Front Row Dads: Family Men With Businesses

We asked what advice he'd give a new dad. His answer had nothing to do with the baby.   Steve Olsher's advice for men entering fatherhood is to prioritize your wife, above the kids. It sounds backwards, especially when there's a newborn in the house who genuinely needs everything. But his reasoning is hard to argue with: the most important relationship in a family is the one between mom and dad, and when the two of you are off, the whole house feels it. He also makes an uncomfortable case that nearly every conflict traces back to one thing.   This is part of NEW DAD WEEK, five short episodes for expecting dads and dads in the first year. Free field guide for the whole week at frontrowdads.com/newdad.   IN THIS EPISODE: Why the strongest thing in your family is the relationship between the two of you What happens to couples who let the whole dynamic become about the kids The long view: one day they leave, and you're either with your best friend or a stranger Why 99 times out of 100 the fight was your fault How selfishness quietly runs most conflict, and what to do about it   Hear Steve's full conversation at frontrowdads.com/199.

Suzanne Yatim Aslam had postpartum depression after her son was born, and in this conversation she tells dads exactly what it looked like from the inside, including the part almost nobody says out loud: for a while, she blamed her baby for ruining her life. Her husband didn't know. She never asked for help. She just kept saying she was fine.   This is part of NEW DAD WEEK, five short episodes for expecting dads and dads in the first year. We built a free field guide to go with it: the main points from every episode plus prompts you can actually use. Grab it at frontrowdads.com/newdad.   IN THIS EPISODE: "Depression is its own character in your brain, and it tells you lies" What it feels like to blame your own child, and why that's the illness talking Why "I'm fine" is the most dangerous sentence in your house right now Why she needed her husband to advocate for her when she couldn't advocate for herself What NOT to say: "enjoy it, it goes so fast" and "at least he's healthy," and why they make a drowning mom feel worse The systems that actually helped her recover: solo days, therapy, and a daily mid-day break Fix it or feel it: the four-word question that tells you what she actually needs A note: this episode discusses depression and mental health honestly. If you or your partner are struggling, please talk to a doctor or a therapist. In the US, you can call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, and Postpartum Support International is at 1-800-944-4773. Hear Suzanne's full conversation at frontrowdads.com/341

Your wife is struggling, and everything in you wants to solve it. That instinct is the problem. Welcome to NEW DAD WEEK. Five short episodes for guys who are expecting or in the thick of the first year. We're starting with Jason Kreidman on the skill that matters most early on, and it isn't tactical. It's empathy, which he calls the single biggest game changer in how he parents and how he loves his wife. He also lands on four words that will save you an enormous amount of grief: do you want me to fix it, or feel it?   We built a free field guide for the whole week: the main points from every episode plus prompts you can actually use. Grab it at frontrowdads.com/newdad.   IN THIS EPISODE: Why the number one thing a new dad needs to hear isn't tactical, it's "you're not alone" Everyone feels like they're the only one who doesn't get it. Everyone. Empathy as the game changer, and what it actually looks like in practice "Do you want me to fix it, or feel it?" and why asking beats guessing Why "what can I do?" often doesn't help, and what to do instead The neighbour rule: don't ask what food they want, just bring food Meeting your wife's love language at a higher level than you think is reasonable Hear Jason's full conversation at frontrowdads.com/101.

