The Company of Dads Podcast

Interview with Deanne Aussem / Wellbeing Leader At PWCHOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVANCreating a wellbeing platform for a large, multinational company like PwC, the professional services firm, has been a decade in the making. But it positioned the company well in the post-Covid shift to how, where and when we're working. The company's Parenting Inclusion Network offers equal benefits for mothers and fathers - but more than that, it works with parents (and caregivers more broadly) to integrate work and life. Listen to Deanne Aussem, who heads the firm's wellbeing initiative, talk about what works and what still needs to be done - with tips for other companies starting out.---Get our free newsletter covering all things fatherhood delivered straight to your inbox: https://thecompanyofdads.com/thedad/

Interview with J.R. Havlan / Emmy Award Winner & First Time Camp WorkerHOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVANJ.R. Havlan got an offer he couldn't refuse: come work as the communications director at sleepaway camp. The eight-time Emmy Award-winning writer might seem a tad overqualified for the job but he jumped at the chance: he'd be around his two kids and fully focused on one job - a rarity in a world of disruptions. But he learned some things that he - and any Dad - could use in the school year. Listen now.---Get our free newsletter covering all things fatherhood delivered straight to your inbox: https://thecompanyofdads.com/thedad/

Interview with Doug Patton / Inventor and DadHOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVANDoug Patton is an inventor with over 200 products to his name, ranging from a biomedical device used worldwide for eye surgery to an electric candle sold by Disney. But he’s always been an involved father, to his daughter Heather and his son Sean. When she was a baby and a restless sleeper, he would get up early with her and sketch inventions with her rocking on the kitchen table. His son, who just graduated from college, has worked with him since he was 12. The three have come together to work on a passion project for Doug, a putter that brings sophisticated sound technology to golf. Listen to Doug talk about how his children came to work with him and what’s it meant for him as a father and entrepreneur.---Get our free newsletter covering all things fatherhood delivered straight to your inbox: https://thecompanyofdads.com/thedad/

Interview with Jennifer Wallace / Author and Advocate for AdolescentsHOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVANIt's all or nothing. Harvard or bust. A's may not be enough. This is achievement culture and it's hurting kids. Jennifer Wallace, author of “Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic--and What We Can Do About It”, has a plan to help adolescents and their well-meaning but intense parents change the dynamic. Listen to her tips.---Get our free newsletter covering all things fatherhood delivered straight to your inbox: https://thecompanyofdads.com/thedad/

Interview with Chris Michalak / Healthcare CEO and Lead DadHOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVANIn one year, Chris Michalak lost his marriage, his job and his dog. He became a single Lead Dad with custody of his sons. He kept it secret at work - it was a different time. Fifteen years later, he became CEO of VIrgin Pulse, a healthcare company, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. His personal experience years earlier informed how he led - and allowed him to lean into remote work for everyone's benefit. Listen to what he did and how it helped his company.---Get our free newsletter covering all things fatherhood delivered straight to your inbox: https://thecompanyofdads.com/thedad/

Interview with Jay Rosenblatt / Filmmaker and FatherHOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVANHow do our kids change as they age? All fathers observe it in real time but Jay Rosenblatt recorded it. Starting when his daughter was 2, he interviewed her on camera every year on her birthday until she was 18. The result is a beautiful record of a father-daughter bond. Listen to what we can all learn from his endeavor.---Get our free newsletter covering all things fatherhood delivered straight to your inbox: https://thecompanyofdads.com/thedad/

Interview with Rocco Carreiro / Author and Financial AdviserHOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVANThe three cords are work, family and self. And author Rocco Carreiro said all three need to be bound together for men to be happy and productive as Lead Dads, entrepreneurs or employees, and spouses or partners. No surprise: it's not easy to give your all to your business, your family and yourself? There are tradeoffs; it's hard. Listen as we unpack this.---Get our free newsletter covering all things fatherhood delivered straight to your inbox: https://thecompanyofdads.com/thedad/

Interview with Linda Nielsen / Professor and Expert on Fathers & DaughtersHOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVANDo babies really bond better with moms? Do dads sacrifice less than moms? Are dads less empathetic, less compassionate, and less skilled at communicating than moms? These are all myths that hold fathers back, says Linda Nielsen, a professor at Wake Forest University. She's been researching the subject for 30 years. Listen to how to correct the record.---Get our free newsletter covering all things fatherhood delivered straight to your inbox: https://thecompanyofdads.com/thedad/

Interview with Professor David Smith / Naval Aviator, Gender Rights ExpertHOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVANA Naval Academy graduate, David is an associate Professor at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School where he focuses on inclusive leadership and gender in the workplace. His life in academia started after his stint as a Naval aviator, flying combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. How did he come to his research? He saw his wife, a fellow Naval Academy graduate, struggle far more than he did, despite being just as well educated and trained. Learn how to be a more inclusive leader.---Get our free newsletter covering all things fatherhood delivered straight to your inbox: https://thecompanyofdads.com/thedad/

Interview with Reshma Saujani / Advocate For Women and GirlsHOSTED BY PAUL SULLIVANReshma Saujani is an amazing force for working parents, an advocate for girls and a thinker on work today. She founded the nonprofit Girls Who Code, which worked to close the tech gap for women by teaching girls to be programmers. In the pandemic, she started a second nonprofit called the Marshall Plan for Moms, now known as Moms First. It advocates for child care, paid leave, and equal pay. Want to know what Lead Dads can do to support Working Moms at home and at work? Listen in.---Get our free newsletter covering all things fatherhood delivered straight to your inbox: https://thecompanyofdads.com/thedad/