Eric Colbert, Jay Chandrasekhar and Eli Szasz are the co-founders of VouchVault, a new platform that helps you get trusted recommendations for products and services you need. Eric and Eli have worked together for years at creative agency, Spark6. Jay is a comedian, writer and actor best known for his movies Super Troopers and Beerfest. Collectively they’re the dads of 9 different kids along with being loving and supportive husbands (or so they told me). We discussed:* How they all met and decided to start VouchVault* How their new company helps busy parents* Getting into trouble as young kids* Raising teenagers and Eric’s “three pillars” of success* How their relationships have changed as their kids have gotten older* Advice they’d give the younger versions of themselves* A raging debate on minivansWhere to find Eric Colbert, Jay Chandrasekhar and Eli SzaszEric * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-colbert-9900a65/Jay * X: https://x.com/jaychandrasekha * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaychandrasekhar/Eli * https://www.linkedin.com/in/elijahszasz/Website: www.vouchvault.comWhere to find Adam Fishman* FishmanAF Newsletter: www.FishmanAFNewsletter.com* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/* Instagram: https://ww.instagram.com/startupdadpod/_In this episode, we cover:[2:09] Welcome[2:49] How did you meet & decide to partner[4:14] Mission of VouchVault[9:26] Worst experience of a review[13:08] What were you like as kids?[16:59] Ages of children[22:19] Teenage years/ pillars[29:17] How has your relationship with your kids changed as they got older?[33:25] Jay’s movies[37:44] Earliest memory of becoming a dad[40:49] Doing things differently the second time around[42:35] Kid’s relationship to tech[49:37] Partnership[55:12] Follow along[56:27] Lightning round[1:10:28] Thank you—Show references:VouchVault: https://www.vouchvault.com/Spark6: https://www.spark6.com/Broken Lizard: https://brokenlizard.com/Super Troopers 1: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0247745/Super Troopers 2: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0859635/Beer Fest: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0486551/Community: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1439629/Arrested Development: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0367279/New Girl: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1826940/Shantaram: A Novel by Gregory David Roberts: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shantaram-gregory-david-roberts/1100338449Blackbirds: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3818366/Walk the Line: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0358273/MacGruber: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1470023/Citizen Kane: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033467/Generation Kill: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0995832/Fast Times at Ridgemont High: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083929/University of Utah: https://www.utah.edu/Colgate: https://www.colgate.edu/University of Michigan: https://umich.edu/St. Andrews: https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/Tim Urban: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-urban-56927430/American Pie: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0163651/Tidying Up with Marie Kondo: https://www.netflix.com/title/80209379Wefunder: https://wefunder.com/Magnetiles: https://www.magnatiles.com/products/CocoMelon: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12427840/Baby Einstein: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9808494/Dora The Explorer: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0235917/Spongebob Squarepants: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0206512/Toy Story: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114709/Moana: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3521164/ACDC Highway to Hell: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highway_to_Hell_(song)Star Wars: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076759/Back To The Future: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088763/First Blood: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083944/Terminator 2: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103064/_For sponsorship inquiries email: podcast@fishmana.com.For Startup Dad Merch: www.startupdadshop.comProduction support for Startup Dad is provided by Tommy Harron at http://www.armaziproductions.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

Tyler Moore aka TidyDad is a school teacher turned internet sensation and best-selling author. Pushed to the brink of a breakdown after the birth of his second daughter, Tyler went on to tidy up his mind, his life and his household. In the process he built a massive following as Tidy Dad and recently published a USA Today best-selling book called Tidy Up Your Life. He has been featured on Good Morning America, The Washington Post, NYTimes, NYPost, Better Homes & Gardens, Apartment Therapy and the HGTV Podcast (among many others). In addition to his role as Tidy Dad he still teaches elementary school in New York City and lives in a 5 room, 750 square foot apartment with his wife and three daughters. We discussed:* Tyler’s journey from mental breakdown to best-selling author* How to tidy up your mind then your space* The one-area-a-weekday cleaning method* Involving your kids in the tidying process* What “Just Enough” means* The first step in de-cluttering* The concept of Surthrival* Many of the tidying frameworks discussed in his new bookWhere to find Tyler Moore* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tidydad/* Website: https://thetidydad.com/Where to find Adam Fishman* FishmanAF Newsletter: www.FishmanAFNewsletter.com* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/* Instagram: https://ww.instagram.com/startupdadpod/_In this episode, we cover:[2:19] Welcome[2:52] Inspiration for Tidy Dad[5:43] Intro to book story[8:54] Family[10:55] Decision to start a family[14:07] Tidy Dad order of operations[16:30] General advice from “Tidy Up Your Life.”[18:26] Working through “just enough.”[22:55] What comes after, “just enough.”[24:44] One area a day cleaning routine[29:26] First step to decluttering[32:27] How do you involve kids in tidying[38:10] Most challenging aspect to being tidy as a dad[40:48] Advice to younger Tyler[42:50] Advice to ignore[46:18] Kid’s relationship to tech[50:16] Surthrival[52:30] Most rewarding feedback[54:41] Future of Tidy Dad[58:17] Follow along[59:23] Lightning Round[1:05:57] Thank you—Show references:Tidy Dad: https://thetidydad.com/Tidy Up Your Life: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tidy-up-your-life-tyler-moore/1145899800Folex Cleaner: https://folexcompany.com/Despicable Me: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1323594/Sister Act: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105417/?ref_=fn_all_ttl_1Lindt: https://www.lindtusa.com/_For sponsorship inquiries email: podcast@fishmana.com.For Startup Dad Merch: www.startupdadshop.comProduction support for Startup Dad is provided by Tommy Harron at http://www.armaziproductions.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

