech
13:54 - Building Problem-Solving Businesses That Scale
16:38 - Separation of Emotion and Logic in Business Decisions
17:31 - Overcoming Small-Town Business Mindsets and Expanding Reach
19:09 - Balancing Entrepreneurship, Family, and Work-Life Flexibility
21:26 - Challenging Workplace Norms and Working Smarter
24:15 - ADHD, Systems, and Staying Organized in Business
26:55 - Parental Influence, Financial Wisdom, and Home Exchanges
29:00 - Passing On Life Lessons and Experiences to Children
30:35 - Key Advice for New and Existing Fathers
31:39 - Closing Thoughts and Appreciation

About Alex Foulkes
Alex Foulkes is the host of the Working Dads Podcast, where he engages in insightful conversations with fathers navigating the intersections of career, family, personal growth, and entrepreneurship.

About Working Dads
Working Dads is the podcast for fathers figuring out work, family, and everything in between. Every week host Johnathan Grzybowski sits down with working dads — founders, executives, investors, and everyday fathers — for honest conversations about the guilt, the grind, the marriage, the money, and what it actually takes to build a career and a family without dropping the ball on either.

🎙 New episode every week
📩 Subscribe to Built During Bedtime — our weekly newsletter for working dads
💬 Join the community — Slack and Facebook group Subscribe & Connect
🎧 Spotify: Working Dads
🎧 Apple Podcasts: Working Dads
📺 YouTube: @workingdadsco
👥 Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/workingdadsco/
🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/working-dads-co/
🌐 Website: workingdads.co
For dads figuring out work, family, and everything in between.
Nobody prepares you for this.
Not the guilt of leaving for work when your kid is still asleep. Not the pressure of providing for a family while trying to build something that actually matters. Not the identity crisis that hits when you realize you're not just the guy who grinds anymore — you're somebody's dad. And that changes everything.
I started Working Dads because I lived that. I'm co-founder of Penji, husband to Emily, and dad to a two-year-old who already has more energy than I do. I've been bootstrapping a company for over a decade and I still don't have it all figured out. But I've learned that the most dangerous thing a working dad can do is try to figure it out alone.
So every week I sit down with founders, executives, investors, and everyday dads who are in the thick of it. We talk about the real stuff. The marriage conversations you keep avoiding. The financial pressure nobody admits to. The moment your kid looks up at you and you realize you've been somewhere else even though you've been standing right there.
We've also got Built During Bedtime — my weekly newsletter for working dads. The one thing I write after my daughter goes to sleep. Straight to your inbox. No fluff.
And we've got a community. Slack channel and Facebook group full of dads who get it. The kind of guys you can be honest with. The kind of friendships that actually go somewhere.
Come find your people.
Working Dads. For dads figuring out work, family, and everything in between.
25 min
September 28 Divorce When His Son Was 6 Months Old. Here's What He Built Instead.
Nick Howe sat in a room staring at his newborn son. And knew he couldn't do it anymore. Not the marriage. Not the version of himself he'd been performing for everyone else. Not the cycle he'd watched his parents and grandparents repeat for decades. So at six months old, his son Cam became the reason Nick asked for a divorce — and the reason he started rebuilding everything from the ground up. In this episode Nick — single dad, founder of Hugs, and one of the most emotionally raw guests we've had on the show — gets honest about breaking a generational cycle, the weekly ritual he started with Cam at age four that his son's teacher is now raving about, and how that same ritual became a company built to help couples do what Nick and his son figured out between them. This one is different. And it might stay with you.
