The Career Dad Show: Recent Episodes
Dan Reed
Welcome to The Career Dad Show!
This podcast is all about supporting modern-day dads. Dads who work hard for a rewarding career... but not at the expense of their family. Dads who want to climb the career ladder, but also want to take the kids to school. Dads who don't want to make a choice between getting promoted, or being a parent. Work. Family. Balance.
In each episode I speak to an amazing guest and focus in on their story. Throughout the series we cover all the topics dads want to talk about: paternity leave, changing jobs, dealing with guilt, concerns about being a present father, working abroad, emigrating, insane commutes, starting a business, coping with loss, smashing down stereotypes… the list goes on.
So go ahead – give it a listen. Enjoy!
In this episode I'm joined by Chris Ippolito from Alberta, Canada. This was recorded around Christmas time of 2020, but it's still a hugely relevant conversation.
Chris and I talk about working from home, becoming a new father, and taking on new work... all at the same time!
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Hi guys I’m Dan Reed, and welcome back to The Career Dad Show
It’s been a minute… or several months… and to be honest, I needed a bit of a break. If I can’t practice what I preach, then what good am I?
Anyway, it’s great to be back, and let me introduce you to Amit.
Amit realised his career in banking was impacting his mental health, and he was becoming someone he didn’t like. He decided to jack it all in and start a business - during lockdown - with a 2 and a 4 year old at home. Amit believed in plan B, and now helps others do the same.
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Today I’m joined by father-of-3 Paul Tremain, better known on Instagram as the Multidad.
We talk about Lockdown 3.0, balancing work and family, imposter syndrome, as well as reflecting on how Paul felt when he found out he was having twins.
This is an amazing episode if you’re expecting twins, trying to balance work with family, or want some tips on dealing with imposter syndrome.
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
So here we are - the end of 202 is upon us.
I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for your support this year. Whether it's been listening to the podcast, watching the videos, interacting with the socials... I appreciate it all.
Have a fantastic Christmas - and see you in 2021!
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
How are angels made? When Bryson’s mom passed away, he thought about how to communicate this with his son. So he wrote a book. Following a successful Kickstarter, How Angels Are Made was published.
This isn’t Bryson’s job, though. He runs the back-office of his wife’s chiropractic clinic, and has been the main caregiver to his 3 kids during Covid. How does he find the time? By auditing his 24 hours…
Contents
- 1m 02s: Atlanta, Georgia: The great melting pot
- 5m 34s: When the daughters came along…
- 10m 01s: Being an essential worker (with 3 kids)
- 15m 33s: How Angels Are Made: a book to help kids deal with group
- 20m 02s: Learning about Kickstarter
- 23m 42s: We all have 24 hours
- 27m 57s: I plan out the next 5 years
- 34m 25s: Every kid is different
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Starting a marketing agency just before Covid wasn’t part of the plan, but 12 months later and Yonder is going from strength to strength.
Chris left his well-paid corporate gig to fulfil a decade-long dream, and also adopted two kids along the way. Chris shares his take on digital marketing and business, as well as the emotions around adopting.
There never was the right time to do any of this, but at some point Chris realised that when he said 'I'll do it when...' was just another way of saying 'I'm afraid to'. So he did it.
Contents
- 1m 21s: I grew up in a Southern Baptist Preacher’s house
- 6m 01s: Empathy has been the key to success
- 12m 21s: Turning down Disney was turning down a dream
- 15m 48s: That classic side-hustle
- 18m 26s: The decision to adopt
- 30m 18s: ‘Balance’ is a constant struggle, but golf helps
- 36m 11s: The future of Yonder
- 37m 48s: You don’t have to be perfect
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Ruben is known as The Luge Man. He’s the first person to compete in 4 Olympics over 4 different decades.
He talks to me how had the dream - and the perseverance - to become an Olympian, and how finding mentors is the key to unlocking success.
Ruben’s also homeschooled his kids (now 15 and 18) from Day 1, which gives us a lot to talk about with Covid…
Contents
- 0m 45s: Who is The Luge Man?
- 5m 53s: Did you really pick the luge by process of elimination?
- 7m 40s: Finding a mentor, being shy, and food stamps
- 15m 35s: Would you change anything about your journey?
- 18m 30s: My kids on finding their own Olympics
- 24m 15s: Homeschooling
- 31m 33s: 90 minute chunks of time
- 33m 49s: Best advice for new parents
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
At 17, Joseph was beaten to within an inch of his life by 3 men because of the colour of his skin.
The shame and self-loathing led to Joseph being homeless as a teenager, until a man gave him a book that changed his life.
Joseph’s now a Doctor of Neuropsychology, a lecturer, a performance coach, and a father. Listen as Joseph explains why we all need to Shut The Freak Up.
Contents
- 1m 03s: 3 grown men tried to take my life because of the colour of my skin
- 4m 03s: Homeless by 18
- 6m 01s: Luck and serendipity are manufactured
- 9m 41s: Covid: There’s no ‘New Normal’
- 12m 24s: Is adversity the best teacher?
- 15m 07s: The ’S’ word: Scheduling
- 19m 48s: Feel, felt, found
- 22m 41s: Co-parenting as a single dad
- 27m 35s: There’s greatness in all of us
- 29m 12s: The Black Baby Doll Experiment
- 35m 32s: Shut The Freak Up
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Chris had a successful career in corporate sales, taking on the highs and lows that came with it. As he says, ‘I was operating from a place of low self esteem’.
He’s overcome addictions and now is happily married, and has a 13 year old son - who Chris is proud to be the father to that he didn’t have.
Chris also started the EFA Movement: Empowered Fathers in Action, which helps good dads become great dads.
Contents
- 1m 21s: The lifestyle of a sales person
- 3m 58s: Operating from a place of low self esteem
- 5m 45s: Becoming the dad that I wanted to have
- 8m 04s: My son and virtual learning
- 10m 15s: The Fortnite debate and staying safe online
- 13m 45s: Co-dependent vs inter-dependent
- 19m 42s: How do you map your future?
- 21m 36s: EFA: Empowered Fathers in Action
- 27m 47s: Given what you’ve been through… would you change any of it?
- 29m 56s: It all starts with Wellness (and the 8 pillars)
- 34m 15s: What are the hopes for your son?
- 37m 10s: Fatherly advice: Learn to relate and understand your children
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Despite being in his early 20s, Brendan has presented over 900 times.
His participation in Case Competitions (as Brendan describes them: professional sport for nerds) landed him a role at IBM.
But that’s not enough for him. Brendan started a YouTube channel called MasterTalk, where he teaches others how to unlearn the fear of public speaking.
There’s so much advice packed into this episode - enjoy!