There are two lessons available when something in your life keeps hurting. One is to get tougher. The other is to walk away. Most men only ever get coached on the first one.   WHAT THIS IS This is the first episode of something new we're calling Walk With Jon. No studio, no script, no guest, no editing. Just Jon Vroman on a walking trail near his house, thinking out loud. In his words: "What I don't want to do is stand at my desk anymore at my expensive microphone and try to record the highest quality show. I thought, if we were friends and on the phone and talking to each other, it would sound like this. You'd hear the wind in the background, the crunch of the rocks under my feet. It wouldn't be the highest quality audio, but it would be authentic. It would be real. You would be with me." So yes, the audio is rougher than what you're used to from us. That's the point. No edits, no stops, no re-records. His words again: "just mistakes, back steps, corrections throughout." In a world where you can't always tell what's real and what came out of a machine, these are his unfiltered thoughts as he walks. He also asks for two things up front. That you send feedback and tell him what you'd want him to think through out loud, because he's a verbal processor and this helps him as much as it helps you. And that you allow him to change his mind later, because that's what growth looks like.   WHAT HE'S THINKING ABOUT THIS MORNING He calls it the nut-kicking line. Picture standing in a line where you keep getting kicked, and a coach beside you saying the lesson is resilience. Toughen up. Build grit. Focus your attention somewhere else. Sometimes that's exactly right. But Jon's point is that there's a second lesson almost nobody coaches, which is that you're allowed to step out of the line. Learning to let go, to say no, to move on, is also a lesson. He works it through his own three ultramarathons, one of which he thinks genuinely hurt him, and then through marriages, business partners, employees, and kids of divorce who say they wish their parents had separated sooner. Both paths have beautiful stories. Both have regrets. As he puts it: "All of it's true." The question he lands on isn't which one is right. It's what you'd hear if you got quiet and honest enough to ask yourself.   IN THIS WALK: Why he's recording on a trail instead of at his desk, and what unfiltered is worth right now Why he reserves the right to change his mind, and why that's growth and not flip-flopping The nut kicking line, and the two very different lessons hiding inside it His 52-mile walk-run in 2006, doing it again in 2007, and the anniversary run ten years later that cost him Whether ultra-endurance events serve your body or only your mindset, and where David Goggins fits Ben Greenfield trading hard training for long walks, and what shifting seasons looks like Where this shows up for real: marriages, business partners, employees, and children of divorce Why he believes there are no bad decisions, only decisions, and that even the hard ones come with blessings It's okay to not be okay, and even indecision is a decision The Hoffman Institute method his friend David uses: asking your emotional body, mind, heart, and spirit separately, then integrating the answers Jon's four core values: truth, love, respect, responsibility Front Row Dads turning 10, and heading back to Philadelphia where it started in 2016 Jon reads every reply. If something here landed, or if you think he's wrong about it, tell him. He'd say the disagreement is as useful as the agreement, because it shows you what you actually believe. _________________________________________________________ Front Row Dads is a brotherhood of family men with businesses, not businessmen with families. Nearly a thousand men have come through the community in our first ten years. To learn more, go to frontrowdads.com.  

Most men think attraction is something you do. It's something you are. Dr. Robert Glover, best-selling author of No More Mr. Nice Guy, gives about as direct an answer as you'll get: the feminine is highly attracted to a man who's comfortable in his own skin and knows where he's going. From there he gets into why your own thinking is the thing sabotaging you, why time away with other men comes home as attraction, and why a marriage with no tension or space in it slowly goes flat.   FREE THIS WEEK: We built a companion field guide for the whole series. It's the main points from every episode plus copy-and-paste prompts you can drop into ChatGPT or your journal to actually do the work. Grab it at frontrowdads.com/niceguy.   IN THIS EPISODE: The one-line answer to what actually attracts the feminine Why your thinker is your biggest enemy, and the practice of being where your feet are Why time with other men is wired into you, and how it makes you more attractive at home Emotional tension, space, and keeping desire alive in a long marriage Scheduling sex and what really happened to spontaneity Filling your bucket by getting away, and coming home as someone she's curious about This is part 5 and the last of a 5-part week with Dr. Robert Glover. Also this week: Nice Guy Syndrome and shame, boundaries for men, decoding your wife, and brotherhood and male isolation. Hear Glover's full conversation at frontrowdads.com/464. His book is No More Mr. Nice Guy.

