Ambitious Dads

Jeff Hittner

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. -4 J

    When Life Hits Hard: Navigating Job Loss, Entrepreneurship, and Emotional Regulation as a Dad: Tony Berardo

    Tony Berardo, a full-time content creator and father to a 2.5-year-old daughter, opens up about the raw realities of modern fatherhood when his wife unexpectedly gets laid off after 10 years with her company. This honest conversation explores the emotional weight of being the sole provider, learning to regulate emotions alongside your toddler, and the constant tension between building a business and being present for your family. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: [00:01:20] - The Weight of Sudden Job Loss Tony's wife gets laid off after 10 years with a multi-billion dollar company Key quote: "Nothing is guaranteed. Even if you're at a big corporation where she thought she was going to retire, and now she just got laid off for no reason." [00:03:33] - The Entrepreneur Dad's Dilemma Balancing work-from-home entrepreneurship with wanting to be present for his daughter Key quote: "I want to work hard and support the family, but I also just want to be with my kid. So that's the struggle." [00:05:32] - Breaking Down Emotional Walls Discussion about men's tendency to suppress emotions and the importance of communication in marriage Key quote: "We put up a wall and we try to be tough and strong for everybody, but mentally we're struggling." [00:09:45] - The "Other Room" Strategy Tony's method for self-regulating before speaking to his wife during stressful times Key quote: "I'm going to go to the other room where she's not in and say it out loud and see if it makes sense." [00:16:46] - The "One Day" Realization Prioritizing play time with his daughter over work demands Key quote: "One day your kid's not going to ask you to play with them. So that hurts if you say, 'Hey, sweetie, 10 more minutes.'" [00:19:16] - Learning Emotional Regulation Through Fatherhood How becoming a girl dad forced Tony to develop patience and emotional intelligence Key quote: "I realized how s****y I am at self-regulating. I realized how angry I can get." [00:23:50] - Teaching Emotional Regulation Together Practicing breathing exercises and emotional regulation with his daughter Key quote: "Kids never listen to what you say, but they're always going to do what you do." [00:27:10] - The Mirror Moment Realizing his daughter was copying his behavior with their dog Key quote: "She said, 'Oliver, enough!' And I was like, do I say that a lot?" [00:32:25] - Embracing Different Interests The importance of letting children develop their own hobbies rather than forcing parental interests Key quote: "I want their hobbies and things that they like to be different than mine." [00:37:43] - The Dad Connection Gap Challenges men face in opening up to other fathers about parenting struggles Key quote: "It's one of those isolating things I think that men just have to get over." [00:39:52] - The Blowout Story A humorous tale of an epic diaper disaster at a thrift store Key quote: "If the wife says pack a diaper bag, just do it, dude." On June 17th, I’m hosting a free, live workshop, Become a Better Leader By Becoming a Better Dad, for fathers who are tired of living a divided life. We’ll explore how “Default Dad” shows up when you’re tired, overloaded, or distracted, and how those same patterns affect your leadership at home and at work. Register here: https://www.ambitiousdads.com/better-dad-better-leader 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

    43 min

  2. -5 J

    From Absent Father to Present Dad: Building Emotional Intelligence While Growing a Business: Edward Rivera