Contents
- 0m 48s: Let’s talk about talking
- 3m 06s: Where the fear of public speaking comes from
- 6m 50s: Unlearning the fear
- 11m 27s: Reducing the fraud
- 14m 39s: Public speaking vs workplace presentations
- 17m 56s: This didn’t come naturally (nor did the language)
- 20m 40s: How Case Competitions work
- 23m 50s: What the future holds
- 26m 25s: Ask yourself one hard question about life every day
- 30m 31s: Giving away my best bits for free
- 35m 03s: The random word exercise
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Olympian Gymnast, American Ninja Warrior star and all-round nice guy Jonathan Horton joins me to share his story of getting to the Olympics, and why it's so important to set goals and visualise them.
Jonathan Horton is a retired American gymnast who has 2 Olympic medals to his name. When Jonathan was just 4 years old his mum lost him in a department stores.
He was found quickly, albeit 25 feet up a support beam he’d climbed up. The next day he was enrolled into a gymnastics class.
Contents
- 1m 29s: An unconventional route to gymnastics
- 5m 54s: Patience and determination in parenthood
- 8m 16s: 12 years of losing (and what kept me going)
- 11m 58s: What holds us back?
- 15m 02s: Trying Brazilian JuJitsu
- 17m 03s: Path to the Olympics
- 21m 07s: The Pursuit of Perfection
- 25m 01s: Goal setting, and big picture goals
- 28m 15s: Why I believe in visualisation
- 32m 30s: 6 years of America Ninja Warrior
- 34m 50s: Being dad
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Greg Reid is a 32-time best selling author; film maker; founder of The Secret Knock, he runs 6 businesses… and he even has a star on the Las Vegas Walk of Stars.
But he’s also a proud dad.
We talk about Greg’s upbringing and entrepreneurial spirit, the importance of seeking counsel, not opinion, and why the fear of judgement is holding us back.
Contents
- 1m 06s: What was it like growing up?
- 3m 08s: 3 feet away from gold
- 5m 45s: Seek counsel, not opinion
- 8m 49s: Our dads spent 7 minutes of face-time with us
- 12m 50s: Kids and technology: It’s just different equipment
- 14m 58s: Thoughts are (not) things
- 18m 14s: Hire for your weaknesses
- 21m 14s: Win-win partnerships
- 25m 33s: Tapping the source
- 28m 40s: When COVID ends, will we all go back to what we did before?
- 31m 57s: Networking for non-networkers
- 34m 33s: Balance? It’s about inclusion
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Ross is the Performance Manager for Rotherham United Football Club; basically, he helps professional athletes to be at the top of their game.
But it’s not just science; it’s empathy, too. There’s so much packed into this episode, including a look at performance anxiety and the impact fans can have on an athlete’s wellbeing.
Ross' job sees him spending time away from his wife and kids, and as he puts it: 'I can't put the phone away in the bottom drawer... what if a player needs a medical first thing in the morning?'
We talk about working through guilt and feeling pretty rubbish, which lead to Ross' mantra of whatever he is doing, it must be the most important thing at that time... or he wouldn't be doing it.
Contents
- 1m 15s: Performance Manager for Rotherham Utd FC
- 4m 24s: A typical day
- 6m 19s: Transferable skills
- 9m 03s: Can you repeat the question?
- 10m 46: Hard science vs empathy
- 12m 52s: The impact of fans on athletes
- 16m 10s: Performance Anxiety in elite athletes
- 20m 43s: Fatherhood in lockdown
- 23m 50s: Struggling to make ‘meaningful time’
- 26m 28s: Work can be more important than your family
- 29m 36s: One of the best jobs in the world
- 33m 06s: Best parental advice
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Arn Terry was an international headhunter earning a great 6-figure package when the 2008 recession hit. Work dried up overnight, meaning Arn had to hustle harder than ever before, whist also taking on a second job.
He talks about making ends meet, being an absent father, and struggling with guilt and embarrassment. He rode the wave through, and since set up his own company. When Covid hit he was much more prepared.
Contents
- 1m 03s: Recruiter by day, social media guy by night
- 2m 38s: Recruitment during the 2008 recession
- 5m 52s: Picking up a second job at Tesco
- 7m 55s: There was no time for family
- 9m 10s: Embarrassed about needing a second job
- 11m 38s: Work ethic
- 14m 01s: Light at the end of the tunnel
- 17m 38s: Setting out on my own
- 19m 02s: My life revolved around the school run
- 20m 34s: Kids’ reaction to stopping breakfast club
- 22m 37s: Going from six figures to nothing
- 28m 07s: Training recruiters to be social sellers
- 32m 28s: Instilling knowledge and wisdom into our kids
- 36m 01s: My kids have monetised their blogs
- 39m 17s: My best parenting advice
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
If you don’t know the name Frank Shankwitz, you’ll know the organisation he founded: The Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Frank tells his story of how Make-A-Wish got started, his own troubled childhood, his time in England (where he was an Honour Guard at Winston Churchill’s funeral), and how everyone has the power to make a difference.
Contents
- 1m 47s: The story behind Make-A-Wish
- 6m 25s: If I can do it, anyone can do it
- 8m 28s: Make-A-Wish: the ultimate side hustle
- 11m 33s: The Base Honour Guard at Churchill’s funeral
- 13m 32s: Working on the Atlas Missile Programme
- 16m 30s: An incredibly rough childhood
- 20m 17s: Good things that come from bad ones
- 21m 05s: Being awarded the President’s Service Award
- 22m 20s: The importance of family
- 25m 41s: Wishman: A feature film about my life
- 29m 04s: I’m a Wish Child!
- 32m 33s: What would 10 year old Frank’s wish be?
- 33m 54s: Creating positives from a bad start
- 35m 42s: Working on a TV show
- 38m 47s: Frank’s parenting advice
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Chris Bishop’s had 8 careers. Not jobs: careers.
His band toured with The Eagles and ZZ Top, before Chris became a session musician playing with Robert Palmer and Chuck Berry.
He then got into writing jingles - including KitKat’s first TV advert. Chris then discovered the World Wide Web, learned programming, and landed a job with IBM where he worked on Virtual Worlds.
Chris now teaches people on how to prepare for jobs that don’t yet exist, and even has a course on LinkedIn Learning.
Get ready for a fascinating episode!
Contents
- 0m 54s: A non-linear, multi-modal careerist
- 4m 58s: The toughest career jump
- 6m 48s: Writing the KitKat’s first jingle
- 8m 45s: Getting my first ‘real’ job at 40
- 10m 56s: Moving from New York to raise our son
- 14m 55s: Starting Improvising Careers
- 17m 58s: If you don’t know what job you want to do
- 21m 53s: Can you replicate music gigs virtually?
- 23m 48s: The future of VR and airlines
- 25m 51s: Preparing for jobs that don’t yet exist
- 29m 04s: Astrophysics meets hospitality
- 30m 27s: The appropriate amount of time to focus on jobs that don’t exist
- 33m 30s: IBM and Virtual Worlds
- 39m 34s: How to answer ‘Where do you see yourself in 5 years?’
- 40m 36s: My course on LinkedIn Learning
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Meet Tony: he’s a croupier at a casino in Mayfair, so as you might imagine Coronavirus has hit him hard… especially when you hear what his largest gratuity was!
