Raising responsible teenagers, how to let kids make their own decisions, and who is on your parenting team | Tom Willerer (father of 2, COO at Reforge)
Startup Dad
Introduction
Exploring the significance of children confiding in trusted adults and navigating parenting challenges with tech industry figure Tom Willer.
Tom Willerer is the Chief Operating Officer at Reforge. Prior to that he was the Chief Product Officer at Opendoor, Coursera and a VP of Product at Netflix. Tom is a husband, father of two teenagers and a fellow Michigander.
In this episode we discuss:
* Tom's early years as a college baseball player
* How Tom got into tech
* The decision to start a family
* A hilarious story about burritos in the delivery room
* Having a limited support network
* How parenting is a team sport and how that team changes over time
* What it's like raising teenagers
* How to let kids make their own decisions (safely)
* Mistakes made leaning in too much to help
* Parenting frameworks
* How to put your partners needs above your own
* Managing kids and career
Listen, watch and subscribe: Apple, Spotify, YouTube, Overcast and Google.
Know someone who would benefit from listening to this podcast?
Where to find Tom Willerer
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/twillerer/
Where to find Adam Fishman
- Newsletter: www.startupdadpod.substack.com
- Newsletter: www.FishmanAFNewsletter.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/
- Twitter (aka X): https://twitter.com/fishmanaf
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupdadpod/
—
In this episode:
(1:51) Tom's introduction
(2:13) Learning more about Tom's background
(5:57) How Tom got into tech
(8:40) His decision to start a family with his wife
(9:50) Lacking a strong support network
(12:05) Tom's earliest memory of becoming a dad
(15:58) Why parenting is a team sport
(18:40) How the team changes as your kids get older
(22:22) What it's like raising teenagers
(27:26) How to let your kids make their own decisions
(31:30) Mistakes made leaning in too much
(35:23) Parenting frameworks
(38:19) When he and his wife don’t agree
(42:50) Putting your partner’s needs above own
(46:56) Managing kids & career
(48:47) Sacrifices made as a dad
(51:37) Rapid fire round
—
Show references
Springfree Trampoline - https://www.springfreetrampoline.com/collections/trampolines
Inside Out the movie - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2096673/
Jeep Wrangler - https://www.jeep.com/wrangler.html
Sleep Coach - https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/what-is-sleep-coach
Reforge - www.reforge.com
Opendoor - www.opendoor.com
Coursera - https://www.coursera.org/
Netflix - https://www.netflix.com/
Indiana University - https://www.iu.edu/index.html
Mario Kart 8 - https://mariokart8.nintendo.com/
Sun Microsystems - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Microsystems
BlackBerry - https://www.blackberry.com/us/en
Dad Joke Cards - https://www.amazon.com/WORD-TEASERS-Worst-Jokes-Conversation/dp/B09BX39MBN/r
City Ballet of San Diego - https://cityballet.org/
X (Twitter) - https://twitter.com/
Colic - https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/colic
ChatGPT - https://chat.openai.com
Super73 - https://super73.com/
Luke Bryan - https://www.lukebryan.com/tour
Shoreline Amphitheatre - https://www.mountainviewamphitheater.com/
Bridesmaids - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1478338/
Elon Musk - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elon_Musk
—
Production support for Startup Dad is provided by Tommy Harron at
http://www.armaziproductions.com/
Episode art designed by Matt Sutherland at https://www.mspnw.com/
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit startupdadpod.substack.com
The AI-powered Podcast Player
