The Company of Dads Podcast

Interview with Michael Cohen / Employment lawyer, Philly sports fan, Lead DadHOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVANWhen Michael Cohen’s first daughter was born, some 20 years ago, he was afraid to take paternity leave. Not super shocking in the early 2000s – unless you know that Coach Mike, as his daughters and their friends call him, is an employment lawyer who helps companies craft their workplace policies – including around parental leave. Back then, he was afraid to ask the senior partners at his firm for time off when so many of them boasted about the parenting moments they had missed. Today, Mike is that senior partner and he encourages men and women to take time to be parents. He trusts they’ll get everything done and knows how important that flexibility is. When it comes to the companies he advises, he said things are getting better but there’s still room for improvement. Listen to him talk about what companies should do, what employees need to ask for and how much he learned from coaching his daughters in sports.---Get our free newsletter covering all things fatherhood delivered straight to your inbox: https://thecompanyofdads.com/thedad/

Interview with Kate Mangino / Gender Expert, Researcher, AuthorHOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVANSplitting up work at home equally doesn’t mean you do the dishes and I take out the trash. It means both partners share the mental load of running a house, raising children and tending to all the things that crop up. Kate Mangino spent time with 40 men who are equal partners to their spouses – as verified by their spouses – to write her new book Equal Partners: Improving Gender Equality at Home. What she found was the upbringings of the 40 weren’t always traditional – some were raised by single parents, some felt different growing up, some came from violent households. But their willingness to take on more of the mental load when they got married was summed up in a positive way: they felt it was better for them to be equal contributors in their relationships and they didn’t feel like that was a sacrifice. Admirable stuff. But listen to learn why so many of the 40 asked for anonymity and still don’t know each other.---Get our free newsletter covering all things fatherhood delivered straight to your inbox: https://thecompanyofdads.com/thedad/

Interview with Andrew Jensen / Pro Athlete, Mental Health Advocate, Suicide SurvivorHOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVANAndrew Jensen was an elite athlete all through the junior and university ranks. Handsome, fit and charming, he nearly reached the pinnacle of his sport, falling just a few notches short of playing on the PGA Tour. Throughout it all, Andrew was struggling with his sense of self-worth and hanging everything on his professional golf performance. Under that pressure, he played worse, and his mental health declined. He tried to take his own life three times. Now as a Lead Dad to his wife and their one-year-old son, he still worries about his own mental illness. He talks candidly on this episode about his own struggles and also about his desire to help other men in need.---Get our free newsletter covering all things fatherhood delivered straight to your inbox: https://thecompanyofdads.com/thedad/

Interview with Brian Page / Founder of Modern Husbands, Financial Literacy ExpertHOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVANFor our first joint podcast, Paul Sullivan, founder of The Company of Dads, and Brian Page, founder of Modern Husbands, come together to discuss what the two groups have in common and where we differ. No competition here, just two men discussing one set of key issues that have come out of the pandemic: what it means to be a Lead Dad or Modern Husband in this changing world of work and home life. Listen to hear what Brian and Paul have to say about money, marriage and the pursuit of dad and husband happiness.---Get our free newsletter covering all things fatherhood delivered straight to your inbox: https://thecompanyofdads.com/thedad/

Interview with Han-Son Lee / Founder of Daddilife, Leader in HR Change in the UKHOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVANHan-Son Lee, the founder of Daddilife, a parenting website for fathers in the United Kingdom, is working to change the way companies treat working dads. Human resources departments can be there to facilitate changes and help create Working Dad Groups, but the only way men are going to come on board is if there are effective mentor groups. Listen to Han-Son talk about how to create these groups and why a lot of effort at the start pays dividends that grow exponentially for years.---Get our free newsletter covering all things fatherhood delivered straight to your inbox: https://thecompanyofdads.com/thedad/