Tony’s also a dad… a dad who suffered with post natal depression, which caused the breakdown in his relationship.
Tony talks incredibly openly about his experiences, and how he’s working hard to rebuild a relationship with the love of his life.
Contents
- 0m 55s: Lockdown and casinos
- 1m 48s: Demonising people on Furlough
- 3m 36s: I miss feeling useful
- 4m 49s: Learning better money management
- 6m 18s: Do our spending habits mask our happiness?
- 7m 43s: Working nights in a casino
- 9m 17s: The most money you’ve seen one guy bring in
- 12m 44s: Is it all luck?
- 14m 47s: Super successful people trying to beat an unbeatable system
- 16m 30s: Do you gamble?
- 17m 20s: How I got into casinos
- 18m 25s: What’s the biggest gratuity you’ve ever received?
- 19m 59s: She’s no longer a waitress…
- 21m 25s: I struggled with becoming a dad
- 24m 58s: Post natal depression as a dad
- 29m 27s: I was too selfish to ‘have kids right now’
- 31m 26s: Trading one set of likes for another
- 34m 22s: Is there a chance for you and your ex?
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Say hello to Mr Awesome, Erik Swanson.
Erik’s an international speaker, 7x Number 1 bestseller, and creator of Habitude Warrior - one of the top 10 events in the US.
Erik shares how you can harness success through habits and attitude; why we need to stop allowing other people to rent space in our mind; and how some of the world’s wealthiest people are also the most accessible.
This episode is filled with laughs and lots of energy… enjoy!
Contents
- 1m 39s: Success Attitude Coach and Habitude Warrior… what’s that?
- 5m 19s: It all started with me being a Sales Trainer
- 7m 05s: The Ripple Effect
- 10m 21s: Who to go to for positivity
- 12m 39s: Why the last resolution on the Top 10 was the most important
- 19m 25s: Where did Mr Awesome come from?
- 21m 27s: Being a giver
- 24m 30s: Building conferences out of fear
- 27m 46s: Junior Habitude Warrior
- 29m 51s: Cultural attitudes towards confidence
- 32m 06s: When did you know you’d made it?
- 35m 25s: What’s next for Dan Reed?
- 36m 51s: How to get into motivational speaking
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
This is a special one for me, as I sit down face-to-face with my Father-in-Law - and editor of The Career Dad Show - Ian.
We look at Ian’s career of teaching abroad; and what it was like leaving the UK with a young child.
I also ask Ian for his favourite Career Dad episode, how his family dynamic was so alien to me, and what it’s been like for him during lockdown as a Shielded person.
You can also watch the interview over on YouTube.
Contents
- 1m 56: Teaching abroad with the MOD
- 9m 29: French, Spanish, German and Greek
- 13m 05s: Moving abroad with a young kid
- 16m 16s: Paternity leave: Now and then
- 18m 10s: What’s your favourite Career Dad Show episode?
- 21m 31s: Biggest struggles of lockdown
- 22m 45s: My daughter moved away from home at 16
- 25m 49s: Retiring, and moving back to the UK
- 29m 12s: Gratitude for the supporting cast
- 32m 20s: Being shielded during lockdown
- 38m 27s: You’re just like The Borg
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Pick up your phone and put it in the palm of your hand. That’s the size - and weight - of Mike’s daughter when she was born at 24 weeks. She’s now 5 years old and doing great, but it was a really scary time for Mike and his wife Gaby… especially as first time parents.
As if that wasn’t enough, Mike and Gaby also started their own digital consultancy company - Proofpoint Marketing - at the same time. The company was built upon flexible and remote working… so it’s no surprise that they were ready for COVID.
Contents
- 0m 59s: My daughter was born at 24 weeks
- 5m 03s: Talking about Pre-eclampsia (spells)
- 7m 32s: Working from hospital (as a digital marketer)
- 09m 09s: A miracle baby
- 12m 04s: She lived in a hospital for the first 6 months of her life
- 15m 03s: The first signs of hope
- 17m 35s: Celebrating 3 birthdays
- 18m 35s: Putting positivity in our heads
- 22m 07s: Creating Proofpoint marketing… at the same time as all this
- 26m 22s: Measuring business output, not based on 9-5
- 28m 20s: Remote working: attracting better talent?
- 30m 49s: What’s it like working with ‘rigid’ corporates?
- 33m 29s: COVID, remote working and the future
- 37m 21s: Best parental advice
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Darren was an avid gym-goer who worked a busy job in The City. He thought he was pretty fit until he started training for a Triathlon, and realised he couldn’t swim a pool-length without getting out of breath.
9 months later - and 28 kilos lighter - Darren’s a different man. He’s now left his corporate job and runs Fitter, Healthier Dad - with a goal to impact 1 million dads.
Darren shares his journey with weightless, getting fitter, and how he’s transformed his life to now be training for the World Ironman Championships. Oh, there’s a little spoiler in this podcast, too.
Contents
- 1m 28s: Losing 28 kgs in 9 months
- 8m 45s: Weightloss: Should we care about the scales?
- 11m 52s: The problem with The Western diet
- 20m 04s: Just change one thing
- 22m 31s: The benefit of exercise for mental health
- 25m 28s: Creating Fitter, Healthier Dad
- 28m 09s: The information is what the information is
- 30m 17s: Common barriers to making change
- 32m 17s: Training for an Ironman
- 34m 12s: My kids’ attitudes to exercise (and screen time)
- 36m 34s: Running two businesses at the same time
- 38m 08s: How to find out more about Fitter, Healthier Dad
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
This week I speak with Jonathan Bullard, who left his corporate role to pursue a career in sports broadcasting.
He’s travelled the world living his passion, which can mean working back-to-back 22 hour days. Although, it also gives him the flexibility to be the primary care giver to his 5 year old daughter Lucy.
Jonathan also shares with me his ‘Secret Sauce’ - let’s dive into the episode
Contents
- 0m 49s: Leaving the corporate world for freelance
- 7m 00s: Taking redundancy with a 9 month old baby
- 14m 50s: Passionate about sports broadcasting (and ice hockey)
- 22m 35s: What’s your ‘secret sauce’?
- 29m 07s: Moulding your work around family time
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
This week I speak with Graeme Easton, who… is busy.
He’s a professional stadium announcer; a podcast host; he started a B2B podcast business… oh, then there’s his ‘proper job’ as a teacher. Throw in 3 kids, including twins, and quite frankly I’m impressed Graeme found time to record with me.
We talk about how he juggles wearing so many hats, what it was like announcing for the olympics, and quite frankly THE BEST parenting advice I think there’s ever been on this podcast. Let’s dive in.
Contents
- 2m 16s: Wearing a number of hats
- 6m 30s: Announcing the Olympics
- 7m 55s: The B2B Podcast business
- 11m 58s: Teaching: The ‘proper’ job
- 19m 28s: Dadding with twins
- 25m 22s: Plans for the future
- 31m 13s: Teaching during Covid
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
This week I speak with Maximillian Naza: Googler; Digital Agency Owner; Stand-up comedian; and… not a parent.
