Ambitious Dads

Jeff Hittner
  • 4.6 (11)
  • Arts

Fatherhood cracked me open in ways I never expected — and showed me how unprepared most of us are for the emotional work it demands. After learning I couldn’t be a biological father, I wrestled early with the fear that I might screw up my kids before they even existed — a feeling every dad, in one way or another, eventually comes to know. The Ambitious Dads Podcast is where we stop winging it and start talking — about balancing endless competing priorities like work, kids, partners (sex — yeah, right!), self-care, and finances; about the emotions that hit daily — guilt, stress, fear, fatigue, love — and about the quiet doubts that keep us up at night. We’ll get vulnerable. We’ll get honest. And yes, we’ll end every episode with a ridiculous poop story, because if fatherhood teaches you anything, it’s how to laugh while cleaning up disasters. Ranked in the Top 10% of all podcasts globally. Hosted by Jeff Hittner. Email Jeff with ideas for future episodes: jwhittner@gmail.com

  1. 3d ago

    Shame, Grief & Growth: Jeff Hittner's Divorce Story

    For the first time on the Ambitious Dads Podcast, Jeff Hittner hands over the microphone. Eighteen months after his marriage ended, Jeff asks his friend, Ambitious Dads' very first guest Robert Mulhall, to interview him about a part of his life he hasn't spoken about publicly until now. It's a conversation about what came after his lifelong vision of family was altered: the fear of what separation might do to his boys, the loss of the family he thought he was building, learning to co-parent after no longer being partners, and figuring out who he is during the weeks his children aren't with him. Jeff opens up about the shame he still carries around divorce, the support system he deliberately built when his ex-wife moved out, the surprising joys of parenting his boys alone, and why 18 months later he doesn't think separation simply "gets easier." It evolves.  KEY TAKEAWAYS [02:00] The two things Jeff felt he was losing weren't only his marriage: they were his identity and the vision he'd carried his entire life of what his family would look like. [05:30] How Jeff and his ex-wife prepared their young boys for the separation, including therapy, a carefully planned conversation, two nearby homes, and an intentional transition into 50/50 parenting. [11:00] Putting the kids first sometimes meant slowing his own healing and asking one question before communicating with his ex: What actually needs to be said for the sake of our children? [14:00] A monthly two-hour beach walk became an unexpectedly powerful co-parenting practice for handling the conversations they still disagree about. [18:00] The hardest day of the week is still the day Jeff hands his boys over, and the empty apartment afterward has forced him to confront who he is when he isn't actively parenting. [24:00] The shame underneath divorce: not simply "my marriage ended," but the much harder fear, "Did I fail my children?" [30:00] How seemingly small language choices can keep children from feeling responsible for a parent's sadness or guilty for missing the other parent. [34:00] The unexpected gift of solo parenting: clearer priorities, deeper confidence as a dad, and stretches of completely undivided time with his boys. [37:00] Why being committed to a healthy co-parenting relationship doesn't mean abandoning boundaries that protect your own healing. [39:00] Jeff's advice to parents in the thick of separation: deliberately build a support system, stop grading your healing week by week, and don't force yourself to solve what life will look like years from now. [44:00] Sometimes crying doesn't mean you're going backward. Sometimes you're simply sad, and sadness needs somewhere to leave the body. Listen to the full episode for an honest conversation about separation, co-parenting, identity, grief, and building a different kind of family without giving up on being the father you want to be. RESOURCES Sign Up for the Ambitious Dads Newsletter: https://www.ambitiousdads.com Connect with Jeff Hittner: https://jeffhittner.com Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ambitious-dads/id1815863328 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4xCHG30Ms9wcGRJmDqHcW8?si=46654ba2a0654099 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmbitiousDads

  2. Sep 23

    Their Journey, Not Yours: Raising Teens Who Take Different Paths: Eran Arbel

    Eran Arbel, director of talent acquisition at Florida International University, grew up the son of an Israeli diplomat, moving to a new country every few years and never quite putting down roots. Eran joins host Jeff Hittner to share how that childhood shaped his mission to give his own kids the stability he never had, and why raising two teenagers who took completely different paths taught him the hardest lesson in parenting: their journey isn't yours to control. Eran also opens up about the separation that began just as COVID hit, how week-on, week-off parenting became an unexpected gift that made him more confident at home and at work, and why he traded "because I said so" for the coaching mindset he uses with his team. KEY TAKEAWAYS [02:00] Two kids raised in the same house by the same parents took completely different paths, and each one needed a different kind of dad. [08:00] Letting kids go on their own journey, not the path you're comfortable with, was advice he heard long before he could actually follow it. [11:00] A pointed question from his then-wife forced him to choose between having a relationship with his daughter and being the dad who tells her what to do. [13:00] A separation at the height of COVID turned week-on, week-off parenting into his first real stretch of undivided time with his kids. [20:00] One comment in a divorce support group became his vow to treat the hardest chapter of his life as a fresh start, for himself and his kids. [23:00] Bringing home the coaching skills he uses at work changed how he guides his teenagers toward their own best choices. [28:00] A flat-tire call from his daughter in downtown Miami became a real-time test of choosing calm support over the old lecture. Listen to the full episode for Eran's take on acceptance, intentional fatherhood, and why every dad needs a plan for his family. RESOURCES MENTIONED Florida International University, where Eran leads talent acquisition: https://www.fiu.edu Sign Up for the Ambitious Dads Newsletter: https://www.ambitiousdads.com Connect with Jeff Hittner: https://jeffhittner.com Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ambitious-dads/id1815863328 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4xCHG30Ms9wcGRJmDqHcW8?si=46654ba2a0654099 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmbitiousDads

  3. Sep 15

    Teaching Grit Without Forcing Failure with John Barrows

    John Barrows, founder of JB Sales, spent a decade as a "weekend dad," flying the world to build his business while his wife held down the home front. John joins host Jeff Hittner to share how co-writing a children's book with his daughter, Charlotte, became his way back into her world, and why sales taught him the one thing every parent needs most: curiosity over fixing. John also opens up about the daily ritual he built with his daughter to teach grit and self-control, the ego he'd hidden behind "I'm doing this for my family," and why so many dads feel too isolated to talk about their real struggles. KEY TAKEAWAYS [00:00] Co-writing a kids' book with his daughter became the bridge for finally explaining what "sales" actually means. [08:00] Balancing guidance with independence keeps him up at night, wanting to teach without overriding his daughter's own path. [13:00] A daily ritual built around effort, attitude, and how you treat others became the family's go-to formula for resilience. [22:00] A blunt line from a business coach forced him to admit the real reason he traveled so much wasn't fully about family. [24:00] COVID became an unexpected forcing function that shifted him from weekend dad to daily presence at pickup and dinner. [31:00] Curiosity, not fixing, is the instinct he has to consciously choose every time his daughter brings him a problem. [41:00] Most dads stay quiet about real struggles because they fear judging, or being judged for, the people they love most. Listen to the full episode for John's take on curiosity, presence, and building a family culture where effort and empathy come first. RESOURCES MENTIONED JB Sales, John's sales training and consulting company: https://www.jbarrows.com Sign Up for the Ambitious Dads Newsletter: https://www.ambitiousdads.com Connect with Jeff Hittner: https://jeffhittner.com Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ambitious-dads/id1815863328 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4xCHG30Ms9wcGRJmDqHcW8?si=46654ba2a0654099 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmbitiousDads

  4. Sep 11

    Why Fatherhood Still Has No Role Models with Armin Brott

    Armin Brott, Mr. Dad, has spent nearly 25 years giving fathers the tools and role models he never had. A former Marine and father of three adult children, Armin joins host Jeff Hittner to unpack why progress for dads has stalled, and why the "toxic masculinity" conversation misses the point. Armin also digs into the real business case for paternity leave, the double standard men face around emotion and mental health, and what changes (and what stubbornly doesn't) about single fatherhood since he wrote the book on it. KEY TAKEAWAYS [00:00] Twenty years in, the progress toward equal footing for dads and moms still hasn't arrived, and it's a shared failure. [05:00] Guys who want more time with family need to make the business case to their employers, not just ask for it. [12:00] A stranger's suspicious glare in a park became the moment that changed his entire career path. [17:00] Calling all masculinity toxic misses the real problem, how boys are taught which emotions are allowed. [23:00] Men get postpartum depression too, and ignoring it to focus only on mom leaves fathers stuck. [32:00] Single fatherhood is exhausting and isolating in ways he didn't expect, but it also gave him an unfiltered closeness with his kids. [40:00] A father's role keeps changing, from the one who knows everything to the one who waits to be asked. Listen to the full episode to hear Armin's take on why involved fatherhood is ultimately a shared win for the whole family, not just the kids. RESOURCES MENTIONED Mr. Dad, Armin's site and syndicated "Ask Mr. Dad" column for fathers: https://mrdad.com Sign Up for the Ambitious Dads Newsletter: https://www.ambitiousdads.com Connect with Jeff Hittner: https://jeffhittner.com Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ambitious-dads/id1815863328 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4xCHG30Ms9wcGRJmDqHcW8?si=46654ba2a0654099 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmbitiousDads

  5. Aug 28

    Fatherhood Without a Blueprint with Jamie Hogg

    Jamie Hogg, founder of Leadership & Co, knows firsthand that fatherhood rarely comes with a blueprint. As a married gay father raising two young children through adoption, Jamie joins host Jeff Hittner to unpack the intentionality, uncertainty, and growth that shaped his path into parenthood. Jamie also opens up about the unspoken bias he's faced as a working father, the crisis of confidence every new parent feels, and how raising two kids of color has deepened his empathy, both at home and as a leader. KEY TAKEAWAYS [00:00] Two gay dads had no built-in playbook for parenthood, so they built their own from scratch. [07:00] Transracial adoption added a layer of isolation that even close friends and family couldn't fully understand. [09:00] Raising a child of color means preparing for a world that will see him differently as he grows. [11:00] Believing parenting would come naturally can set up a painful reckoning once it doesn't. [22:00] Returning to work after having kids exposed a strange, unspoken bias about who's really doing the caregiving. [25:00] Self-care and time away still feel like guilt trips he hasn't fully learned to release. [30:00] Choosing to be raw and unguarded with his kids is reshaping how he shows up as a leader. Listen to the full episode to hear Jamie's approach to co-parenting, self-care, and building an authentic, integrated version of fatherhood. Sign Up for the Ambitious Dads Newsletter: https://www.ambitiousdads.com Connect with Jeff Hittner: https://jeffhittner.com Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ambitious-dads/id1815863328 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4xCHG30Ms9wcGRJmDqHcW8?si=46654ba2a0654099 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmbitiousDads

  6. Aug 19

    Single Fatherhood & Staying Present with Shazad Carbaidwala

    Shazad Carbaidwala, a father, author, coach, and longtime prison visitation volunteer, joins the show to talk about the role that matters most to him: raising his eight-year-old daughter as a single dad. He opens up about what he wants her to see most when she looks at him, and why that shapes everything else he does. From there, Shazad walks through the daily work of co-parenting: staying transparent with his ex-partner, building a support system around his daughter, and learning to give her more independence as she grows older. KEY TAKEAWAYS 00:00 Shazad shares what he wants his daughter to see most when she looks at him as her father 03:38 Why transparency and constant communication with an ex-partner became the backbone of healthy co-parenting 07:00 The support system it takes to stay grounded through separation, from therapy to leaning on a trusted circle 16:09 The one thing Shazad hopes his daughter will always bring to him first, before anyone else 24:45 What keeps Shazad up at night when he thinks about his daughter's future relationships 29:36 The real trap doors in co-parenting, and why compromise matters as much as communication 34:04 Shazad's definition of being present, and why he keeps his phone out of the moments that count 36:26 The one area Shazad's ex says he still struggles with, and how he's working on it If this conversation hit home, subscribe to the Ambitious Dads Podcast and share it with a dad in your life who needs to hear it. Sign Up for the Ambitious Dads Newsletter: https://www.ambitiousdads.com Connect with Jeff Hittner: https://jeffhittner.com Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ambitious-dads/id1815863328 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4xCHG30Ms9wcGRJmDqHcW8?si=46654ba2a0654099 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmbitiousDads

  7. Jul 29

    From Nashville to Japan: Building a Family Business While Navigating Cross-Cultural Parenting

    Serial entrepreneur Quinton Sanicola shares his journey of raising two young boys (7 months and 3 years old) while building multiple businesses across continents. From managing food allergies to balancing American and Japanese parenting philosophies, Quinton offers honest insights on intentional parenting, the challenges of entrepreneurial fatherhood, and why "you're never going to have enough money" shouldn't stop you from starting a family. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: [00:01:27] - Life in "The Tunnel" with Two Young Kids Discussion of the Spanish expression about having kids under 3 - "you're in the tunnel" How everything shifts when you become a parent - perspective, priorities, and daily decisions Key quote: "Everything is a different world. The way you look at life, the perspective that you have on why you're doing your day-to-day tasks... everything shifts." [00:04:53] - Timing and Starting a Family The importance of recognizing when it's time to have children Avoiding external pressures to rush or delay starting a family Key quote: "Don't delay when you've reached that season and that phase that you think you should start... because it's just the most unbelievable experience possible." [00:08:29] - Intentional Parenting in a Digital Age Being deliberate about screen time, education choices, and cultural decisions Navigating East-meets-West parenting with Japanese and American influences Key quote: "I think this is a time where you have to be more intentional than ever before... you are not alone in your home anymore." [00:16:27] - Focusing on Yourself to Serve Your Family How self-care and personal development ultimately benefit the family The concept that working on yourself is working for them Key quote: "When I focus on me for a clear mind, clear body, I'm doing this because when I perform, I create better. I create a better life." [00:20:42] - The Challenge of Being Present Kids as "BS detectors" who know when you're not fully present The struggle between building for the future and being present today Key quote: "Those kids, they're BS detectors and they know. So when it's time to work, it's time to work. And when it's time to step away from work and be with family, it's time to be with family." [00:25:32] - Paternity Leave as an Entrepreneur Contrasting experiences: zero time off with first child vs. seven intentional days with second Managing business crises during major life moments Key quote: "It is not about the amount of time. It is about the quality of time. It is about the intentionality." [00:34:34] - What Keeps Him Up at Night Concerns about the world his children will inherit Building a family business for the next generation Key quote: "What I want to build, I want to bring my son into. And then I want to have a family business... if my business isn't ready for him when he's ready, in my mind, that's a big problem." [00:36:21] - Food Allergies and Quality Concerns Discovering his son's allergies disappear in Japan but return in the US Being willing to relocate for family health needs Key quote: "It is inevitable that it is the quality of our food in America... it's not about me. It's about my family." [00:42:09] - Final Advice on Starting a Family You'll never have "enough" money, so don't let that stop you Recognizing the calling when it's time Key quote: "You're never going to have enough money, period, full stop... A tickle fight with a three-year-old of your own can't be expressed. The amount of joy that comes with that... is unbelievable." Sign Up for the Ambitious Dads Newsletter: https://www.ambitiousdads.com Connect with Jeff Hittner: https://jeffhittner.com Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ambitious-dads/id1815863328 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4xCHG30Ms9wcGRJmDqHcW8?si=46654ba2a0654099 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmbitiousDads

  8. Jun 26

    The Death of Ego: Redefining Love and Fatherhood After Loss: Dion Jensen

    When Dion Elliott Jensen lost his job and came out to his wife, he was forced to confront who he was beyond his professional identity. In this deeply personal conversation, the Australian father of five shares how losing everything led him to discover unconditional love, redefine success, and transform his approach to fatherhood. A powerful discussion about vulnerability, presence, and the courage to love without expectation of return. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: [00:02:13] - The Death of Professional Identity Discussion of how modern society defines people by their jobs rather than who they are Key quote: "We become what we do for a job, it begins to define us... when I was fired, you really then have the mask torn off you to have to say, well, who am I when I'm not in this role?" [00:04:56] - Defining Authentic Self Dion's journey to discover his true identity beyond professional roles Key quote: "I would always say that I'm a proud work in progress because who I was yesterday or last week or last year has shaped who I am today, but doesn't define who I am today" [00:06:45] - Coming Out and Family Transformation The decision to come out while dealing with job loss and its impact on family relationships Key quote: "I thought losing my job, it's a pretty seismic change to go through, but I thought I might as well double down and just get all the change out of the way all at once" [00:08:49] - Unconditional Love as a One-Way Street Revolutionary perspective on love not requiring reciprocation Key quote: "The strongest, most pure form of love is the love that you give outward and just don't expect anything in return" [00:15:05] - Redefining Fatherhood Beyond Provision Shifting from provider-focused to presence-focused parenting Key quote: "Your contribution as a father is more than just providing for your child... being present is a really important way of providing" [00:16:53] - Sacred Time and Presence The importance of quality over quantity in father-child interactions Key quote: "You may not have a lot of time, but what you can control is how present you are with the time that you have" [00:21:20] - Truth-Telling with Children Balancing protection with honest communication about life's challenges Key quote: "We kind of wrap our kids up in cotton wool a bit and try and shield them from everything... it's actually more of a teachable moment" [00:30:46] - Understanding and Using Fear Reframing fear as either protective or limiting Key quote: "Fear is projecting a memory which has happened in the past and then applying it to something that we think may happen in the future" [00:33:38] - Parenting for Purpose in Uncertain Times Helping children find their purpose in a challenging world Key quote: "My biggest goal for the kids is that they can find and understand what their purpose is and live a rich life that's purposeful and purpose-based" Sign Up for the Ambitious Dads Newsletter: https://www.ambitiousdads.com Connect with Jeff Hittner: https://jeffhittner.com Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ambitious-dads/id1815863328 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4xCHG30Ms9wcGRJmDqHcW8?si=46654ba2a0654099 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmbitiousDads

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4.6
out of 5
11 Ratings

About

Fatherhood cracked me open in ways I never expected — and showed me how unprepared most of us are for the emotional work it demands. After learning I couldn’t be a biological father, I wrestled early with the fear that I might screw up my kids before they even existed — a feeling every dad, in one way or another, eventually comes to know. The Ambitious Dads Podcast is where we stop winging it and start talking — about balancing endless competing priorities like work, kids, partners (sex — yeah, right!), self-care, and finances; about the emotions that hit daily — guilt, stress, fear, fatigue, love — and about the quiet doubts that keep us up at night. We’ll get vulnerable. We’ll get honest. And yes, we’ll end every episode with a ridiculous poop story, because if fatherhood teaches you anything, it’s how to laugh while cleaning up disasters. Ranked in the Top 10% of all podcasts globally. Hosted by Jeff Hittner. Email Jeff with ideas for future episodes: jwhittner@gmail.com

Information

  • Creator
    Jeff Hittner
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    44
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Jeff Hittner
  • Show Website
    Ambitious Dads