Pouyan Salehi is the co-founder and CEO of Scratchpad—a company trying to take the busy work out of sales. He has founded three other companies, including PersistIQ (acquired by Wishpond) and Stackmob (acquired by PayPal). In addition to being a serial founder and entrepreneur he is also a husband and a Dad to three kids. We discussed:* Coming to America from Iran and restarting his life with his parents* Why there’s no perfect time to start a family* How each kid is different and requires different parenting strategies* Advice he’d give his younger self about how to relax* Appreciating the new way your life comes together after kids* Moving across the country to be closer to familyWhere to find Pouyan Salehi* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pouyansalehi/* Twitter: https://x.com/psalehiWhere to find Adam Fishman* FishmanAF Newsletter: www.FishmanAFNewsletter.com* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupdadpod/_In this episode, we cover:[1:49] Welcome[2:13] Pouyan’s professional background[3:51] Scratchpad[4:47] His childhood[9:34] How did you meet your wife/tell about your kids[10:44] Desire to start a family vs. focusing on careers[13:09] Earliest memory of becoming a dad[15:13] Emotions that arose when becoming a dad[16:20] Parenting three kids[17:38] Parenting a teenager[19:08] Advice for younger Pouyan[21:06] Advice to ignore[22:24] Move to Minnesota[24:25] Parenting Frameworks [26:26] How has parenting evolved kid-to-kid[27:50] Has being a parent helped him lead teams & vice versa[29:40] Aligning with partner[32:14] Kid’s relationship with tech[33:52] AI & kids[36:19] What’d he give up to be a dad?[37:18] How does he recharge his batteries[38:18] Mistake made as a dad?[39:54] Where to find Pouyan[41:07] Lightning round[48:43] Thank you—Show references:Scratchpad: https://www.scratchpad.com/Wishpond: https://www.wishpond.com/Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/us/homeDominos: https://www.dominos.com/en/Tod Francis episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwFYEpFSi3AApple: https://www.apple.com/Ferris Bueller's Day Off: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091042/_For sponsorship inquiries email: podcast@fishmana.com.For Startup Dad Merch: www.startupdadshop.comProduction support for Startup Dad is provided by Tommy Harron at http://www.armaziproductions.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

Alex Lloyd Hunter, co-founder of The Dad Shift, passionately advocates for better paternity leave in the UK. He shares alarming insights on the current state of paternity policies and the hurdles in achieving legislative change. Discussing the evolving role of fathers, Alex highlights personal transformations influenced by his own dad and the birth of his son. He emphasizes redefining masculinity, balancing professional and family life, and the mental health benefits of engaged fatherhood—championing a movement towards shared parenting responsibilities.

Paul Sullivan, founder of Company of Dads and a best-selling author, dives into the evolving role of 'Lead Dads' as primary caregivers. He discusses the importance of community support and open communication within families. Sullivan reveals innovative solutions for balancing work and home life, shedding light on how fathers can champion equitable household participation. His personal anecdotes highlight the humorous realities of parenting while addressing the need for modern policies that support all parents in the workplace.

Cory O'Daniel, co-founder and CEO of Massdriver, shares his journey of balancing entrepreneurship and fatherhood. He humorously compares enterprise sales to parenting challenges, highlighting the need for patience. Cory discusses how his family has shifted towards anti-tech practices to boost creativity and presence at home. He emphasizes the importance of individual time with family and the imaginative play that nurtures kids' brains. Through engaging anecdotes, he reflects on the chaos and joy of parenting while building a startup.

Ben Lauzier, co-founder and CEO of Nurra, shares his journey from product leadership at Lyft to launching an AI health assistant inspired by his wife’s health challenges. He discusses the highs and lows of fatherhood, cultural parenting differences between France and the U.S., and the unique experience of starting a business while raising a toddler. Ben offers valuable advice for balancing self-care with parenting and reflects on the lasting impact of technology on his daughter’s future.