We talk about parenting, as Maximillian prepares for the future, the importance of being open to change, and how Maximillian dealt with the loss of his parents indirectly.
He’s a fascinating guy - so let’s not waste any time and dive right in to the episode.
Contents
- 0m 33s: Parental theory as a non-parent
- 5m 43s: Attitudes towards risk
- 12m 57s: This isn’t what I signed up for
- 25m 22s: Stand-up comedy: because working at Google and having a side-gig isn’t enough
- 35m 30s: Shutting down emotionally when I lost my parents
- 38m 13s: As a non-parent, what do you think is the best parental advice?
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
This week I’m joined by Harvey Reid (no relation), who’s the Head of Premier Events at Barclays.
Harvey talks about how he got into the job of ‘making people happy’, and how for him there was never a choice between kids or career. He wanted both.
We also talk about Harvey’s role in co-chairing the Black Professional Forum, and what it means to be a black father in 2020. Let’s dive in to the episode.
Contents
- 0m 55s: My job didn’t exist 5 years ago
- 14m 45s: Kids first, or career first… why not both?
- 18m 52s: Co-charing the Black Professional Forum
- 27m 17s: Black fatherhood and stigmatism
- 31m 33s: Having the conversation about race with our kids
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
This week I speak with James Vale, who is the VP of payment security at Barclaycard.
Flexibility is super important to James - I mean, he brought it up during the interview process. It means James can do his job, be an active father, and also support his wife’s career in investment banking.
So how has lockdown impacted James’ family life? Let’s find out, with Flexibility - The Great Equaliser.
Contents
- 0m 40s: Geekishly passionate about payment security
- 3m 10s: What did flexibility look like before lockdown?
- 10m 06s: Flexibility: The Great Equaliser
- 18m 32s: The enjoyment of work
- 29m 44s: A guys’ club conversation
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
This week I’m joined by Naianna Robertsson, a neuroscientist who specialises in meditation. We talk about the hard science vs the fad of meditation, how to become ‘in the moment’, and the secret to forming successful habits.
Contents
- 1m 34s: A neuroscientist’s approach to meditation
- 6m 29s: Different types of meditation
- 11m 52s: How do you become ‘in the moment’?
- 15m 55s: Mantra meditation
- 29m 16s: Building a business, being a mum
- 33m 05s: Forming successful habits
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Today I’m joined by Paul Trudel-Payne, who left his job at Microsoft to become a full time realtor and interior designer.
Paul talks about growing up in the US as a bi-racial gay man, as well as going through the adoption process with his husband. He shares his story of heartache, anxieties, and how he dreads the conversation with his African-American son about what it means to be a minority in America.
So without further ado, let’s meet Paul.
Contents
- 2m 16s: Loving the idea of home
- 5m 18s: Flipping homes and diversified incomes
- 11m 29s: Going through the adoption process as a gay man
- 20m 49s: Raising a minority child in America
- 27m 07s: What if the baby had a defect?
- 33m 32s: The whole 1 kid 2 kid thing
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
When Scott was 19, his father went to prison. This forced Scott to take stock of who he was, and who he wanted to be.
In this episode, Scott and I talk about his life as a successful business owner, award-winning network marketer, coach, author, podcaster, speaker… and father. And crucially, we talk about how he wouldn’t change any of the adversity he’s been through as it’s made him who he is today.
Contents
- 1m 12: Becoming the man of the house at 19
- 5m 27s: Achieving through adversity
- 11m 13s: The art of connecting with another human being
- 20m 40s: We need to talk about legacy
- 30m 55s: Balancing business with fatherhood
- 35m 07s: Parental guilt in lockdown
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
This week I’m joined by Jamie Butler, who after 20 years in the legal profession decided to set up his own coaching business.
He started his business in February, and by March we were in lockdown. We talk about that, obviously, but we also cover imposter syndrome, how to reflect on our careers, and what it means to be a present, active father.
I hope you enjoy
Contents
- 2m 37s: Starting a business during a pandemic
- 9m 10s: From lawyer to coach
- 12m 41s: Imposter Syndrome
- 15m 50s: Reflecting on careers in lockdown
- 26m 45s: How destructive is impatience?
- 30m 33s: Being a present, active father
- 34m 48s: Advice for new parents
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
This week I’m joined by Freddie Bennett. Freddie’s a pretty inspiring guy: He’s a Guinness World Record holder, and since lockdown he’s ran an ultramarathon - 46 miles - around his back garden.
But as Freddie himself will say: he’s just a guy. A guy who’s suffered with mental health, alcohol abuse and suicide attempts.
Now, he spends his time helping others face their fears to have a happier life.
Contents
- 0m 50s: A family of scoundrels and misfits
- 11m 05s: It’s all about time
- 17m 20s: Two ways to take ‘You only live once’
- 23m 52s: Becoming a world-record holders
- 31m 05: Where the self-help industry is going wrong
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Hey guys, and welcome back to The Career Dad Show. This week I’m joined by Joe Quattrone, Senior Vice President of The Sasha Group. Joe shares his story about marketing and agency life, particularly working for Gary Vee, as well as his plans for the future.
We talk family (Joe has 2 kids - with a 3rd on the way), the power of setting goals, and why Joe is so passionate about helping others.
I hope you enjoy.
Contents
- 1m 0s: Gary Vee, VaynerMedia and The Sasha Group
- 11m 13s: How to find your drive
- 15m 05s: Work, family and lockdown
- 23m 10s: The importance of long term planning
- 27m 30s: Why do I help people? Because I was helped
- 33m 12s: Getting in touch, and advice for new dads
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Hey guys, and welcome to another episode of AskDan.
In these shorter podcasts I talk about what’s on my mind, and this week it’s all about LinkedIn and how to build an authentic network. I get lots of messages from you guys about not knowing where to start on LinkedIn, or how to grow your network. Hopefully this brings you value.
Also, this podcast was also recorded as an interactive Q&A on LinkedIn Live. Does it work? Let me know. Enjoy!
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Today I’m joined by Steve Preston - aka The Career Catalyst. Steve’s an internationally-acclaimed author, speaker, and career coach.
One of his books, Winning through Redundancy, seems really apt right now; we focus on how to tackle redundancy, tactics you can deploy that lead to positive outcomes, and why mindset is everything.
I hope you enjoy.
Content
- 0m 40s: The Career Catalyst
- 7m 14s: Winning through redundancy
- 15m 44s: The ability to look to the future
- 20m 48s: Why people don’t do what they love
- 24m 17s: Portfolio careers
- 31m 41s: Common challenges amongst executives
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
This week I’m joined by Sean Sheppard, a Silicon Valley serial entrepreneur, Venture Capitalist, CEO of GrowthX, Educator, Mentor, Husband, Father… and all round nice guy.
Sean and I talk about why entrepreneurs fail, creating fake environments for our kids, and how the most toxic thing we can do is to talk negatively to ourselves.