Three things you'll learn:
The weekly six-question ritual Nick started with his son at age four called Cups and Spoons — what it is, why he built it, and what it's doing for a ten-year-old that most adults still can't do at thirty
Why Nick says the microsecond between when your emotions heat up and when you explode is the most important moment in fatherhood — and how he trained himself to find it
How Nick turned a bedtime ritual into a platform for couples and therapists — and why the best company he ever built started as a conversation with a four-year-old
About Nick Howe
Nick Howe is the founder of Hugs, a relationship-building platform that helps couples and therapists deepen emotional connection and communication between sessions. He is a single dad to Cam, ten years old, and the creator of Cups and Spoons — a weekly ritual that started between a dad and his four-year-old son and grew into a company. He is based in the US and is one of the most emotionally transparent founders we've had on this show.
About Working Dads
Working Dads is the podcast for fathers figuring out work, family, and everything in between. Every week host Johnathan Grzybowski sits down with working dads — founders, executives, investors, and everyday fathers — for honest conversations about the guilt, the grind, the marriage, the money, and what it actually takes to build a career and a family without dropping the ball on either.
🎙 New episode every week
📩 Subscribe to Built During Bedtime — our weekly newsletter for working dads
💬 Join the community — Slack and Facebook group
Subscribe & Connect
🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6aicwtpAEKrXfeViWeCESn?si=sP-QFbZETneBRIGUuoXC1w
🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/free-ideas/id1082216467
📺 YouTube/Tiktok/Instagram: @workingdadsco
👥 Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/workingdadsco/
🌐 Website: workingdads.co
For dads figuring out work, family, and everything in between.
Nobody prepares you for this.
Not the guilt of leaving for work when your kid is still asleep. Not the pressure of providing for a family while trying to build something that actually matters. Not the identity crisis that hits when you realize you're not just the guy who grinds anymore — you're somebody's dad. And that changes everything.
I started Working Dads because I lived that. I'm co-founder of Penji, husband to Emily, and dad to a two-year-old who already has more energy than I do. I've been bootstrapping a company for over a decade and I still don't have it all figured out. But I've learned that the most dangerous thing a working dad can do is try to figure it out alone.
So every week I sit down with founders, executives, investors, and everyday dads who are in the thick of it. We talk about the real stuff. The marriage conversations you keep avoiding. The financial pressure nobody admits to. The moment your kid looks up at you and you realize you've been somewhere else even though you've been standing right there.
We've also got Built During Bedtime — my weekly newsletter for working dads. The one thing I write after my daughter goes to sleep. Straight to your inbox. No fluff.
And we've got a community. Slack channel and Facebook group full of dads who get it. The kind of guys you can be honest with. The kind of friendships that actually go somewhere.
Come find your people.
Working Dads. For dads figuring out work, family, and everything in between.
43 min
September 27 He Packed Up His One-Year-Old and Moved Across the Country for a Job. Here's What He Learned
Steve’s episode of the Working Dads Podcast premieres on YouTube October 4. Stay tuned!