Everyone is talking about the male loneliness epidemic. Here's the less comfortable version: a lot of it is self-inflicted.   Dr. Robert Glover, best-selling author of No More Mr. Nice Guy, gets into what actually keeps men isolated, and he doesn't let anyone off the hook, including himself. He talks about the father wound underneath why men don't trust other men, why some groups of guys go deep for years while others quietly fall apart, and the fear of success that keeps a man consuming information instead of doing anything with it.   FREE THIS WEEK: We built a companion field guide for the whole series. It's the main points from every episode plus copy-and-paste prompts you can drop into ChatGPT or your journal to actually do the work. Grab it at frontrowdads.com/niceguy.   IN THIS EPISODE: Why the loneliness epidemic among men is largely self-inflicted What makes some men's groups thrive while others fall apart, and the one guy who determines it Fear of success and "the comfort of the nursery": why men with all the information still don't act The father wound at the root of why men don't trust other men Needing a hall pass to go see your friends, and the year and a half it took him The three reasons men actually show up to a men's group: accountability, support, or just to be This is part 4 of a 5-part week with Dr. Robert Glover. Also this week: Nice Guy Syndrome and shame, boundaries for men, decoding your wife, and attracting the feminine. Hear Glover's full conversation at frontrowdads.com/466. His book is No More Mr. Nice Guy.

His wife said he hadn't told her he loved her all day. He had screenshots proving he'd said it five times. He kept them to himself, and that was the whole lesson. Part three of our five-part week with Dr. Robert Glover, best-selling author of No More Mr. Nice Guy, and probably the most immediately useful one. Glover draws the line between a factual statement and an emotional statement, and makes the case that when your wife says something that seems provably unfair, the accusation was never the point. The trigger you feel is the signal.   FREE THIS WEEK: We built a companion field guide for the whole series. It's the main points from every episode plus copy-and-paste prompts you can drop into ChatGPT or your journal to actually do the work. Grab it at frontrowdads.com/niceguy.   IN THIS EPISODE: The candle story: why knowing this and embodying it are completely different things Why patterns live in your nervous system, not in what you've read Regulating in real time: what he did when his wife made a jab in the park Jon's own account of trying to stay calm through a hard conversation about school Ground, breathe, open, get curious: the four-word checklist for any conversation Emotional statements vs. factual statements, and why taking the bait always loses The "I love you" screenshots, and the apology that came two days later on its own This is part 3 of 5. Also this week: Nice Guy Syndrome and shame, boundaries for men, brotherhood and male isolation, and attracting the feminine. Hear Glover's full conversation at frontrowdads.com/518. His book is No More Mr. Nice Guy.

You think boundaries keep people out. They're actually what lets people get close to you.   Dr. Robert Glover, best-selling author of No More Mr. Nice Guy, runs a full crash course here, and it starts somewhere unexpected: how a lack of boundaries quietly wrecks a man's friendships with other men, not just his marriage. He didn't learn any of this until his thirties, when a therapist laid a string on the floor and started pushing him backward to show him how much ground he gives away. FREE THIS WEEK: We built a companion field guide for the whole series. It's the main points from every episode plus copy-and-paste prompts you can drop into ChatGPT or your journal to actually do the work. Grab it at frontrowdads.com/niceguy.   IN THIS EPISODE: Why boundaries aren't about changing other people, they're about changing you The string on the ground exercise that exposed he had no boundaries at all Why men were never taught this: growing up, the powerful just got to do what they wanted to you Why wives are relieved, not offended, when their husband finally stands up to them Ending a years-long best friendship, and why it pushed him toward real brotherhood The "Ouch" technique, and how to defuse a bad mood with a boundary How to spot a professional boundary invader (usually somewhere in your own family)   This is part 2 of a 5-part week with Dr. Robert Glover. Also this week: Nice Guy Syndrome and shame, decoding your wife, brotherhood and male isolation, and attracting the feminine. Hear Glover's full conversation on boundaries at frontrowdads.com/465. His book is No More Mr. Nice Guy.