We also talk about meaning, and why Sean pursues meaning over happiness.
This is a good one guys: enjoy.
Contents
- 0m 33s: Life of a venture capitalist
- 7m 53s: Why entrepreneurs fail
- 10m 38s: How lockdown is effecting business and personal life
- 15m 06s: Being kind to yourself
- 28m 35s: Building global businesses. Being a dad
- 34m 59s: Advice for new dads
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Today I’m joined by Sam Dossa, who is one of the UK’s top recognised coaches, and has international accolades as a trainer and coach for entrepreneurs and leaders worldwide.
In this episode we talk about the importance of looking after yourself, how we’re born to win but conditioned to fail, and why having fun is so important. I hope you enjoy.
Contents
- 1m: 07s: A career before coaching
- 6m 49s: The importance of looking after you
- 9m 33s: Listening was the last skill I learned
- 12m 58s: Born to win, conditioned to fail
- 26m 32s: Allow kids to experience fun
- 31m 48: My best advice for dads? Just enjoy it
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
In this episode I’m joined by Anita Cleare, parenting expert and author of The Work Parent Switch.
I love that Anita talks about her struggles with parenting guilt, particularly given her job. We also talk about recurring themes for working parents, and how the power of play is the antidote to the fear of failure.
I hope you enjoy.
Contents
- 1m 02s: What is a parenting expert?
- 4m 52s: Key themes for working parents
- 12m 08s: Guilt: a recurring theme
- 19m 48s: Advice for parents
- 23m 29s: The Work Parent Switch
- 27m 51s: The power of play
- 31m 04s: Home schooling in lockdown
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
This week I’m joined by Lewis Maleh, who runs a boutique executive search firm called Bentley Lewis.
We talk about the importance of staying social, eating well and exercising; the human side of business; and what this whole Furlough thing is about. Lewis also gives his top advice for new dads.
Enjoy!
Content:
- 0m 30s: Intro
- 4m 34s: Staying social, eating well and exercise
- 9m 43s: The human side of business
- 17m 09s: Running an executive search firm, and the job market
- 26m 58s: Furlough
- 30m 32s: Going back to normal? What’s that…
- 35m 43s: Staying in touch, and advice for dads
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
I think I've finally cracked. I've had enough of this 'toxic positivity'. You must have seen it: 'If you don't come out of this lockdown having learned a new skill you didn't lack time, you lacked discipline'.
Where's the empathy? Why do we always have to be 'learning a new skill'? What about people who have lost their jobs, or trying to work at home with the kids about... or just miss the freedom of grabbing a 'real world coffee'?
So if you do learn a new skill, that's great. Love it. But please don't feel like you're failing if you don't. Who needs that kind of pressure!
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
In this episode I’m joined by the Co-founder of WorkLife Hub, Agnes Uhereczky. We talk about the importance of work-life integration, the anxiety of life under lockdown, and how some work personas are dealing with working from home better than others.
One of the topics that Agnes is so knowledgeable about, and is really interesting, is the 4 different work personas that exist... and how they differ with mandated working from home. Some great food for thought that I've taken away.
Agnes also covers a burning question: is this the end of working from home?
Content
- 0m 33s: The WorkLife Hub
- 3m 30s: Work-life integration
- 7m 52s: The importance of culture
- 10m 16s: Anxiety and grief: Living in lockdown
- 14m 29s: Gratitude, and the VUCA world
- 18m 31s: The future of our economy, and the workplace
- 24m 22s: The 4 types of worker
- 30m 34s: Is this the end of working from home?
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
I'm going to say it one more time: you're not a teacher. The amount of pressure I'm seeing parents putting on themselves trying to homeschool their kids - and work! And you guys think you're failing? Cut yourself some slack.
In this week's #AskDan I talk about why it's ok if you haven't figured out the whole schooling and working part of our new lives, as well as answering this week's questions:
- How do my wife and I schedule our time to make sure we both get work done?
- When am I re-starting the self-isolation videos?
- What do I think about crowdfunding a business?
Hope you guys enjoy! Remember, you can watch the full episode on YouTube, too.
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Hi guys, and welcome back to The Career Dad Show. This week I sit down with Dan Flanagan, who founded Dad La Soul. Dan talks about his transition from a high-flying corporate career into starting a grass-roots movement, the struggles of co-parenting, and how the coronavirus lockdown is changing everyone’s lives. I hope you enjoy.
Content
- 0m 29s: Schools are shut and co-parenting
- 3m 42s: What’s Dad La Soul?
- 10m 11s: Quitting the corporate world
- 13m 13s: The average Dad La Soul’ly
- 19m 23s: The impact of Coronavirus
- 29m 47s: What do the family want from me?
- 35m 54s: What I learned about becoming a dad
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Welcome back to #AskDan, where I answer whatever's on your mind. No surprises, this week it's all about Coronavirus and working from home.
This week I answer:
- I'm struggling to work from home - what do I do?
- Should I wear office attire when working from home?
- How do I prove to my employer I'm only doing 'work stuff' when working from home
I hopefyou guys enjoy - and remember, drop me a line on any of the socials if you have a question you want me to answer.
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Hey podcast, welcome back to The Career Dad Show.
In this episode I’m joined by Monshur Ali, who co-founded WeAgile, which is a digital creative studio mixed with a venture capitalist business… but with a twist.
We talk about creating WeAgile, the impact of being a ‘weekend dad’, and how judgement and comparing ourselves to others is toxic. Monshur also shares his best advice to new or expecting fathers. I hope you enjoy.
Contents
- 0m 49s: The WeAgile Ethos
- 7m 10s: Flipping the agency model on its head
- 11m 08s: What’s the catch?
- 13m 58s: What flexible working means to you
- 18m 43: Weekend parent and Dad Guilt
- 25m 23s: Why do we really work so much?
- 29m 08s: Judgement and comparisons
- 32m 31s: Surprises and advice about being a father
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Welcome to the new-style Q&A podcast, #AskDan. I get so many questions - mainly through LinkedIn - and I thought instead of just responding to that one person, what if I shared the answer with everyone?
This first episode answers the following questions:
- How to work from home with small kids
- How to stop being isolated when working from home
- How to think practical about emergency home schooling
I hope you enjoy! And if you have a question, either message me on LinkedIn or drop me a note to dan@careerdad.co.uk
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
This week I’m joined by Molly Johnson-Jones, Co-Founder of Flexa. Molly’s on a mission to help match candidates with flexible working jobs, right up to C-suite level.
It's really hard to know what you're actually signing up for when a company says 'Yeah, we embrace flexible working'. Does that mean you can work from home when you absolutely need to, or does it mean that you can manage your day as you see fit?
What's lacking is an understanding of what individual companies mean when they talk about flexible working. Molly - and Flexa - want to change that.
In this episode we talk about what led Molly to create Flexa, the impact of flexible working on young men, and why presenteeism still exists. I hope you enjoy.
Contents
- 1m 06s: Intro
- 4m 31s: Flexible working: the impact on young men
- 6m 45: Sacked for flexible working
- 11m 12s: Who holds the keys to flexible working?