Steve and his wife were both from LA. Then he took a job in New York. Packed up his one-year-old son. Moved across the country away from every friend and family member they had. And just figured it out. New Jersey. San Francisco for fifteen years. Back to New York. Back to the Bay. San Diego. And eventually back to California where it all started. In this episode Steve — C-suite tech marketing executive, husband, and dad to a son who is now out of college — gets honest about what years of travel and relocation actually does to a marriage, why he and his wife made a conscious decision to never pressure their son in areas he didn't have a passion for, and the one thing his son said to him recently that told him everything he needed to know about how it all turned out.
Three things you'll learn:
How Steve and his wife managed unexpected travel, relocation, and career pressure without losing each other — and why communication wasn't just important, it was everything
The parenting philosophy Steve and his wife applied from day one — knowing what your kid is actually good at, setting realistic expectations, and never projecting your own ambitions onto them
What Steve's adult son recently said back to him that he never remembered saying out loud — and why it's the clearest sign that the values actually stuck
About Steve
Steve is a C-suite marketing executive with a career rooted in tech and advertising. He and his wife grew up in LA, raised their son across multiple cities including New Jersey, the San Francisco Bay Area, and San Diego, and have recently settled back in California. His son is out of college and — by every measure that matters — turned out exactly right.
About Working Dads
Working Dads is the podcast for fathers figuring out work, family, and everything in between. Every week host Johnathan Grzybowski sits down with working dads — founders, executives, investors, and everyday fathers — for honest conversations about the guilt, the grind, the marriage, the money, and what it actually takes to build a career and a family without dropping the ball on either.
🎙 New episode every week
📩 Subscribe to Built During Bedtime — our weekly newsletter for working dads
💬 Join the community — Slack and Facebook group
Subscribe & Connect
🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6aicwtpAEKrXfeViWeCESn?si=sP-QFbZETneBRIGUuoXC1w
🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/free-ideas/id1082216467
📺 YouTube/Tiktok/Instagram: @workingdadsco
👥 Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/workingdadsco/
🌐 Website: workingdads.co
For dads figuring out work, family, and everything in between.
Nobody prepares you for this.
Not the guilt of leaving for work when your kid is still asleep. Not the pressure of providing for a family while trying to build something that actually matters. Not the identity crisis that hits when you realize you're not just the guy who grinds anymore — you're somebody's dad. And that changes everything.
I started Working Dads because I lived that. I'm co-founder of Penji, husband to Emily, and dad to a two-year-old who already has more energy than I do. I've been bootstrapping a company for over a decade and I still don't have it all figured out. But I've learned that the most dangerous thing a working dad can do is try to figure it out alone.
So every week I sit down with founders, executives, investors, and everyday dads who are in the thick of it. We talk about the real stuff. The marriage conversations you keep avoiding. The financial pressure nobody admits to. The moment your kid looks up at you and you realize you've been somewhere else even though you've been standing right there.
We've also got Built During Bedtime — my weekly newsletter for working dads. The one thing I write after my daughter goes to sleep. Straight to your inbox. No fluff.
And we've got a community. Slack channel and Facebook group full of dads who get it. The kind of guys you can be honest with. The kind of friendships that actually go somewhere.
Come find your people.
Working Dads. For dads figuring out work, family, and everything in between.
18 min
September 2022 Years Married. Two Kids Living on Their Own. Here's What He Did Right.
Three things you'll learn:
The one word Chris says is the real secret to a long marriage — and why it's not love, communication, or compatibility