Matt Martin, co-founder and CEO of Clockwise, shares his experiences navigating fatherhood as a dad of three, including twins. He discusses the need for clear communication with both family and colleagues, emphasizing empathy and self-compassion. Matt reveals how parenting reshapes work priorities and highlights the importance of creating a supportive environment at home. He candidly explores personal expectations and the challenges of balancing work-life demands while being present for his children.

Today I’m releasing the best of Startup Dad from 2024! Across over 50 hours of conversations, hundreds of topics, and approaching 100 Dads (and Moms) I’ve covered a lot. In this episode you’ll hear from dozens of executives and founders like Scott Belsky of Adobe, Immad Akhund from Mercury, Siqi Chen from Runway, Chris Miller from Hubspot, Lane Shackleton from Coda and Adam Nash from Daffy. You’ll also hear best-selling authors and experts like Sean Ellis, Nir Eyal, Linda Flanagan and “Dad Brain” expert Darby Saxby alongside some lesser-known founders and solopreneurs who are making it work or sometimes just barely surviving.The goal of Startup Dad has always been to learn something new about parenting and to normalize hearing more successful male leaders talk about their families—the struggles and the successes.In this episode highlights include:* The role of technology and artificial intelligence in our kids’ lives* The importance of modeling the right behavior and how to recover when you don’t* How to partner successfully with your significant other* How we approach our own aging parents* Navigating cultural differences inside your own family* Building companies while raising kids* How to approach paternity leave as a startup founder* Defining and creating quality time* Whether work/life balance is possible, a myth, or should be re-thought entirely—Where to find Adam Fishman* FishmanAF Newsletter: www.FishmanAFNewsletter.com* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupdadpod/—In this episode, we cover:[1:49] AI/Tech & parenting[7:56] Talking to kids about over-reliance on AI?[8:57] What's the most interesting thing that one of your kids has done with ChatGPT?[19:46] Tech parents limiting kid’s access to tech[21:53] Modeling behavior[33:15] Adult children & relationships[41:18] Aligned & disaligned w/ partner in parenting[55:45] Raising families with cultural differences[1:09:25] Parenting & Startups[1:28:52] Paternity leave as a startup founder[1:30:23] Partnership[1:52:33] Healthy habits & kids[2:01:39] Being present[02:23:39] Cooking as a Dad[02:27:39] Difficult times/adversity[02:49:50] Frameworks[3:20:10] Nurturing kid’s growth[03:41:10] Thank YouShow references (more coming soon!):Harriet Tubman: https://www.biography.com/activists/harriet-tubmanGundam: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GundamTransformers: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TransformersChatGPT: chatgpt.comTroomi: https://troomi.com/Inside Out 2: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt22022452/Bringing Up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parentingby Pamela Druckerman: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bringing-up-b-b-pamela-druckerman/1111325335Alexa:https://www.alexa.com/Tanzania: https://www.britannica.com/place/TanzaniaDaring Girls: https://daringgirls.org/Paid Family Medical Leave Act: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/paid-family-and-medical-leave-pfml-overview-and-benefitsReady to Die album by Notorious B.I.G: https://www.amazon.com/Notorious-BIG-Ready-Die-Remaster/dp/B0002GTWYWDadversity: https://dadversity.co.uk/Five Love Languages: https://5lovelanguages.com/The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autismby Naoki Higashida, KA Yoshida (Translator), David Mitchell (Translator): https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-reason-i-jump-naoki-higashida/1115218514The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love by bell hooks: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-will-to-change-bell-hooks/1100306349?Bruce Bolt Batting Gloves: https://brucebolt.us/collections/bruce-bolt-graduated-compression-adult-arm-sleeves?Snagged: https://www.snagged.com/Episodes Referenced:Scott Belsky https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SKpsGBYwcEKevin Hannaford https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShD_P9fCwtsEthan Austin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxNU_BAC9o0Dan Doty https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmF2htq2MKkLinus Ekenstam https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIJDVGUQrJ0Siqi Chen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2Nm5Mkj0s0Chris Miller https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TlpdCCof90Jordane Guily https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SI-TKN1W1-kCarlo Navarro https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19-YI8OukPIKevin Hanaford https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShD_P9fCwtsMatt Ragland https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bz04HgHcQcEEthan Austin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxNU_BAC9o0Nathan Jefferson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sL3BL9zY3OcRob Taylor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5c4Fgpn3GoDarin Swanson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2NB2G9OECISean Ellis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYi6xHcMQmEMartin Glover https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zghatBo_IcBianca Shulze https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jelUrKlv6OYImmad Akhund https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FR2ws9UKJ2kNir Eyal https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqogSRDhzeUBrian Rothenberg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MY5Ph4N4RCcMike Smith https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HldXH7_2D30Martin Pannier https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXMobJLtX3sPatrick Moran https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQAJrWYdOyETye Degrange https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVs8FnMNIQIAndrew Capland https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1p-4ir53gZcPhil Carter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elcZ7IiM73kPatrick Thompson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDbmT4AgizQAdam Nash https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaOCL5WSzhcDavid Lat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnyeq_0z1sEEric Bahn https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaV5DEgkB8YKyle Lacy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbBdVw-ncyQDave Boyce https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytl2ZX8oHJYLuke Millar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BugNTPG0xb0David Haddad https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iL_9JO7vP4Darby Saxbe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBvgqimMv6EMatt Wensing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVxcs86HCpULinda Flanagan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLqEX8lZeFIYousuf Bhaijee & Chris Lloyd https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3ZOVy1wjp8Lane Shackleton https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQDiJJoPfMQRob Schutz https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g611gCs4g0ARyan Bozarth https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lkkXHqh714Tod Francis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwFYEpFSi3AStew Bradley https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iyEAdzLr78Carla Naumburg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcrzFhbeIVsMichael Perry https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AP6JJhiFfK4Eben Pingree https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8cnEiUCo-A_For sponsorship inquiries email: podcast@fishmana.com.For Startup Dad Merch: www.startupdadshop.comProduction support for Startup Dad is provided by Tommy Harron at http://www.armaziproductions.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