    Edward Rivera shares his powerful journey of breaking generational cycles, building emotional regulation skills, and creating the family presence he never had growing up. This conversation dives deep into practical strategies for managing anger, communicating vulnerably with children, and balancing entrepreneurship with intentional fatherhood. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:[00:02:44] - Intentional Business Growth for Family Presence Edward explains how he structured his 10-year business journey to avoid becoming an absent fatherKey quote: "I didn't want to be that guy 20 years deep, right? Didn't know his kids and stuff."[00:04:59] - Breaking Generational Cycles Discussion of Edward's relationship with his absent father and commitment to being presentKey quote: "I always told myself, when I have a family and kids, I'm going to do my best to try to be there as much as possible."[00:07:22] - Managing Inherited Anger Triggers Edward shares how he catches himself in moments of road rage and family protection instinctsKey quote: "I'll have this inner dialogue right in the moment too. I was like, all right, calm down. It's not big deal."[00:08:54] - Early Therapy and Self-Regulation Skills Childhood therapy experience that taught breathing techniques and emotional regulationKey quote: "She was like, you, you're growing up too fast. Try to be a kid. Just do kid things."[00:12:09] - The Relationship Turning Point Edward's realization during an argument with his wife that led to years of communication workKey quote: "I remember she started crying and I was like, holy crap. I felt like shit. You know what I mean? I'm like, what am I doing?"[00:15:02] - The Coffee Bean Philosophy Explanation of how Edward approaches every interaction with positivity and serviceKey quote: "Every environment you go into, every person you have interaction with, try to spread positivity, love, try to serve others."[00:19:46] - Emotional Regulation Strategies Edward's practical approach to managing bad moods and protecting family from negative energyKey quote: "I've even texted my team before, Hey, I'm in a bad mood. I'm going to be no good to anybody right now."[00:20:52] - Teaching Emotional Intelligence to Children How Edward and his wife model vulnerability and emotional processing for their kidsKey quote: "We try to be as open, as transparent as we can with the kids at a safe level, not trying to stress them out and trauma dump on 'em."[00:25:35] - Homeschooling Decision and Partnership The family's choice to homeschool and how Edward supports his wife's educational leadershipKey quote: "I feel so blessed now to finally get to this point where I'll be able to help sometimes."[00:32:57] - The Power of Vulnerable Male Friendships Edward emphasizes the importance of having men to talk to about struggles and mistakesKey quote: "The biggest thing, again, man, is finding other men who are willing to talk about these things and being vulnerable." On June 17th, I’m hosting a free, live workshop, Become a Better Leader By Becoming a Better Dad, for fathers who are tired of living a divided life. We’ll explore how “Default Dad” shows up when you’re tired, overloaded, or distracted, and how those same patterns affect your leadership at home and at work. Register here: https://www.ambitiousdads.com/better-dad-better-leader 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

    37 min

  3. 26 AVR.

    From Hollywood to Humble Parenting: Randy Spelling on Raising Teenage Daughters with Curiosity and Grace

    Former actor Randy Spelling opens up about the realities of parenting two teenage daughters while navigating his own transformation from addiction to authentic fatherhood. In this honest conversation, Randy shares practical wisdom on listening versus solving, embracing failure as a teaching tool, and how his past mistakes became the foundation for deeper connections with his kids. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: [00:01:27] - Updating Your Vision of Your Kids Randy discusses the challenge of relating to daughters as they grow and changeKey quote: "There are still parts of her brain that are not online yet. There are still synaptic connections that physiologically are not there putting things together."[00:03:35] - Listening vs. Solving: The Dad Dilemma Explores how men's natural problem-solving instincts can interfere with emotional connectionKey quote: "Get really curious about the being in front of you... How can I see them and meet them where they're at?"[00:07:53] - Managing Morning Moods Without Taking It Personally Randy shares how he handles his daughter's grumpiness by changing his own energy firstKey quote: "This has nothing to do with you. Just get curious or just be there. Just hold space."[00:10:28] - Sharing Your Past Mistakes with Kids Discussion on age-appropriate honesty about personal struggles and addictionKey quote: "I had to trust that my relationship was strong enough and close enough that they see me now I can share my past."[00:19:27] - Encouraging Failure as a Learning Tool How to reframe failure as experimentation and growth opportunitiesKey quote: "Failures are catalysts... you have to try something and have it not work out to know what you need to change."[00:22:18] - The Shame Cycle of Parental Mistakes Randy shares personal examples of everyday mistakes and internal shame dialogueKey quote: "You made a mistake. You did the best that you could... This says nothing about your character."[00:34:19] - Co-Parenting Through Different Perspectives Navigating different parenting styles and finding middle ground through shared valuesKey quote: "The sweet spot is where can you agree and come to the middle based off of values?" KEY TAKEAWAYS: Curiosity and genuine listening are more powerful than trying to solve every problem your kids present.Age-appropriate honesty about your past mistakes can strengthen rather than weaken your relationship with your children.Encouraging failure and reframing it as learning helps build resilience in kids.Managing your own emotional state directly impacts your children's energy and responses.Co-parenting works best when you focus on shared values rather than rigid rules.Self-compassion modeling teaches children how to treat themselves when they make mistakes. On June 17th, I’m hosting a free, live workshop, Become a Better Leader By Becoming a Better Dad, for fathers who are tired of living a divided life. We’ll explore how “Default Dad” shows up when you’re tired, overloaded, or distracted, and how those same patterns affect your leadership at home and at work. Register here: https://www.ambitiousdads.com/better-dad-better-leader 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