How Chris used sales to raise his kids — from dinner table negotiations to ordering their own food at age five in controlled stranger interactions that built real confidence

Why Chris says the most important thing a parent can do is stop shielding their kids from the consequences of their own behavior — and what happens to kids whose parents never let them feel it
What we cover:
00:00 — Introduction
Chris Yeager, real estate professional, sales veteran of multiple decades, husband of 22 years, and father of a 21-year-old son and 20-year-old daughter
00:00 — The secret to 22 years
It's not love. It's gratitude. Why feeling lucky to have your partner — and actually showing it — is what gets you through the hard times
00:00 — Wife of ten siblings, husband of two
The adjustment from a small family to a big one. And why being aligned on the big picture stuff has always been the foundation
00:00 — She quit her job when the kids were born
The financial sacrifice. The commute into Charlotte in the dark. The months where sales was up and the months where it wasn't. And why knowing the big picture made it easier
00:00 — Daycare and social work
How his wife found the perfect solution — working in daycare with their kids right there — and why it was great for her mental health and the family's finances simultaneously
00:00 — Sales at the dinner table
Informal sales lessons by osmosis. Teaching his kids to close. And why his daughter learned to ask the closing question before she knew what it was
00:00 — Ordering their own food at age five
Making kids talk to strangers in controlled environments. Restaurants. Phone orders for pizza. Why discomfort at five makes confidence at twenty-five
00:00 — Kids living on their own
Son moving six hours away by choice. Daughter heading to Raleigh. And why Chris calls this his proudest moment as a father
00:00 — Don't shield them
The one piece of advice Chris would give every new dad. Let them feel the consequences of their behavior. Be the backstop — not the shield.
About Chris Yeager
Chris Yeager is a real estate professional and lifelong sales veteran based in Charlotte, North Carolina. He has been married for twenty-two years, is the father of a 21-year-old son and 20-year-old daughter, and has spent his career in sales and sales management across multiple industries. He is a former college athlete, a competitive by nature, and a working dad who believes the dinner table is the best sales training ground there is.
LinkedIn: [Chris's LinkedIn]
About Working Dads
Working Dads is the podcast for fathers figuring out work, family, and everything in between. Every week host Johnathan Grzybowski sits down with working dads — founders, executives, investors, and everyday fathers — for honest conversations about the guilt, the grind, the marriage, the money, and what it actually takes to build a career and a family without dropping the ball on either.
No gurus. No highlight reels. Just real talk.
🎙 New episode every week
📩 Subscribe to Built During Bedtime — our weekly newsletter for working dads
💬 Join the community — Slack and Facebook group
Subscribe & Connect
🎧 Spotify: [link]
🎧 Apple Podcasts: [link]
📺 YouTube: [link]
📩 Newsletter: [link]
💬 Slack: [link]
👥 Facebook Group: [link]
🔗 LinkedIn: [link]
🌐 Website: [link]
For dads figuring out work, family, and everything in between.
Nobody prepares you for this.
Not the guilt of leaving for work when your kid is still asleep. Not the pressure of providing for a family while trying to build something that actually matters. Not the identity crisis that hits when you realize you're not just the guy who grinds anymore — you're somebody's dad. And that changes everything.
I started Working Dads because I lived that. I'm co-founder of Penji, husband to Emily, and dad to a two-year-old who already has more energy than I do. I've been bootstrapping a company for over a decade and I still don't have it all figured out. But I've learned that the most dangerous thing a working dad can do is try to figure it out alone.
So every week I sit down with founders, executives, investors, and everyday dads who are in the thick of it. We talk about the real stuff. The marriage conversations you keep avoiding. The financial pressure nobody admits to. The moment your kid looks up at you and you realize you've been somewhere else even though you've been standing right there.
We've also got Built During Bedtime — my weekly newsletter for working dads. The one thing I write after my daughter goes to sleep. Straight to your inbox. No fluff.
And we've got a community. Slack channel and Facebook group full of dads who get it. The kind of guys you can be honest with. The kind of friendships that actually go somewhere.
Come find your people.
Working Dads. For dads figuring out work, family, and everything in between.
22 min
September 13Laid Off With a 7-Month-Old at Home. Here's What He Did Next
Three things you'll learn:
What Joe did in the first three months after his layoff that made everything worse — and the moment his wife called him out that finally changed things

Why Joe says he'd take a pay cut to spend more time with his kids — and what that decision says about the shift happening in this generation of working dads