The Nice Guy and the jerk are doing the exact same thing. Same shame, different mask. This is part one of a five-part week with Dr. Robert Glover, best-selling author of No More Mr. Nice Guy, and we start at the root. Glover argues nice guy syndrome has almost nothing to do with being polite. It comes from a belief formed before you could speak, that something is wrong with you, and it shows up as a set of hidden deals you make with the people around you: I'll do this for you, so you owe me that. FREE THIS WEEK: We built a companion field guide for the whole series. It's the main points from every episode plus copy-and-paste prompts you can drop into ChatGPT or your journal to actually do the work. Grab it at frontrowdads.com/niceguy.   IN THIS EPISODE: - Why the nice guy and the jerk are driven by the same thing, and why your first boundaries make you swing into being a jerk - The two types of nice guys: the "I'm so good" and the "I'm so bad" - The night his wife read him a book about shame and told him it was him - What shame actually is: an inaccurately internalized belief you formed before you had words - The dessert he ate that he didn't want, and the door he held that wasn't kindness - The three covert contracts, and how they quietly turn into resentment and rage This is part 1 of 5. Coming this week: boundaries for men, decoding your wife's emotional statements, brotherhood and male isolation, and attracting the feminine as a married man. Hear Glover's full conversation at frontrowdads.com/444. His book is No More Mr. Nice Guy.

Every Saturday he spends thirty minutes printing one photo and writing on the back of it. His kids will have those notes for the rest of their lives.   It's one of the practices Jon Vroman is best known for around here, and the whole thing fits in a sentence: catch them doing the right thing, then make a record of it. The reasoning is solid. Peter Drucker said great leadership brings out strengths until weaknesses stop mattering. John Gottman can predict divorce with about ninety percent accuracy largely from the ratio of positive to negative interactions, and the related research landed near three positives for every one negative. So the mission isn't to point out where people are failing. It's to amplify the good loudly enough that it quiets the rest.   IN THIS CLIP: - The research behind it: Drucker on strengths, Gottman on the ratio, and the three-to-one line - The ritual itself: one photo a week, printed, with a handwritten note on the back - What he actually wrote to his son about missing the ball and trying again - Why he started doing it for his wife too - The neighbor's six-year-old who came to apologize, and what Jon did instead of just accepting it - Why fatherhood means mentoring young humans anywhere, not only your own kids  

The more you can give your kids, the easier it is to spoil them. That's the quiet worry of every dad working hard to provide, so we went into the vault for this Deep Cut and pulled a teaching that's stuck with our members for years. In a member-only Front Row Dads workshop, financial planners Andrew Lisi and Adam Stock of Next Level Planning Group lay out a simple framework for raising grounded kids: three guiding principles (grace, gratitude, and generosity) and their opposites (pride, envy, and greed), which double as the warning signs a kid is drifting toward entitlement. It gets practical fast: chores vs. allowance, need vs. want, teaching kids to earn and invest, and the line worth writing down: "A luxury once enjoyed becomes a necessity." The theme underneath it all: kids catch our values from how we live, not from the lecture. As Andrew puts it, "thank before you bank."   IN THIS EPISODE: The 3 guiding principles: grace, gratitude, generosity The 3 spoiling indicators: pride, envy, greed "Give first, save second, live off what's left over" Chores vs. allowance, need vs. want, and teaching kids to earn and invest Why it starts with the parents, not the lecture   Join the brotherhood: https://frontrowdads.com  

On a topic dads argue about constantly, we found near-total agreement.  In this Dads Agree episode we play four takes from past Front Row Dads guests who — without ever comparing notes — all landed in the same place: work-life balance is a myth.  Chris Ducker calls it a myth outright.  Tucker Max says balance is "bullsh*t" because work is part of life. Dave Allred argues "the price of greatness is imbalance."  And Eric Wohlwend offers the fix: "quit trying to balance and start to integrate."  The word they all reach for instead of balance? Integration.   IN THIS EPISODE: • Chris Ducker — why "balance" is a myth • Tucker Max — work is part of life; integrate, don't balance • Dave Allred — "the price of greatness is imbalance" (greatness comes in seasons) • Eric Wohlwend — the fix: integrate, and "be where you are, 100%"   THE CLIPS IN THIS EPISODE COME FROM THESE ORIGINAL CONVERSATIONS: • Chris Ducker — episode 60: https://frontrowdads.com/60 • Tucker Max — episode 115: https://frontrowdads.com/115 • Dave Allred — episode 401: https://frontrowdads.com/401 • Eric Wohlwend — episode 374: https://frontrowdads.com/374   Where do you land on work-life balance? Reply and tell us. Join the brotherhood: https://frontrowdads.com