    46 min

  4. 26 AVR.

    Building Legacy Through Intentional Fatherhood with Brandon Harrison

    Brandon Harrison, CEO and father of three, shares his journey of intentional parenting after losing his father at 63. From managing three kids four years apart to taking solo cruises for self-care, Brandon offers honest insights on emotional regulation, mentorship, and building a lasting legacy as a father. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: [00:02:06] - Managing Three Different Personalities Discussion on parenting three children who are four years apart with completely different needsKey quote: "My big word for myself is intentionality. I'm really focused on acknowledging their differences and really focusing on that."[00:04:28] - Individual Time with Each Child Brandon explains his approach to one-on-one time, including zoo dates with his daughter and community walks with his middle sonKey quote: "I don't just say, okay, everybody, let's go to the zoo, because our oldest son doesn't like that anymore."[00:09:37] - Self-Care and Solo Retreats How Brandon and his wife prioritize individual time off, including solo cruises and personal activitiesKey quote: "I'm going on two solo cruises this year. My wife and I just started that a few years ago and we realized that we both have a lot going on."[00:17:39] - Impact of Losing His Father Brandon shares how his father's sudden death at 63 transformed his approach to fatherhoodKey quote: "That really changed my thinking of fatherhood, of like, okay, I need to make sure that I'm learning from older fathers, but I'm so intentional with my kids because I never know how long I have."[00:22:03] - Breaking Generational Patterns Discussion on helping other fathers overcome father wounds and develop emotional vulnerabilityKey quote: "You've got to force yourself to express to your spouse what you're actually feeling."[00:28:28] - Learning Emotional Regulation as a Young Father Brandon's honest account of becoming a father at 22 and learning to manage emotions through parentingKey quote: "I'm still growing into being better at that. Honestly, I have not mastered that part of my emotions."[00:35:36] - Current Fatherhood Concerns What keeps Brandon up at night: friend influences, college preparation, and preparing kids for an uncertain futureKey quote: "I only have two more years left with this oldest. And I'm like, I feel like I'm not as far along as I want to be with him."[00:39:15] - Legacy Over Money Brandon's reflection on what kind of legacy he wants to leave as a father beyond financial provisionKey quote: "I really want to leave a legacy for my children, not just money... really what you leave in them as people." KEY TAKEAWAYS: Intentionality is the key difference between good and great fatherhood - actively adapting to each child's unique needs and developmental stage.Self-care isn't selfish - both parents need individual time to recharge and maintain their identity outside of parenting.Vulnerability and honest conversations with other fathers create stronger support networks and better parenting outcomes.Losing a parent young can transform your approach to fatherhood, emphasizing presence over just provision.Legacy is about the values and character you instill in your children, not just the financial security you provide. On June 17th, I’m hosting a free, live workshop, Become a Better Leader By Becoming a Better Dad, for fathers who are tired of living a divided life. We’ll explore how “Default Dad” shows up when you’re tired, overloaded, or distracted, and how those same patterns affect your leadership at home and at work. Register here: https://www.ambitiousdads.com/better-dad-better-leader 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

    42 min

  5. 25 AVR.