The bedtime routine Joe and his wife built that isn't just about sleep — it's about making sure his kids feel safe enough to talk to him when they're older
What we cover:
00:00 — Introduction
Joe, IT professional of 18+ years, stepfather to an 11-year-old, and dad to a 2-year-old son and 3-and-a-half-year-old daughter
00:00 — The layoff that broke him
Daughter was seven months old. Wife became the provider. Depression, anxiety, obsession with job searching — and going to the gym every day while still taking two naps a day.
00:00 — His wife calling him out
The conversation that finally snapped him back. She's not gonna be this young forever. That line changed everything.
00:00 — Getting out of the rut
Fishing with a friend. Fresh air. Movement. And why stopping the obsession was the thing that finally worked.
00:00 — Four layoffs and counting
What getting laid off four times teaches you about resilience, identity, and what actually matters as a working dad
00:00 — The income stream question
ATR Payroll. A fitness coaching business. Multiple streams. And the math behind building enough that your family has options.
00:00 — I'd take a pay cut to be present
The line that stopped the conversation. Why Joe said it. And what it means for every working dad listening.
00:00 — The bedtime routine
Reading a story. Asking how their day was. Giving kids the openness now so they'll talk to you when it actually matters.
00:00 — Phones in the car
The one move Joe makes when they go out as a family. No reason to go back and get it.
00:00 — Date night and staying connected
Monthly goal. Softball schedules that get in the way. And why tomorrow night matters.
00:00 — Parting words
Take a breath. Step back. Get the thousand foot view. You're not perfect and you don't have to be.
About Joe
Joe is an IT professional with 18-plus years of experience, a stepfather to an 11-year-old, and a father of two young children. He is also building a side business with ATR Payroll and previously launched a fitness coaching brand. He is a husband, a bowling league regular, and a working dad who has been laid off four times and come back every single time.
LinkedIn: [Joe's LinkedIn]
About Working Dads
Working Dads is the podcast for fathers figuring out work, family, and everything in between. Every week host Johnathan Grzybowski sits down with working dads — founders, executives, investors, and everyday fathers — for honest conversations about the guilt, the grind, the marriage, the money, and what it actually takes to build a career and a family without dropping the ball on either.
No gurus. No highlight reels. Just real talk.
🎙 New episode every week
📩 Subscribe to Built During Bedtime — our weekly newsletter for working dads
💬 Join the community — Slack and Facebook group
Subscribe & Connect
🎧 Spotify: [link]
🎧 Apple Podcasts: [link]
📺 YouTube: [link]
📩 Newsletter: [link]
💬 Slack: [link]
👥 Facebook Group: [link]
🔗 LinkedIn: [link]
🌐 Website: [link]
For dads figuring out work, family, and everything in between.
Nobody prepares you for this.
Not the guilt of leaving for work when your kid is still asleep. Not the pressure of providing for a family while trying to build something that actually matters. Not the identity crisis that hits when you realize you're not just the guy who grinds anymore — you're somebody's dad. And that changes everything.
I started Working Dads because I lived that. I'm co-founder of Penji, husband to Emily, and dad to a two-year-old who already has more energy than I do. I've been bootstrapping a company for over a decade and I still don't have it all figured out. But I've learned that the most dangerous thing a working dad can do is try to figure it out alone.
So every week I sit down with founders, executives, investors, and everyday dads who are in the thick of it. We talk about the real stuff. The marriage conversations you keep avoiding. The financial pressure nobody admits to. The moment your kid looks up at you and you realize you've been somewhere else even though you've been standing right there.
We've also got Built During Bedtime — my weekly newsletter for working dads. The one thing I write after my daughter goes to sleep. Straight to your inbox. No fluff.
And we've got a community. Slack channel and Facebook group full of dads who get it. The kind of guys you can be honest with. The kind of friendships that actually go somewhere.
Come find your people.
Working Dads. For dads figuring out work, family, and everything in between.
27 min
September 06Runs a Company With His Wife. Here's How They Haven't Killed Each Other
Three things you'll learn:
How Bernard and his wife divided the business — sales vs. strategy, laundry vs. big picture — and why knowing your lane is the only way a husband-wife business actually survives

Why Bernard says his teenagers seeing his daily struggle is one of the greatest gifts he can give them — and what he hopes they say about him when it's all said and done

The one word Bernard says is the secret to navigating a business, a marriage, and two teenagers all at once — and why rigid systems will always break you

What we cover:
00:00 — Introduction
Bernard Nasouli, co-owner of iEmergent, husband, father of a 16-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter
00:00 — Building a business with your wife
Third tour with the company. Married in 2004. Kids in 2009 and 2012. And the question everyone asks: how do you work with your spouse every day?
00:00 — Survive and advance
The motto that runs the household and the business. What happens when you're already at capacity and there's nobody left to offload to.
00:00 — Knowing your lane
Sales is Bernard's. Strategy is hers. Laundry is his — and don't touch his system. How clear domains keep the peace at home and at work.
00:00 — The mortgage industry timing
Founded in 2000. Right into the mortgage meltdown. Then DuPont. Then back in 2015. And why he kept coming back.
00:00 — Coaching both kids in flag football
Coming out of retirement to coach his 13-year-old daughter. The horse shows. The school functions. And why entrepreneurship made all of it possible.
00:00 — Holding kids accountable vs. holding employees accountable
Why you can tell your kid to clean their room directly — and why you absolutely cannot do that with an employee.
00:00 — Teenagers seeing the struggle
Full transparency with the kids about what running a business actually costs. And why Bernard thinks that's one of the best things he can do for their future.
00:00 — The acquisition conversation
Growing to the point of attracting buyers. What changes when another party's interests enter the room. And why building to sell is a completely different business.
00:00 — The professor quote
Don't play the game you find. Change the game you play. Why that line shaped every decision Bernard has made.
00:00 — The legacy
Two happy kids who looked back and said they were loved — and were in awe of what their parents built.