- 12m 23s: Founding Flexa
- 19m 44s: Hypocrisy around 9-5
- 26m 17s: Presenteeism isn’t dead
- 32m 29s: Embrace flexibility to retain talent
- 35m 34s: International Women’s Day
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Hey Podcast: this week I sit down with award-winning dad blogger John Adams from DadBlogUK.
John talks about nature vs nurture, being a ‘Work From Home’ dad, and recalls an eye-opening conversation with George the Builder.
There’s also a fair amount of talk about our mutual love of TikTok, as well as what John hopes will be his legacy. Enjoy the episode!
Contents
- 1m 21s: I’m Fine
- 2m 28s: Being in New York during 9/11
- 4m 25s: Growing DadBlogUK
- 9m 09s: Nature vs nurture
- 10m 58s: ‘Work at home’ dad
- 13m 44s: George the Builder
- 16m 07s: Being an ‘awkward sod’
- 20m 11s: TikTok
- 27m 37s: What’s your legacy?
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Hey podcast, meet Will Taylor. Will’s a child therapist, but he never saw himself going down that route. However, after years of youth work - and undergoing therapy himself - he found himself re-training and now doing a job he loves.
Will talks about the impact of losing his father, how we need to give people time and permission to just ‘be’; and, the importance of being a present dad. I hope you enjoy
Contents
- 1m 10s: Meet Will
- 5m 50s: The best jobs involve working with kids
- 13m 23s: Giving people time and permission
- 14m 44s: University wasn’t for me
- 20m 19s: 12 years of bereavement
- 27m: Having my own counselling
- 34m 02s: The presence of being a dad
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Hey podcast, in this episode I’m joined by Owen Jones, who’s opening gambit was ‘I’m an ex-alcoholic, and I can help people’. Owen talks about his relationship with alcohol alongside his high-powered career and loving family, the coping mechanisms, and, ultimately, overcoming his addiction. Alongside his day job Owen’s become a personal trainer, and also recently started a website ‘DrunkDadToDryDad.com’. I hope you enjoy
Content
- 1m 10s: Introduction
- 3m 53s: ‘I’m an ex-alcoholic and I can help people’
- 10m 14s: ‘My hangover route’: coping mechanisms
- 12m 30s: When therapy and AA didn’t work, I had to sort myself out
- 16m 10s: Building mental resilience: flipping quitting on its head
- 22m: To quit, or not to quit
- 25m 58s: Looking forward: A new life
Make sure to check out the latest articles and other podcast episodes at www.careerdad.co.uk.
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Hey podcast, today I’m joined by Paul Hughes. Paul’s an ex-banker-turned-teacher-turned business creator. He and his wife started Parent Guide To GCSE.com, which aims to help parents - and their kids - through GCSEs. In this episode Paul talks about leaving banking to become a stay at home dad, the perils of teaching, co-parenting through a divorce, and, advice on starting your own business. I hope you enjoy.
Content
- Leaving teaching to start a business
- How can I make sure my kids get the best start?
- The business - and inflexibility - of schools
- Quitting banking to be a full-time dad
- Co-parenting through a divorce
- What’s next for your business?
- Advice on starting a business
Also, make sure to check out www.careerdad.co.uk for the latest articles on dads, work, and everything in-between.
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Hey Podcast, in this episode I sit down with Rob Taylor who’s started a number of businesses, including 0114 Marketing, Plan Grow Do, and - Dads in Business. We talk about starting a business from redundancy, how having 3 boys is off-the-charts, and how Rob found himself hosting a global dad’s event at Amazon. I also ask Rob the million dollar question: Are dads our own worst enemy? I hope you enjoy.
Make sure to check out www.careerdad.co.uk for the latest articles on all things dad and work.
Content
- Starting a business from redundancy
- Doing what I felt a dad should be doing
- The Dad Gap
- A different business model for smaller businesses
- The power of digital advertising
- Can dads be our own worst enemy?
- Running a dad’s event at Amazon
- The importance of “me time”
- The plan for Dads in Business
Check out Dads in Business: www.dadsinbusiness.co.uk
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Hey Podcast, in this episode I catch up with Leigh Spatcher, a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist - or CBT - based in Northampton. Leigh shares his route to becoming a therapist, including bankruptcy and a relationship breakdown, as well as navigating being a therapist whilst also being a dad.
Oh, Leigh was also my therapist, which makes for an interesting chat. Hope you enjoy
Chapters
- Becoming a therapist: guilt and anxiety
- Opening a health club for kids
- Dealing with bankruptcy
- Retraining, and being a “weekend dad”
- Being a therapist in the NHS
- The three types of therapists
- Three reasons I didn’t want to have therapy
- How being a therapist has impacted my parenting
- How to access therapy
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Meet Sam Avery - AKA The Learner Parent. Sam's an award-winning comedian, best-selling author, podcast host and - of course - Facebook Sensation, who is about to start his second UK Tour: Toddlergeddon.
Sam and I talk about finding humour in failure, how at 17 he found himself touring with Motorhead, his new UK comedy tour Toddlergeddon, and why Sam is passionate about passing on happiness to others. Enjoy.
You can find out more and buy tickets to Toddlergeddon, too.
Content
- The Learner Parent was born
- From touring with Motorhead to working in a NatWest branch
- The life of a stand-up comic
- Toddlergeddon
- Health and exercise on tour
- Passing on happiness
- What’s next?
Make sure to also check out www.careerdad.co.uk for the latest articles, podcasts and news.
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Shared Parental Leave - where the mum is able to give up some of her maternity leave to her partner - became a legal right in 2015. In theory, this made it much easier for dads to take additional leave from work and spend time with their child.
5 years on, and the take-up rate is pretty low. Like, 2% low. So if dads want to spend more time with their kids (hint: they do), and the law has changed to allow this (it has), and employers are offering it (they are)... what's the problem?
In this episode, Joe Young - Associate at Pinsent Masons - talks about his experience of taking 6 months Shared Parental Leave. As a high-flying litigation lawyer in The City, I wanted to find out how difficult it was for him to make this decision. How did the firm take it? What about his clients? And - most importantly - how did it go?
Make sure to check out Dad on SPL for more on Joe!
Contents
- The ins and outs of Shared Parental Leave
- Companies winning in this space
- Equality in the workplace
- Filling the time for 6 months
- Being the only dad in the class
- Stopping work for 6 months
- Clients' reaction to SPL
- How businesses need to adapt to stay relevant
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Hey Podcast! In this season wrap-up episode I thank everyone who’s supported the podcast, with a special shout out to my Patreon supporters. The fact people pay monthly just to show their appreciation for this podcast is amazing. You guys are awesome.
I also give a sneak peak into Season Two, talk about the #2020FlipChallenge, and also use my own experiences to cover the most common theme throughout the season: guilt. I hope you enjoy.