    Strategic Absence & Second Chances: A CFP's Journey Through Paternity Leave & Intentional Fatherhood

    Mark Willis, a certified financial planner and father of two, shares his experience taking paternity leave as a business owner while welcoming his second daughter 10 years after his first. He discusses the challenges of rebalancing family life, the power of strategic absence in both business and parenting, and how intentionality transforms the parenting experience. From financial wisdom for families to the messy realities of newborn life, this conversation offers practical insights for ambitious dads navigating work-life integration. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: [00:01:18] - Taking Paternity Leave as a Business Owner Mark discusses the blessing and curse of naming your own time off as an entrepreneurKey quote: "I don't really have the word retirement in my own vocabulary. To retire means to put out of service, and I don't want that for me"[00:04:59] - The Power of Strategic Absence How stepping away from business and parenting can create growth and reduce anxietyKey quote: "If you feel like you're the one that has to show up and tie everybody's shoes for the rest of their life, you're going to have a 30-year-old come over to your house every day asking, Hey, dad, can you still tie my shoes"[00:07:43] - Parenting Children of Different Ages Managing the balance between pulling children toward your heart and letting them flyKey quote: "Children are like a quiver of arrows... you put it in the bow and you pull it toward your heart, and then you have to let it go"[00:16:13] - Redefining Daily Rhythms with a Newborn The challenge of losing structure and predictability when welcoming a new babyKey quote: "The biggest thing that I have found in my life in these last three months has just been the reorientation of our daily cycle"[00:21:33] - Doing Parenthood Differently the Second Time The importance of intentional preparation and treating parenting like a part-time jobKey quote: "The best gift you can give your child is another sibling"[00:24:23] - The Principle of Intentional Living How being hard on yourself makes the world easierKey quote: "If you're easy on yourself, the world is hard. If you're hard on yourself, the world is easy"[00:30:03] - Financial Planning for Families Teaching children about money, entrepreneurship, and delayed gratificationKey quote: "You don't want to just prepare the money for the kids. You must prepare the kids for the money"[00:36:49] - Practical Savings Strategies Starting small and gradually increasing savings rates over timeKey quote: "What if you're listening to this and you're feeling overwhelmed, 30% is way too much. Don't eat that elephant" KEY TAKEAWAYS: Strategic absence in both business and parenting allows others to grow and reduces your anxiety.Great dads are intentional - they plan, prepare, and treat parenting as seriously as their careers.Financial health requires starting where you are and gradually increasing savings rates over time.Different aged children require different expectations and consequencesThe transition to multiple children requires intentional effort to maintain connection with your spouse.Teaching children entrepreneurial thinking prepares them for an uncertain future. On June 17th, I’m hosting a free, live workshop, Become a Better Leader By Becoming a Better Dad, for fathers who are tired of living a divided life. We’ll explore how “Default Dad” shows up when you’re tired, overloaded, or distracted, and how those same patterns affect your leadership at home and at work. Register here: https://www.ambitiousdads.com/better-dad-better-leader 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

    45 min

  6. 9 MARS

    From Fighting for Access to Fighting Less: A Dad's Journey Through Divorce and Redemption: Richard Resnick