About Bernard Nasouli
Bernard Nasouli is the co-owner of iEmergent, a data and forecasting company serving the mortgage industry. He grew up in Maryland, has lived in Iowa for twenty years, and has been with the company through three separate stints spanning from its founding in 2000 to today. He is a husband, business partner to his wife, flag football coach, horse show dad, and father of two teenagers.
LinkedIn: [Bernard's LinkedIn]

iEmergent: [link]

About Working Dads
Working Dads is the podcast for fathers figuring out work, family, and everything in between. Every week host Johnathan Grzybowski sits down with working dads — founders, executives, investors, and everyday fathers — for honest conversations about the guilt, the grind, the marriage, the money, and what it actually takes to build a career and a family without dropping the ball on either.
No gurus. No highlight reels. Just real talk.
🎙 New episode every week
📩 Subscribe to Built During Bedtime — our weekly newsletter for working dads
💬 Join the community — Slack and Facebook group

Subscribe & Connect
🎧 Spotify: [link]
🎧 Apple Podcasts: [link]
📺 YouTube: [link]
📩 Newsletter: [link]
💬 Slack: [link]
👥 Facebook Group: [link]
🔗 LinkedIn: [link]
🌐 Website: [link]
For dads figuring out work, family, and everything in between.
Nobody prepares you for this.
Not the guilt of leaving for work when your kid is still asleep. Not the pressure of providing for a family while trying to build something that actually matters. Not the identity crisis that hits when you realize you're not just the guy who grinds anymore — you're somebody's dad. And that changes everything.
I started Working Dads because I lived that. I'm co-founder of Penji, husband to Emily, and dad to a two-year-old who already has more energy than I do. I've been bootstrapping a company for over a decade and I still don't have it all figured out. But I've learned that the most dangerous thing a working dad can do is try to figure it out alone.
So every week I sit down with founders, executives, investors, and everyday dads who are in the thick of it. We talk about the real stuff. The marriage conversations you keep avoiding. The financial pressure nobody admits to. The moment your kid looks up at you and you realize you've been somewhere else even though you've been standing right there.
We've also got Built During Bedtime — my weekly newsletter for working dads. The one thing I write after my daughter goes to sleep. Straight to your inbox. No fluff.
And we've got a community. Slack channel and Facebook group full of dads who get it. The kind of guys you can be honest with. The kind of friendships that actually go somewhere.
Come find your people.
Working Dads. For dads figuring out work, family, and everything in between.
27 min
August 30Homeless Shelter at 24. Now He's Building a Company and the Family He Always Wanted
Three things you'll learn:
Why Doug says the fellowship of other men — not willpower, not motivation — is what actually saved his life and what that means for every working dad listening right now

The moment in 2020 when Doug had no choice but to look in the mirror — and how facing every demon he'd been running from made him the most self-aware version of himself he's ever been