The words you repeat about your kids become the story they believe about themselves. In this Deep Cut we  share a summit teaching from Chris and Melissa Smith of Family Brand.  They tells the story of how they accidentally made thier own son "shy" , just by repeating the word,  and then shows how to use language to build your child's identity on purpose. The core idea: "Language is the fundamental element of creation."   IN THIS EPISODE: • The "shy son" story — how a repeated label took hold • "Language is the fundamental element of creation — whatever you keep saying, you're creating" • How to speak identity into your kids on purpose (invitations, not commands) • Why it starts with how you see yourself — "the greatest thing I've ever done for my parenting is learn to love me"   ABOUT THIS EPISODE: This is a Deep Cut — a focused segment pulled from member-exclusive Front Row Dads summit content, shared here on the public feed. Guests: Chris & Melissa Smith of Family Brand.   Join the brotherhood: https://frontrowdads.com

Nick Foster has been a Front Row Dads member since 2021. He's also the founder of Foster Financial, a husband to his high school sweetheart Carrie, and a dad to three kids. This week, Nick sits down with Jon to talk about what happens after you build the business. Nick spent 10 years building his CPA firm to $2.7 million and 13 employees. Then he stepped back and hit the question a lot of successful dads eventually face: now what? This conversation is about the first mountain (achievement, the grind, proving yourself) and the second mountain (giving, presence, being a good human), and what it actually looks like to make that shift while raising a family. Nick gets honest about a lot in this one. What you'll hear: → The wall with his teenage daughter and how he keeps showing up → Building a $2.7M business and the weight nobody talks about → Losing your identity when the business is no longer the target → The little brother from Big Brothers Big Sisters who changed his life → What actually makes his marriage work after 18 years → The thing his wife does that triggers him (and how he's learning to handle it) → Teaching kids about money, including the Roth IRA move most parents miss → The birthday tradition that makes him cry every time → From atheist to a man of faith If you've been climbing hard and quietly wondering whether it's the right mountain, this one is worth your time.

What can a few days on Richard Branson's private island teach you about being a better father, husband, and man? In this episode, Jon sits down with Adam Holt and Derek Notman, the founders of Rebl Dads. Rebl is a community a lot like Front Row Dads, built to serve high-performing entrepreneurial men who want to be great dads. We love showcasing other groups that are doing real work for fathers, and these two are the real deal. Adam and Derek share the wild story of how a bucket-list trip to Necker Island turned into a brotherhood, a mission, and a book co-authored by Richard Branson himself. Along the way, they get into what Branson is actually like behind the scenes (humble, present, makes his own coffee), the one question he asked that changed the entire direction of their work, and the deeper conversation about self-love that every ambitious dad needs to hear. This one goes from entertaining to vulnerable fast. If you've ever struggled to slow down, forgive yourself, or believe you're doing enough as a father, this conversation will land. What you'll hear in this episode: → How Adam and Derek met and built a friendship through a shared project → The Necker Island story and how Derek signed a massive contract before he had the money or the men → What Richard Branson is really like when no one's performing → The bike crash, the chess game, the coffee, and the lessons hiding inside each one → The one question Branson asked that launched the book → How they interviewed 103 dads in 7 months to write it → The "AM I" framework: do your actions and mindset align with your intentions? → Jon's honest admission about not fully loving himself, and what it means for fatherhood → Restorative vs punitive energy and the idea of giving someone "safe passage" in your mind   Learn more about Adam, Derek, and the Rebl Dads community: rebldads.com   More From Front Row Dads:

