I went on a podcast for dads
On portfolio careers, parenting, and accidentally building a dad community in Brooklyn
It's been a while since I've written here (November... oops). A lot has happened, but honestly, most of it has been the slow, steady evolution of learning how to be a parent while building a career that doesn't look like anything I expected a few years ago.
I recently had the chance to sit down with
on his podcast, and it was the first time I've really talked publicly about how becoming a dad has changed... well, everything. Most of my content these days is about product management and interview prep, so it felt both vulnerable and important to dig into the backdrop that actually drives how I show up in my work: fatherhood.YouTube:
Spotify:
A few things that surprised me as I was talking through it:
The portfolio thing is working better than I thought. When I first went fractional/solopreneur, Carole & I worried about financial stability. Turns out, having multiple income streams (fractional PM work, my Maven course and AI copilot for interview practice, the podcast I co-host) actually feels safer than when I had one employer who could decide my fate. No single client represents more than 30-50% of my income these days.
Solo parenting days are sometimes easier. This one caught me off guard. When Carole travels for work and I'm flying solo with Gaia, there's zero communication overhead. If something doesn't get done, I know exactly where the ball was dropped. The control freak in me finds it oddly relaxing compared to the constant "did you pack the snacks?" coordination of tag-teaming.
I've accidentally built a dad community. Walking around Brooklyn with Gaia has connected me with other dads in ways I never expected. I’m part of a group called "Dadmilk" (😂) with about 15-20 neighborhood dads, and it's become one of my most valued social circles.
The structure thing is real. Before kids, routines felt limiting. Now they're the only way I get anything meaningful done. Our bedtime routine has been the same since Gaia was 3 months old, and it still works like magic. Carole deserves all the credit for figuring this out—I was just following her lead in those early days.
Gaia's almost 2.5 now and turning into this little person with opinions and jokes who gets her gentle, playful energy from Carole and has trained George to be her personal floor-cleanup service.
The conversation with Adam made me realize how much Carole and I have been figuring out as we go, and how rare it is for me to actually pause and reflect on what's working and what isn't. If you're curious to listen/watch the full convo, it's on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube.
What's been going on with all of you? I know I've been terrible at staying in touch, but I'd love to hear what you've been up to.
Ben
P.S. - Still haven't finished a single parenting book. Somehow we're all still alive.