Why Doug believes society has put men in a shell — and what being a real man actually looks like when you strip everything else away
What we cover:
00:00 — Introduction
Doug Wenz, commercial insurance veteran, new company founder, husband, and father of four — with one more on the way
00:00 — The family picture
Two kids from previous relationships. A stepdaughter. A two-and-a-half-year-old son. A baby girl due in December. And a wife he just married in September.
00:00 — The moment outside the apartment
Standing in Florida at 24, everything loud in his head — until it went quiet. The feeling that told him to go home. And the call he made to his dad.
00:00 — His dad locking the door at 11:30pm
The hardest decision his father ever made. The flight booked for the next morning. And why Doug says it saved his life.
00:00 — The relapse in 2020
Eight and a half years clean. Then COVID hit. Then treatment again. Then finding out about the affair. And having no choice but to face everything he hadn't faced at 24.
00:00 — What he missed and what he's getting back
The kids he couldn't be there for. The men who stepped up in their lives. And why finally being present for his son Levi is the greatest gift he's ever been given.
00:00 — What a man actually is
His definition then versus his definition now. And the client with a nonverbal autistic son who showed him what real fatherhood looks like.
00:00 — Why men suffer in silence
Society telling men they can't have feelings. What happens when they believe it. And why showing emotion in front of your kids is the most powerful thing you can do.
00:00 — The generational shift
Hard times create strong men. Why Doug thinks millennials are more self-aware than their fathers. And what he refuses to leave behind for his children.
00:00 — Parting words
You are not alone. Whatever you're going through — you don't have to do it alone.
About Doug Wenz
Doug Wenz is a commercial lines property and casualty insurance professional with eight years of experience and the founder of a new company he's building from the ground up. He is a husband, stepfather, and father of four — with his fifth child on the way. He lives in Prospect, Connecticut.
LinkedIn: [Doug's LinkedIn]
About Working Dads
Working Dads is the podcast for fathers figuring out work, family, and everything in between. Every week host Johnathan Grzybowski sits down with working dads — founders, executives, investors, and everyday fathers — for honest conversations about the guilt, the grind, the marriage, the money, and what it actually takes to build a career and a family without dropping the ball on either.
No gurus. No highlight reels. Just real talk.
🎙 New episode every week
📩 Subscribe to Built During Bedtime — our weekly newsletter for working dads
💬 Join the community — Slack and Facebook group
Subscribe & Connect
🎧 Spotify: [link]
🎧 Apple Podcasts: [link]
📺 YouTube: [link]
📩 Newsletter: [link]
💬 Slack: [link]
👥 Facebook Group: [link]
🔗 LinkedIn: [link]
🌐 Website: [link]
For dads figuring out work, family, and everything in between.
Nobody prepares you for this.
Not the guilt of leaving for work when your kid is still asleep. Not the pressure of providing for a family while trying to build something that actually matters. Not the identity crisis that hits when you realize you're not just the guy who grinds anymore — you're somebody's dad. And that changes everything.
I started Working Dads because I lived that. I'm co-founder of Penji, husband to Emily, and dad to a two-year-old who already has more energy than I do. I've been bootstrapping a company for over a decade and I still don't have it all figured out. But I've learned that the most dangerous thing a working dad can do is try to figure it out alone.
So every week I sit down with founders, executives, investors, and everyday dads who are in the thick of it. We talk about the real stuff. The marriage conversations you keep avoiding. The financial pressure nobody admits to. The moment your kid looks up at you and you realize you've been somewhere else even though you've been standing right there.
We've also got Built During Bedtime — my weekly newsletter for working dads. The one thing I write after my daughter goes to sleep. Straight to your inbox. No fluff.
And we've got a community. Slack channel and Facebook group full of dads who get it. The kind of guys you can be honest with. The kind of friendships that actually go somewhere.
Come find your people.
Working Dads. For dads figuring out work, family, and everything in between.
29 min
August 23New City Knowing Nobody. The First Thing He Did Changed Everything
Three things you'll learn:
Why Gui says finding community is the single most important thing a new dad can do — and the exact move he made the first week in a brand new city that made all the difference

The honest truth about going from one kid to two — who actually needs the attention, why most parents get it backwards, and the one thing that finally gave Gui and his wife their lives back

How Gui hired a personal trainer two weeks ago and why the energy difference has already changed how he shows up for his kids every single day