    Richard Resnick shares his raw and vulnerable journey as a divorced father fighting for access to his children. After years of court battles and emotional turmoil, he discovered that sometimes the best way to win is to stop fighting. This powerful conversation explores parental regret, the redefinition of providing, and how showing up consistently can rebuild even the most fractured relationships. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: [00:01:59] - The Early Years of Divorce Richard discusses splitting from his former wife when kids were 3 and 1 years oldSeven years of court battles and hundreds of thousands in legal feesKey quote: "The child's identity is simply sort of the summation of their judgments of their two parents. So in fighting like that, you are giving them an identity and it's not one that they asked for."[00:07:30] - The Game-Changing Advice A court mediator's profound counsel that shifted everythingLearning that fighting less matters more than winning more timeKey quote: "It matters less how much time you have with the kids. It matters more that you and your former wife just stop fighting about anything and everything."[00:12:16] - The Mindset Shift How Richard immediately embraced the counterintuitive adviceDealing with criticism from supporters who felt he "gave up"Key quote: "There is justice for these two little children. There is justice and here it is."[00:15:40] - Modern Parenting Anxieties Concerns about launching adult children in today's uncertain economyThe broken promise of the American middle class playbookKey quote: "What keeps me up is when I graduated from college in 1994, there was sort of pretty clear playbook for how to start... there's just so much uncertainty about that playbook now."[00:21:04] - Managing Parental Guilt and Ego Compartmentalizing pain while staying committed to showing upReframing the struggle as a "righteous fight" rather than victimhoodKey quote: "I felt like I was fighting for fairness for the children to have access to their father, which I know was important."[00:25:54] - The Provider's Dilemma Missing games and events while running a demanding companyHis son going "dark" for months in response to dad's absenceKey quote: "You show up dudes, you show up, you just don't give up, you show up, you keep going, you keep asking, and we're back."[00:30:07] - The Impossible Middle Balancing financial obligations with presenceThe psychological ease of choosing work over painful family dynamicsKey quote: "I could spend more time with you if I chose to make less money, but I can't. I owe all these bills for you."[00:32:27] - Parental Regret as Fuel Processing the reality that things could have been differentUsing regret constructively to improve current relationshipsKey quote: "You can walk around with that sadness, that regret, but if it helps you to do something positive... then maybe that regret is a fuel as well." On June 17th, I’m hosting a free, live workshop, Become a Better Leader By Becoming a Better Dad, for fathers who are tired of living a divided life. We’ll explore how “Default Dad” shows up when you’re tired, overloaded, or distracted, and how those same patterns affect your leadership at home and at work. Register here: https://www.ambitiousdads.com/better-dad-better-leader 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

    36 min

  7. 6 MARS

    From Secret Service to Surrogacy: A Dad's Journey Through Grief, Growth, and Building Legacy: Cory Allen

    Former Secret Service agent Corey Allen opens up about his unconventional path to fatherhood through surrogacy, including the grief of miscarriages and the challenges of balancing work, family, and aging parents. He shares how becoming a dad transformed his patience, led him to write a children's book about travel, and taught him to embrace flexibility while building meaningful legacy for his children. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: [00:01:43] - The Surrogacy Journey Discussion of 5-year fertility journey including cultural considerations and multiple setbacksKey quote: "Nobody prepared us for the grief that came with having transfers... nobody prepared us for two miscarriages."[00:06:17] - Navigating Non-Biological Parenthood How couples handle rejection and different parenting instincts when one parent isn't biologicalKey quote: "We just have to do those check-ins... making sure we're checking in because it's not easy to witness or to experience."[00:09:40] - The Sandwich Generation Challenge Managing elderly parents on both coasts while raising toddler and expecting second childKey quote: "Something about the American baby boomer generation. Some of them just don't really have the ability to think beyond themselves."[00:14:13] - Writing "Data Takes a Trip" Creating children's book to help explain work travel and maintain connectionKey quote: "I would love to have a book that explains dadada has to leave, but he'll be back. He loves you."[00:22:04] - Learning from Parenting Mistakes Recognizing how children mirror our behaviors and the need for immediate changeKey quote: "I was fighting my own attributes... I was dealing with my own personality. He's got those attributes."[00:26:15] - Growing Patience as a Parent Strategies for managing frustration and developing flexibility with toddler behaviorKey quote: "I have to literally take a deep breath, exhale purposefully. And that usually does it for me."[00:30:58] - Fears About Mortality and Legacy Concerns about being present for children's milestones and creating lasting impactKey quote: "I'm just worrying about that a lot... the kids are young and if I pass away tomorrow, they're not going to have those core memories."[00:38:05] - The Pull-Up Diaper Disaster Humorous story about discovering pull-tab feature during messy diaper changeKey quote: "There is poo everywhere. I'm like, how are there no quick release on these stupid pull up diapers?" On June 17th, I’m hosting a free, live workshop, Become a Better Leader By Becoming a Better Dad, for fathers who are tired of living a divided life. We’ll explore how “Default Dad” shows up when you’re tired, overloaded, or distracted, and how those same patterns affect your leadership at home and at work. Register here: https://www.ambitiousdads.com/better-dad-better-leader 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