Contents
- Thank you
- A preview of Season 2
-
2020FlipChallenge and a love for flipping
- My experience with guilt
- Dealing with advice and judgement
- 2020: The year of happiness
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
In the final episode of Season 1, Ian Moyse joins me to talk about the impact social media and technology is having on kids. What happens when the children grow up and may not want their image online? Could we see kids suing parents for data breech?
This is a really interesting episode, not least because Ian and I have different views on this. We also talk about whether the art of conversations between two humans is dying, and the importance of personal brand.
Contents
- Kids and technology: what do we do?
- Business etiquette: laptops in meetings
- The dying art of writing
- Communication and switching platforms
- Our kids' images are on social media because of us
- Personal branding
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
The life of a contractor can sound really appealing. After all, some of those day rates are insane. But what about time off for family? Or holidays? Or sick leave? How do you find balance when you're paid a day rate... and those days may not be 9-5.
In "Contracting and 2 kids under 2", I speak with Ade who opens up what it's really like being a contractor, as well as having 2 boys under 2 years old. He's got some amazing advice on how to plan as a contractor, as well as for those thinking of making the leap from permanent employment.
Discussion
- 2 kids under 2
- Life of a contractor
- Being promoted in the contracting world
- Future planning: the 3-5 year strategy
- Working round the clock vs work-life balance
- Want to progress? Get the face time
- Making the jump from permanent to contracting
- At the base of the first summit with gender equality
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Ho Ho Ho... Merry Christmas! 'Tis the season of giving, and giving we shall: Ashley (from Episode 1) and Rowan (from Episode 6) join me for an un-edited hour of Dad Chat. Rowan is incredibly sceptical that anyone is going to listen to this over Christmas, so please help prove him wrong and give it a listen. It's great background noise for preparing a roast to. Caveat: there are some expletives... not one for the kids!
If you like Dad Chat please do let me know, as it's a format I'm keen to do more of in the future. In this Dad Chat we talk about:
- Co-sleeping: Sleep training, or buy a bigger bed?
- Discipline: How to get one-up on the little darlings
- Christmas: Surviving the family visits
- Activities: How many is too many?
- Gender-neutral toys?
- Musical instruments and sports
Enjoy!
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
We've made it to episode 10! And who better to celebrate with than Michael.
When his daughter, Charlie, was 2 years old, Michael was waiting at the drop off point to meet Charlie's mum. She never turned up. For the last 6 years, Michael has been bringing up his daughter on his own. Oh, and did I mention Michael was 51 when this happened, and is an ex-bouncer, body builder and personal trainer?
Michael delves in to what it was like raising his daughter, fighting stereotypes, and also turning into a campaigner and reformer after being banned from Charlie's ballet school.
In this episode
- Raising my daughter as a single dad
- Purposefully staying single for 5 years
- Being really ill puts everything into perspective
- Sunday = Charlie’s Day
- How do you manage being a single dad? As a man?
- Going international: Getting banned from Charlie’s ballet concert
- Solo dad to public speaker, equality campaigner and reformer
- Setting kids up for success
- Hopes for the future
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Rich Jepson is a full time digital performance manager at On the Beach. He's also a published author. And a full time dad. In this episode, we talk about what it's like managing your side hustle alongside a 9-5, and making the decision to quit "the day job" to pursue dreams.
Rich also talks about his 18 month old son, Casey, who was 4 weeks premature and how he dealt with the uncertainty. This is a great episode looking at work, work, family, emotions and... hand puppets?
Overview
- Digital marketer by day, author by night
- Becoming a dad 4 weeks early
- Our issue with antenatal classes
- Full time job, full time side hustle, full time dad
- Wanting to be “happy go lucky”, and not being able to
- Talking about emotions
- Man 2.0: Are we ready for it?
- Taking the leap: quitting the 9-5
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
In this episode
- Alexa! What is voice search and voice marketing?
- Are our phones listening to us?
- Is tech an aid to loneliness?
- The power of audio, and the ability to own focus
- The future of the workspace
- Managing balance
About this episode
James Poulter, CEO of Vixen Labs, joins me to talk about the future of voice marketing and how technology will impact the future for our children. James founded Vixen just over a year ago as a leading voice marketing and voice skills specialist, and already has some leading brands under his belt.
As well as building up a company from the ground up, being on the global speaker circuit and a fitness fanatic, he's also a father to two children. We talk about that age-old question: balance.
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
We've all been there: staring down the barrel of another sleepless night whilst the kid(s) cry / scream / projectile vomit.
This week's guest, Nicole Ratcliffe, not only experienced sleep deprivation with her own child - she then went on to start her own business (Baby2Sleep) helping parents figure out that elusive task: getting their child to sleep.
In this episode we take questions from fans looking for advice on their own situations. We also talk about co-sleeping, the cry-it-out method and FOMO babies.
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Key Topics
- Flexible working
- Technology and children
- The evolution of the workplace
- What the best employees are looking for
- What companies need to do to retain top talent
Episode Summary
Rowan is a recruitment consultant. He spends his entire day speaking with candidates and companies alike, matching people with jobs. It's traditionally not a 9-5 job: think about it... what times do you speak to recruiters? When his daughter Lyra was born (awesome name, #HisDarkMaterials), Rowan and his wife decided London was no longer the right place for them. So they moved to York.
Flexible working played a key role in their decision, so it's no surprise this is a focus of our conversation. We also talk about how the needs of employees is changing, and how salary is not as important as it once was. As Rowan articulates very clearly: companies that do not adapt their culture are going to lose their top talent over the next 10 years. And, it's already happening now.
I also ask Rowan: who are the 3 worst companies to work for in terms of employee satisfaction? Let's see if I can get him to spill the beans...
Chapter Contents
- 2m 02s: Introducing Rowan
- 4m 24s: Reasons for moving from London to York
- 7m 52s: Commuter talk
- 11m 41s: Balance: it’s a marathon, not a sprint
- 16m 01s: Technology and kids
- 19m 21s: Recruitment: the evolution of employee loyalty
- 22m 38s: Trust: it’s the wrong way round
- 29m 14s: Where are companies getting this right… and wrong
- 34m 05s: Purpose-driven businesses
- 36m 44s: Shared parental leave
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Jon has a fantastic job. He works with kids, bringing them from all over the world to learn about US politics and democracy. The emphasis is to give the next generation the tools to have debate, articulate opinions, and create more engaged citizens.
As you'd expect, the majority of Jon's time is spent in Washington DC. But Jon lives in Toronto. Even it your geography isn't great... that's a commute.
In this episode I talk to Jon about how he balances a job he loves with the desire to be at home with family. We talk about relationships, the importance of extended family, and how technology has played a huge role in enabling Jon to keep in touch with his family in the US... and how it keeps him connected to his wife, Lisa, and son Benjamin.
We also ask about the elephant in the room: is society ready for progressive parents?