This week on the show, All-In Front Row Dads member Dave Powders pulls out a decade of notes and shares the 5 best lessons he's learned in 10 years of brotherhood. These are the tips that have made him a better father, a better husband, and a more present man at home. Short, practical, and worth your time. What you'll hear in this episode: Tip 1: Your calendar reflects your priorities. From Adam Stock. Why looking at your week tells you the truth about where your attention actually goes. Tip 2: When you take care of yourself, you're better equipped to take care of your family. From Jay Papasan. Why the Miracle Morning, sleep, meditation, and small habits compound into a better dad. Tip 3: The Family Board Meeting. From Jim Sheils. Why a one-on-one day with each kid every 90 days might be the most impactful thing you do as a parent. Tip 4: Ask your kids at night, "What was the best part of your day?" A simple question that helps them go to sleep lighter and opens up the conversation you didn't know they needed. Tip 5: You're not just responsible for your actions. You're responsible for your reactions. From Adam Stock. The meditation practice that grew Dave's EQ and changed how his kids talk to each other.   About the Front Row Dads Brotherhood: Front Row Dads is a community of family men with businesses, not businessmen with families. We've spent the last 10 years building the resources, frameworks, and brotherhood that help dads win at home and at work. If you're ready to be in the room with men who get it, learn more at frontrowdads.com. One More Thing: We just dropped a curated list of the best family games from our community. Card games, board games, dinner table games, and after-dinner favorites. All vetted by 300+ Front Row Dads who play with their families. Free download here: frontrowdads.com/games  

Before we get into it, a quick favor. We're working on making the podcast better for you and we'd love your feedback. If you have 2 minutes, please fill out our podcast survey: forms.gle/JnJQUZR9Pt7d7fvG7 What if your child has been listening, understanding, and forming thoughts the whole time, and you just didn't know how to hear them? In this conversation, J. Brad Britton sits down with Jon to share the story of his son Sam, who was diagnosed with autism as a child and told by experts that he would never progress mentally past the level of a young kid. For years, that's how the family treated Sam. They loved him. They respected him. But they had no idea what was actually going on inside. Then one day, J. Brad and his wife Paulette walked into a symposium and watched a 17-year-old non-speaker spell out a fully aware, fully present sentence on a letter board. Everything they thought they knew about their son was wrong. This episode is about what J. Brad learned when he finally discovered Sam's voice. It's about apraxia, the disorder where the brain works fine but the body refuses to cooperate. It's about the gap between what experts said about Sam and what Sam was actually thinking the whole time. It's about a father confronting the shame, regret, and humility of realizing he had underestimated his own son for years. And it's about the book he and Sam co-authored, Real Words With Sam, which is now changing how other families see their non-speaking kids. This one will land for any father, whether your child has special needs or not. The conversation goes deep on what it actually means to listen to your child, to believe in your child, and to never assume you know what they're capable of. If you'd like a free copy of J. Brad's book, here's how. Write a review of this episode, screenshot it, and email it to team@frontrowdads.com with your name and US mailing address. We'll send you a copy of Real Words With Sam as a thank you. What you'll hear in this conversation: → Why J. Brad believed the experts for years and what finally cracked that open  → The symposium that changed everything and the 17-year-old who started it all  → What apraxia actually is and why so many non-speaking kids are misunderstood  → The day Sam answered his first open-ended question and what he said  → Why J. Brad calls writing this book the hardest thing he's ever done  → What Sam has spelled about his dad, his life, and his impact on others  → The shame, regret, and humility of realizing you've underestimated your own child  → What this experience has taught J. Brad about listening, presence, and connection  → Why this story matters for every father, regardless of their kid's circumstances Connect with J. Brad and Sam: Website: realwordswithsam.com  Book: Real Words With Sam (available on Amazon and Audible)