Interview with Mike McGee / Marketing Guru, Lead Dad to Annika Sorenstam HOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVANMike McGee was a sports marketing guru in his own right before going to work for Annika Sorenstam, one of the greatest golfers of all time. About 15 years ago, their relationship turned romantic, and he’s now a Lead Dad to Annika and their children Will and Ava. Growing up in a golf family – his father was PGA Tour winner and Ryder Cupper Jerry McGee – he learned from his parents about what it meant to live in a true partnership. “I knew I had the love in my heart to do this and the ability to support Annika,” he said. “I’d lived it: it’s about the kids and supporting your spouse. I’m very fortunate to do that.” Listen to how Annika and Mike make the partnership work – and why he prefers guys ribbing him go with Mr. Annika.---Get our free newsletter covering all things fatherhood delivered straight to your inbox: https://thecompanyofdads.com/thedad/

Interview with Bruce Feiler / Creator of The Council of Dads, thinker on family and friendsHOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVANBruce Feiler is best-selling author, sought-after speaker and contemporary thinker on fatherhood, family and work. He may be best known as the creator of The Council of Dads, an idea and a book he conceived when he was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor in his leg. He wanted to recruit other dads to be there for his daughters if he wasn’t, and the council was born. He’s also written The Secrets of Happy Families, which is filled with actionable advice that we can take to make our lives better. Listen to us talk about fathers, family and what he calls a crisis of friendship among men today.---Get our free newsletter covering all things fatherhood delivered straight to your inbox: https://thecompanyofdads.com/thedad/

Interview with Paula Ratliff / Tech Leader, Workplace Thinker, Kentucky ColonelHOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVANMen far outnumber women in tech, but Dads have the ability to even the playing field for working moms, says Paula Ratliff, president of Women Impact Tech, which helps women thrive in the tech space. She talks about the “He’s for She’s” that helped her in her own career and can help women today. What’s needed she said is more mentors for working mothers and also great appreciation and understanding for working parents – who have proven they can work effectively in a remote or hybrid workplace. While she’s been doing this work for 20 years, there is a sobering statistic that still persists: mothers get a five to 10%  pay cut for each child they have, while fathers get a 6% pay bump per child. Listen to her discuss why she’s optimistic that coming out of the pandemic the tech industry is at an inflection point that could bring real change for working parents.---Get our free newsletter covering all things fatherhood delivered straight to your inbox: https://thecompanyofdads.com/thedad/

Interview with Kenneth Braswell / National Expert on Responsible FatherhoodHOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVANWhat’s a big lesson for fathers? Having patience – and the understanding that none of us can do it all, says Kenneth Braswell a leader in the responsible fatherhood movement. Kenneth is the chief executive officer of Fathers Incorporated, a widely recognized nonprofit that supports fathers, researchers, and policymakers. His group focuses on providing services to thousands of organizations working to ensure that fathers can contribute to the healthy well-being of their children. He is also the author of the autobiography “When The Tear Won’t Fall” and four children’s books. Listen to him talk about what fathers can do but also what government agencies and workplaces need to do to help fathers succeed in their parenting roles.---Get our free newsletter covering all things fatherhood delivered straight to your inbox: https://thecompanyofdads.com/thedad/

Interview with Gary Barker / Leader in the Global Men’s Movement / O.G. Lead DadHOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVANGary Barker is a leading global voice in engaging men and boys in advancing gender equality and creating a positive view of masculinity. He is the CEO and founder of Equimundo, which has worked for 20 years in more than 40 countries - starting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He’s also the founder of MenCare, a global campaign working in 50 countries to promote men’s involvement as caregivers. Gary co-created and leads the International Men and Gender Equality Survey (IMAGES), the largest-ever survey of men’s attitudes and behaviors related to violence, fatherhood, and gender equality, and is a co-author of the State of the World’s Fathers reports. Listen to him speak about how mens’ roles have changed in the decades he’s been working in the field. ---Get our free newsletter covering all things fatherhood delivered straight to your inbox: https://thecompanyofdads.com/thedad/