Content
- 0m 51s: Welcome Jon Gerst
- 1m 49s: American summer camps
- 4m 41s: Jewish overnight camp as a non-Jew
- 8m 39s: Entrusting your kid’s safety to someone else
- 10m 00s: Close-up Foundation
- 13m 28s: Maternity and paternity - US vs Canada
- 17m 11s: Commuting countries
- 21m 57s: Appeasing both sets of parents
- 24m: 07s: Therapy talk, and utilising technology
- 25m 23s: Your job: an (extended) family decision
- 26m 30s: Is society ready for progressive fathers?
- 29m 28s: Would you have benefited from Shared Parental Leave?
- 31m 40s: Could companies be doing more?
- 34m 25s: Advice for moving your family away from home
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
4 years ago, Andrew's wife Claire was overdue in her pregnancy and felt something wasn't right. There wasn't as much movement. A hospital visit turned into an emergency C-Section, and their daughter Alexandra was born. But she was very sick. The doctors needed Alexandra to rally through the night, but unfortunately she didn't. With just 40 hours of life, Alexandra passed away.
Andrew's paternity leave had turned into bereavement leave... but as I learned from speaking with Andrew, bereavement leave isn't a "thing". Listen to Andrew's story about dealing with loss, people's best and worst responses, and what we can do as a society to try and prevent future parents going through anything like this.
I'm not going to lie - this is a tough episode. But it's important. If you want to find out more:
Claire's blog: https://afteralexandra.co.uk
Martin House: https://www.martinhouse.org.uk
Sands: https://www.sands.org.uk
Tommy's: https://www.tommys.org
Contents
- 0m 48s: Welcome to Andrew
- 1m 42s: What happened with Alexandra?
- 8m 15s: Making the hardest phone call
- 10m 30s: The point of realisation
- 12m 42s: Vivid dreams
- 14m 04s: Support for bereaving dads
- 18m 02s: Going back to work
- 18m 46s: Supporting Claire
- 20m 27s: AfterAlexandra.co.uk
- 21m 06s: People reacting to your story
- 28m 59s: Different ways of dealing with grief
- 32m 05s: Deciding on organ donation
- 35m 55s: Having a second child
- 38m 25s: Has losing Alexandra changed how you parent Ophelia?
- 39m 58: Baby Loss Awareness Week (1 in 200)
- 42m 50s: What can we do to prevent this?
- 44m 09s: Did you blame anyone?
- 45m 34s: How people can help
- 46m 48s: What to do if you’re affected by this episode
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Meet James: a senior pilot with Emirates, who moved from the UK to Dubai with his wife and son 3 years ago. Since moving he's had another son, and spends his time flying all over the world in what he calls "his hobby". When he's not flying he's either at home with the family, or enjoying down time in the fantastic cities he finds himself in.
Sounds great, right? Yes... and no. Don't get me wrong: James loves his life. But it's hard to fully enjoy amazing experiences when you're by yourself, when all you really want is for your family to be there enjoying it with you.
Listen to James' story: from moving abroad and taking kids away from grandparents, to having children overseas, to having to cope with the least 9-5 job there is, to what we - passengers - are really like to deal with. Oh, and there may be some tips on how to get upgraded!
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
This week I speak with David Chater, who swapped his Sheffield to London commute for 1 day a week travel and 4 days from home. Working through Economic Change as a Salesforce Super Dad, David has breakfast with his son, blasts through the day's activities during school hours, then gets to pick up as a family right where he left off.
In this episode, David explains what led him to this change, how he went about implementing it, and what tips he has for others who are thinking about a similar journey
Contents
- 1m 10s: What Is economic change?
- 2m: 49s: Managing balance
- 3m 42s: Taking work home
- 7m 07s: Time for change
- 10m 53s: Understanding the risks
- 13m 12s: The expectations of career progression
- 17m 39s: The positives of being forced into decisions
- 19m 00s: Becoming a Salesforce Super Dad
- 23m 26s: A whole new set-up
- 25m 15s: The ability to switch off…. sort of
- 26m 40s: Top tips for embracing change
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Welcome back to The Career Dad Show. This week I speak with Ashley Pierre, who shares his experience of what paternity leave can really be like... particularly when you turn up for a work event whilst on paternity leave!
We also talk about entitled kids, career progression for mums and dads, and how society is still geared to mothers taking the lion(esse)'s share of raising kids... and what impact that can have on a dad's feelings of guilt, anxiety and mental health.
Contents
- 3m 14s: Age gap between kids
- 6m 40s: Terrible 2s, or entitled kids?
- 8m 01s: All about Paternity Leave
- 11m 55s: Having a home birth?!
- 12m 43: Second time round…
- 14:49: Attending a work event whilst on paternity leave
- 19m 22s: Dealing with guilt as a modern-day man
- 23m 14s: One reason why women are put off from working in tech
- 24m 45: Progressing your career for you
- 26m 36s: Society is still geared towards women raising children
- 30m 53s: Our parents’ take on work-life balance
- 32m 48s: Shared Parental Leave
- 38m 35s: Mental health, guilt, anxiety and therapy
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)
Welcome to The Career Dad Show
Hi, I'm Dan Reed, and welcome to The Career Dad Show. If you haven't heard of The Career Dad Show... or Career Dad... you might be thinking "What the heck is this all about?" - and who'd blame you! This first episode answers that very question, so whilst you're more than welcome to read on... personally, I'd just hit play.
So you've decided to read on, eh? Fair enough. Well, The Career Dad Show is the podcast for www.careerdad.co.uk. What's that? Right... well, Career Dad is a community for dads who want to balance work with family. It's for dads who want to earn that promotion, but also want to take the kids to school. It's for dads who want a rewarding career, but not at the expense of their family.
It's probably for dads like you. It's definitely for dads like me. Since I started focussing on my career in my mid-20s, I understood that - one day - my family life may suffer as a consequence of me rising through the ranks. Then the day came when I actually had a family, and I realised I didn't want that previous scenario to become a reality. But I still wanted the career. That led to many an internal battle, feelings of guilt when I was away, and ultimately not giving my family - or my career - my all.
Now I'm in a space where I feel the balance is there. Mostly. Some days it's more "there" than others, but that's the whole point of balance, right? The one thing that's been able to help me the most is to talk about it. Shocker. So, whilst on paternity leave with my second child, I thought: why isn't there a space for guys to talk about wanting to succeed in their careers, but also wanting to be a modern-day family guy?
So I created it. Ta da! And in a nutshell, that's what you'll get from The Career Dad Show. Interviews with other dads about topics close to their hearts. You'll hear their stories, both good and bad. You'll hear their tips for success. You'll hear their worries and fears. But most importantly - you'll hear them!
So go on, have a listen and see what you think. Make sure to hit subscribe, too, as you won't want to miss the weekly episodes.
Contents
- 0m 56s: Teaser for Episode 1 - Paternity leave
- 1m 19s: What to expect from The Career Dad Show
- 2m 31s: Intro to Dad Talk
- 3m 24s: What is Career Dad?
- 4m 59s: Why did I start Career Dad?
- 6m 22s: Who is Career Dad for?
- 6m 46s: Why should you care?
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/careerdad)