    42 min

  8. 4 MARS

    Navigating Fatherhood Through Separation: A Sales Executive's Journey of Balance and Growth: Dominic Hithon

    Sales executive and father of two Dominic Hithon opens up about the real challenges of modern fatherhood - from managing technology with kids of different ages to co-parenting after separation. He shares honest insights about setting boundaries at work, the importance of being vulnerable with your children, and how to maintain strong relationships while building a career that requires constant travel. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: [00:01:20] - Family Structure and Challenges Dominic shares his family dynamic: 17-year-old daughter pursuing forensic science, 8-year-old son on the spectrum, managing separation and two householdsKey quote: "It's just kind of balancing that relationship of being in the home. We were together 10 years in our relationship and then now managing it as two separate households."[00:02:17] - Modern Parenting Anxieties Discussion of daily challenges including school safety, social media influence, and protecting children from desensitizationKey quote: "In America, we had 48 school shootings last year. There's bullying and me in the world that I work in corporate America, I just know some of the unconscious bias that my children will face out there in this world."[00:04:32] - Technology Generation Gap Comparing how his daughter grew up with limited tech versus his son who had devices from birthKey quote: "My son, he had tablet and the phone pretty much out of the womb. The first thing is they're pressing buttons and it's to the point where he'll tell me stuff, he'll be like, I want to go to Ikea. And I'll be like, what makes you go to Ikea? He's like, because I saw an ad for it."[00:08:50] - Work Travel and Family Balance Managing a demanding sales career that requires frequent travel while maintaining family connectionsKey quote: "I try to let them know the best thing about it is you'll get to start seeing the world... But I said, that's the part of life that you'll have to balance because you'll be doing something and then you'll have a partner or anybody else."[00:17:56] - Transitioning Between Work and Dad Mode Strategies for switching from executive problem-solver to empathetic fatherKey quote: "In business, I'm there to fix it, find the problem, do it. As a father, I'm there to understand it and speak to it, but I'm not always there to fix it because if I fix everything, they'll never feel as if they can do it themselves."[00:21:14] - Creating Boundaries with Leadership Setting work-life boundaries, even with demanding executivesKey quote: "Sometimes I'll even tell my CEO, I'll just be like, Hey, I'm in dad time, so I'm not going to answer you texting me right now."[00:30:46] - Co-Parenting Challenges and Solutions Navigating different household rules and maintaining family unity after separationKey quote: "You had a relationship with this person, but you are out of the relationship with this person... So it's very much where I just try to make sure that they feel that time when I do have them, it doesn't change the dynamic as far as how I feel and care about them."[00:34:29] - Vulnerability and Growth as a Father The importance of showing children that parents are also learning and growingKey quote: "I think it is okay to sometimes just say, I'm learning as I'm teaching you at the same time... Sometimes I didn't know everything, so I want them to understand that I'm learning and growing at the same time just at different speeds." On June 17th, I’m hosting a free, live workshop, Become a Better Leader By Becoming a Better Dad, for fathers who are tired of living a divided life. We’ll explore how “Default Dad” shows up when you’re tired, overloaded, or distracted, and how those same patterns affect your leadership at home and at work. Register here: https://www.ambitiousdads.com/better-dad-better-leader 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

    41 min
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À propos

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

Informations

  • Création
    Jeff Hittner
  • Années d’activité
    2025 - 2026
  • Épisodes
    33
  • Classification
    Contenu explicite
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Jeff Hittner
  • Site web de l’émission
    Ambitious Dads