Today's episode is a Father's Day roundtable. Jon sits down with three Front Row Dads, Mike Chu, Scott Seymour, and Austin Distel, for an honest conversation about what it actually means to be a great dad. Before we get into it, we have a quick favor. We're working on making the podcast better for you and we'd love your feedback. If you have 2 minutes, please fill out our podcast survey here: forms.gle/JnJQUZR9Pt7d7fvG7 Now to the episode. This one isn't tactical. It's not about parenting hacks or systems. It's four men getting real about what Father's Day brings up, why self-love is the foundation of being a great dad, and the inner work most men never talk about out loud. Mike opens up about going from a man who hated himself to one who is finally proud of who he's becoming. Scott shares his journey from being suicidal to seeing himself as divine. Austin reflects on what it means to consciously prepare for fatherhood with his wife now pregnant with their first child. And Jon brings the framework he learned recently from a father whose son was murdered by a 14-year-old, and what it taught him about restorative versus punitive energy, both with others and with himself. If you've ever wondered why being a great dad feels harder than it should, this one will land. The hardest part of fatherhood isn't your kids. It's the relationship you have with yourself. What you'll hear in this conversation: → Why Father's Day brings up grief, guilt, pressure, and complexity for most dads  → The punitive vs restorative framework and how it changes how you treat yourself  → Why self-love is one of the strongest things a man can practice  → How Mike's relationship with his dad shaped a decade of self-punishment  → Scott on why your kids only do what they see  → Austin's unplanned solo trip to Panama and why play might be the highest form of self-love → The Azeem story and what restorative energy actually looks like  → What each man hopes his kids will know about themselves above everything else  → Why even lone wolves need to recharge by the pack If this conversation moves you to want to dig deeper into the books that have shaped how Front Row Dads think about fatherhood, marriage, business, and brotherhood, our community-curated book list is here: frontrowdads.com/books   Connect with the guests: Jon Vroman: instagram.com/jonvroman  Mike Chu: instagram.com/mike__chu  Scott Seymour: instagram.com/journey_of_man  Austin Distel: instagram.com/austindistel

What if the reason you're tired, foggy, and burned out has nothing to do with stress or sleep? Most high-performing men assume their fatigue, brain fog, and inflammation come from doing too much. But there's another conversation happening in functional medicine that most doctors miss completely. Dr. Torrie Thompson is the founder of Meraki Wellness Center in Austin and specializes in mold, heavy metals, environmental toxins, and Lyme disease. She's spent over a decade helping people figure out what's actually wrong when their labs look "normal" but they feel terrible. This one hits close to home for Jon. He's been dealing with Lyme, Babesia, and chronic inflammation for the better part of a decade. His CRP (a key inflammation marker) has averaged 90 for the last 10 years, with his most recent test coming in at 127. Tori told him on the podcast it's the highest she's ever seen, by a lot. If you've ever wondered why you feel off and your doctor keeps telling you everything looks fine, this conversation is for you.   In This Interview: → Why mold is the most common hidden driver of chronic fatigue and brain fog in men today  → The three foods that hold the most mycotoxins (and why you can't see or smell them)  → How to actually test your body and your home for mold (and the testing companies to avoid) → The difference between binders that help and binders that hurt  → Why standard doctors miss Lyme disease and what to do if you suspect you have it  → The order of operations: why you have to clear mold and metals before treating Lyme  → Why chelation can wreck your health and what to do instead  → How to spot misaligned incentives when a doctor pushes expensive weekly IV drips  → The cheapest, most overlooked tools for healing (PEMF, grounding, breathwork, sleep)  → Why your toxic bucket size determines how sick you get and how fast you recover This Conversation Is For You If: → You're exhausted, foggy, or inflamed and your bloodwork keeps coming back "normal"  → You've been to multiple doctors and nobody can tell you what's wrong  → You suspect mold in your home or your body and don't know where to start  → You've been bitten by a tick at some point and never felt the same since  → You're a business owner whose energy is the engine and you need it back online   Next Step: If this conversation made you curious about what might be sitting in your body or your home, Dr. Torrie and her team work with clients across the country. You can learn more about her practice and the work she does at drtorriethompson.com. Connect With Dr. Torrie Thompson: Website: drtorriethompson.com Instagram: instagram.com/drtorriethompson  

