This book is a transcript of the only public speech David Foster Wallace gave on his views on life, delivered as a commencement address at Kenyon College in 2005. The speech delves into the difficulties of empathy, the unimportance of being well-adjusted, and the apparent loneliness of adult life. Wallace argues that true freedom comes from the ability to be fully conscious and sympathetic, and he emphasizes the importance of learning how to think and exercise control over one's thoughts. The speech is known for its blend of casual humor, exacting intellect, and practical philosophy, offering advice that renews readers with every reading. After his death, the speech became a treasured piece of writing, reprinted in various publications and widely discussed online[1][2][4].
Jordan Gal is the CEO of Rosie, an AI answering service for small businesses. He’s also a five-time founder, husband, and dad to three daughters.
Born in Israel and raised in an immigrant entrepreneur household, Jordan shares how that upbringing shapes his parenting and how he and his wife work to combine their very different childhood experiences.
We discussed:
- Talking to kids about money: How Jordan brings business lessons into everyday moments without oversharing or creating pressure.
- Being family first in a startup world: Why Jordan sees business as a tool to support his real priorities.
- Nudging kids toward ownership: The subtle ways he introduces the value of equity, risk, and autonomy.
- Managing stress without passing it on: How Jordan handles emotional spillover and what he shares with his kids.
- Modeling healthy conflict in marriage: Why he believes transparency and disagreement are both part of partnership.
- Challenging assumptions through travel: How 18 months of nomadic living reshaped what his family needed and what they didn’t.
Where to find Jordan Gal
Where to find Adam Fishman
In this episode, we cover:
(00:00) Introducing Jordan Gal
(01:59) Growing up in an immigrant entrepreneur household
(04:13) Leaving investment banking for freedom and risk
(05:54) Blending two very different parenting styles
(08:33) What being “extremely family first” really looks like
(11:49) Living nomadically with a toddler and a pack and play
(17:37) Why Jordan’s family left Portland for the Chicago suburbs
(23:14) Talking to kids about money in everyday situations
(28:05) Gently guiding kids toward entrepreneurship
(30:08) Managing startup stress without bringing it home
(36:47) Being honest with your partner about startup risk and tradeoffs
(48:01) Lightning round: minivans, Bee Movie, and doing the worm
Show references:
For sponsorship inquiries email: podcast@fishmana.com.
For Startup Dad Merch: www.startupdadshop.com
Links for Jordan Gal
Rosie: https://heyrosie.com
Aaron’s LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aarondfrancis/
Aaron Francis’ Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SntR9LmO4oU
Dorit Lemel: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorit_Kemsley
University of Michigan: https://umich.edu/
Harvard Business School:https://online.hbs.edu/
Kibbutz:https://www.britannica.com/topic/kibbutz
David Foster Wallace, This is Water: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCbGM4mqEVw
Pack N Play: https://www.gracobaby.com/shop/home-and-gear/pack-n-play-playards
Marine Layer: https://www.marinelayer.com/
Vuori: https://vuoriclothing.com/
Bee Movie: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0389790/
The Wonder Years: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094582/
Parenthood: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1416765/
Schindler’s List: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108052/
Startup Dad 