What we cover:
00:00 — Introduction
Gui Groscos, co-founder of Dadgood, father of two boys with a third on the way, husband, and recent transplant from Boston to Charleston
00:00 — Becoming a dad at 25
No money. No plan. A pregnant wife. And a switch that flipped overnight.
00:00 — Working from home with kids
Why seeing his kids every day is a blessing — and why locking the office door still breaks his heart a little every time
00:00 — The Dadgood launch that almost cost him his marriage
Three to five months of pouring everything into building the community. The conversation his wife finally had to have. And what he learned about presence from his own product.
00:00 — One to two kids
Who told him it would be easy — and why they were wrong. Why the oldest needs more attention than the newborn. And the night his youngest finally slept through and everything changed.
00:00 — The routine that runs the household
Same schedule every single day. Morning walk. Nap. Dinner together. Bath. Bed. Why the chaos finally became manageable.
00:00 — The personal trainer
Two weeks in. Four to five workouts a week. Full meal tracking. And why he already feels like a different person — with more energy for his kids than he's had in years.
00:00 — Moving to Charleston knowing nobody
The softball team. The neighborhood pool. And what Matt Campbell said about making friends as a dad that stopped Gui cold.
00:00 — Three best friends he's never met in person
Matt Campbell. Chris Walter. Warren. Met through Dadgood. Text every single day. Haven't missed a beat in a year and a half. Would be in his wedding.
00:00 — Advice for dads in the trenches
Find your people. You can't share war stories with someone who doesn't have kids. And you shouldn't have to.

About Gui Groscos
Gui Groscos is the co-founder of Dadgood, a community built for ambitious dads who want to win at home and at work. He is a father of two boys — with a third due in December — a husband approaching his five-year anniversary, and a recent Boston-to-Charleston transplant who joined a softball team within his first week in town.
LinkedIn: [Gui's LinkedIn]

Dadgood: [link]

About Working Dads
Working Dads is the podcast for fathers figuring out work, family, and everything in between. Every week host Johnathan Grzybowski sits down with working dads — founders, executives, investors, and everyday fathers — for honest conversations about the guilt, the grind, the marriage, the money, and what it actually takes to build a career and a family without dropping the ball on either.
No gurus. No highlight reels. Just real talk.
🎙 New episode every week
📩 Subscribe to Built During Bedtime — our weekly newsletter for working dads
💬 Join the community — Slack and Facebook group

Subscribe & Connect
🎧 Spotify: [link]
🎧 Apple Podcasts: [link]
📺 YouTube: [link]
📩 Newsletter: [link]
💬 Slack: [link]
👥 Facebook Group: [link]
🔗 LinkedIn: [link]
🌐 Website: [link]

For dads figuring out work, family, and everything in between.
Nobody prepares you for this.
Not the guilt of leaving for work when your kid is still asleep. Not the pressure of providing for a family while trying to build something that actually matters. Not the identity crisis that hits when you realize you're not just the guy who grinds anymore — you're somebody's dad. And that changes everything.
I started Working Dads because I lived that. I'm co-founder of Penji, husband to Emily, and dad to a two-year-old who already has more energy than I do. I've been bootstrapping a company for over a decade and I still don't have it all figured out. But I've learned that the most dangerous thing a working dad can do is try to figure it out alone.
So every week I sit down with founders, executives, investors, and everyday dads who are in the thick of it. We talk about the real stuff. The marriage conversations you keep avoiding. The financial pressure nobody admits to. The moment your kid looks up at you and you realize you've been somewhere else even though you've been standing right there.
We've also got Built During Bedtime — my weekly newsletter for working dads. The one thing I write after my daughter goes to sleep. Straight to your inbox. No fluff.
And we've got a community. Slack channel and Facebook group full of dads who get it. The kind of guys you can be honest with. The kind of friendships that actually go somewhere.
Come find your people.
Working Dads. For dads figuring out work, family, and everything in between.
29 min

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