Chip Leighton is a comic and the creator and host of The Leighton Show, a social media platform with more than 1.5 million followers and 250 million views. His comedy focuses on funny relationship and parenting moments with teenagers and he’s recently published a book based on them called What Time Is Noon? For several decades he was a marketing leader in the corporate world and then left that life to focus his time on The Leighton Show. His work has been featured in the NY Times, national television and various other print outlets. He’s a husband and the father of two kids who are, or used to be, teenagers. We discussed:* How he started out his career and transitioned to social media and comedy* His kids reaction to having an unemployed, middle-aged TikToker for a dad* The story behind What Time Is Noon?* What readers can expect from his book (and life with teenagers)* How his work as a creator influences his own communication with his kids* Why humor is so important as a parent* The parenting community around his 1.5 million social media followers* Becoming a standup comic at age 50Where to find Chip Leighton* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_leighton_show/* TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the_leighton_show* Website: https://theleightonshow.com/Where to find Adam Fishman* FishmanAF Newsletter: www.FishmanAFNewsletter.com* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupdadpod/_In this episode, we cover:[1:56] Welcome[2:38] Earlier career[3:42] Transition from corporate to social media[4:52] Conversation(s) with his wife over career change[6:28] Chip’s book - What Time Is Noon?[8:52] His childhood[10:38] How did you meet your wife?[11:42] Highlights from What Time Is Noon?[13:50] Did his career change impact his communication with kids?[14:53] Why is humor so important as a parent?[16:01] Advice to younger Chip[18:26] Advice to ignore[20:00] Community of parents around his social media presence[21:00] Early social media efforts[24:28] Creator burnout[26:20] Has this given you more flexibility?[27:41] Does he negotiate with family on sharing content?[29:45] Hypothetical second book topic[34:18] Kid’s reaction to stand up[34:59] Where do he and his wife disagree?[36:05] Mistakes as a dad[37:10] Where to follow along[37:59] Lightning round[47:23] Thank you—Show references:Chip’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chip-leighton-1497943/TikTok: @the_leighton_showInstagram: the_leighton_showFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/theleightonshowLeighton Show website: https://theleightonshow.com/What Time is Noon: https://theleightonshow.com/book/Carla Naumburg’s Episodes: https://youtu.be/qcrzFhbeIVs and https://youtu.be/YiaE6ZmaOIQGillian Mackenzie Agency: https://www.gmalit.com/Stride Rite Shoes: https://www.striderite.com/Caroline Rhea: https://carolinerhea.com/How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success by Julie Lythcott-Haims: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-raise-an-adult-julie-lythcott-haims/1120327547Baby Bjorn: https://www.babybjorn.com/The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives: https://press.hulu.com/shows/the-secret-lives-of-mormon-wives/The Shield: https://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/the-shieldBrooklyn 99: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2467372/New Balance shoes: https://www.newbalance.com/What to Expect When You're Expecting by Heidi Murkoff: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-to-expect-when-youre-expecting-5th-edition-heidi-murkoff/1131825672Barney: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VcHbf8Kz0cBarbie Dream House: https://shop.mattel.com/products/barbie-dreamhouse-playset-grg93ET: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083866/_For sponsorship inquiries email: podcast@fishmana.com.For Startup Dad Merch: www.startupdadshop.comProduction support for Startup Dad is provided by Tommy Harron at http://www.armaziproductions.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