Dot by Dot

Dustin Parker
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  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
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Nobody's life makes sense in real time. The dots only connect looking backward. I want to have conversations with people who have lived in interesting ways. Not just accomplished things, but transformed through them. The decisions that shape us. The moments we only recognize in hindsight. The patterns connecting wildly different lives.

Episodes

  1. MAR 27

    Rachel Parker: Family, Identity, and Resilience

    In this first official episode of Dot By Dot, Dustin Parker sits down with his wife, Rachel Parker, to trace the experiences that shaped her life. Rachel reflects on moving from Maryland to the island of Lanai as a child, excelling academically, and exploring early ambitions in politics and diplomacy. She shares how marriage, motherhood, teaching, and entrepreneurship influenced her evolving sense of identity. The conversation also examines resilience, attachment, anxiety, creative pursuits, and the role of presence in building a meaningful life.    Key Points From This Episode:  [00:00] Introduction to Rachel Parker and the Dot By Dot theme  [00:54] Childhood in Maryland and the family move to Lanai, Hawaii  [03:49] Returning to Maryland and adapting to a new cultural environment  [05:25] Academic achievements and intellectual curiosity  [07:51] Admiration for her parents’ character and integrity  [09:50] Parenting, modeling values, and balancing life lessons  [11:37] How marriage evolves over time through trust and security  [16:00] Individuation, Carl Jung, and rediscovering identity in her 30s  [20:44] Lessons from rejection in real estate and building resilience  [22:24] Morning routines, exercise, and creating space for personal growth  [26:42] Meditation and practices for cultivating presence  [30:30] Early ambition to become a diplomat and shifting career direction  [33:56] Teaching, connection with children, and emotional demands of the classroom  [37:04] Attachment theory, anxiety, and understanding the nervous system  [40:57] Where to follow Rachel’s writing and ongoing work  Learn more: https://theparkergroup.com/

    42 min

  2. MAR 9

    Dustin Parker: Connecting the Dots of a Life - Fire, Failure, Discipline, and Risk

    In the very first episode of Dot by Dot, Rachel interviews Dustin about the defining “dots” that shaped his life and career. Inspired by the famous idea that we can only connect the dots looking backward, the conversation explores how unexpected moments—from a childhood house fire to political campaigns, teaching, and entrepreneurship—ultimately led to building a business and life together. Dustin shares how community, adversity, discipline, and a willingness to take risks helped shape his path. Along the way, they reflect on lessons about agency, progress, failure, and the importance of choosing the right people to build a life with. This episode sets the foundation for the podcast: understanding how the small moments in our lives often become the most important ones. Timestamps 00:00 – The idea behind Dot by Dot01:50 – A house fire on Dustin’s 13th birthday04:25 – Growing up in a tight-knit small town community10:53 – Childhood entrepreneurship and yard sale “Ponzi schemes”13:01 – Buying a lawn care business at 1515:55 – Bullying, lack of control, and finding confidence through business18:10 – A fight in high school and the turning point that followed20:00 – State police boot camp and losing 100 pounds23:47 – The power—and danger—of becoming addicted to progress27:33 – Working on political campaigns and learning sales and resilience34:14 – Experiencing defeat after an intense campaign36:04 – A pivot into teaching and lessons from education41:11 – What kids teach adults about presence and curiosity46:00 – Leaving stable careers to pursue real estate51:18 – Risk, stability, and building a life through entrepreneurship56:00 – Connecting the dots of Dustin’s life journey59:46 – Advice for people who feel lost in their career or path Learn more at https://theparkergroup.com

    1h 3m
  • 2 Episodes

About

Nobody's life makes sense in real time. The dots only connect looking backward. I want to have conversations with people who have lived in interesting ways. Not just accomplished things, but transformed through them. The decisions that shape us. The moments we only recognize in hindsight. The patterns connecting wildly different lives.

Information

  • Creator
    Dustin Parker
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    2
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Dustin Parker
  • Show Website
    Dot by Dot