Ben & Jessa Greenfield have been playing card games and board games with their family almost every night for years. Their twin sons River and Taryn just turned 18 and are now designing and selling their own card games as a business. That didn't happen by accident. In this conversation with Jon, Ben and Jessa go deep on the small daily traditions that built their family. Not the big vacations. Not the epic annual events. The stuff that happens every single night. What they cover: Why they play games at dinner almost every night and how it became their family's most important tradition How to pick games that actually work (15-30 minutes, easy to learn, playable while eating) Why the first year of playing games with young kids is boring and why you keep going anyway The nightly family party: games, guitar, a song, prayer, cooking together, and why guests think they planned a special evening when it's just a Tuesday Why making your home a fun place to be is the best alternative to screens Jessa on the power of solo prayer hikes for self-reflection as a mom Ben on why little stones make big ripples and why two miles every morning beats 46 miles once a month Why 90% of the time you spend with your kids is over by 18 and how they plan to defy that → How their sons went from playing games to designing them to launching a Kickstarter If your family dinners feel rushed, if screens are winning, or if you've been wanting a simple tradition that actually sticks, start here.

What happens when a CEO with a young family decides to ride 2,000 miles from Mexico to Canada in 13 days to serve families he's never met? Matt King is the CEO of GoBundance, a mastermind for entrepreneurial men, and a dad to three young kids. He wasn't a cyclist. Five and a half months ago, he had never ridden more than 10 miles on a bike. Then he stood on a stage in November and announced he was going to ride 2,000 miles from Mexico to Canada in May to raise $1 million for families along the route. He told everyone before he told his wife. Before he had ever trained. Before he even owned the right bike. In this conversation with Jon, Matt opens up about why he's doing this, what it's teaching him about fatherhood, service, and modeling hard things for his kids, and what he's learned about himself along the way. He talks about the morning he quit at 3:30 a.m. in the middle of a training ride. The $100,000 donation that stopped him in the middle of a 150-mile day. The families he's already helped before the ride has even started. And why he believes the world doesn't give you permission to do meaningful things. You have to give it to yourself. The ride starts May 27th. As of recording, Matt has already raised over $481,000. Every dollar goes directly to families along the route. In This Interview: → Why Matt chose a bike instead of a car or plane to find families who need help  → The morning he quit at 3:30 a.m. and what got him back on the bike  → How GoBundance members are deploying as "secret agents" into cities along the route to find stories  → Why his five-year-old son is his biggest fan and what that's taught him about modeling  → The difference between living a legacy and leaving one  → Why he tracks "return on joy" instead of return on investment  → The role David Osborne played in shaping who Matt has become  → How to handle the doubt, fatigue, and criticism that comes when you commit to something hard  → Why oversharing might be costing you, and how to use your intuition to know what to share → The conversation he has with himself when he wants to quit (and the framework that gets him through)   Next Step: The ride starts May 27th. You can follow the journey, sign up to ride with Matt at any point along the route, nominate a family who needs help, or donate to the mission at the link below. If this story moved you, the simplest thing you can do is share it with one dad who needs to hear it. Back the Ride: gobundance.com/theride

What happens when you raise boys with earth-based traditions, rites of passage, and the wilderness as their classroom? Tim Corcoran has spent 25 years answering that question. He's the founder of Twin Eagles Wilderness School in North Idaho, a rites of passage guide, wilderness mentor, and father of two sons. He's mentored kids from age 6 through adulthood, taken over 100 men through vision quests, and built a community where families stay for 15 years because of the impact on their children. In this conversation with Jon Vroman, Tim breaks down what rites of passage actually are, why boys need challenge and mentorship from men beyond their fathers, and what 25 years of nature-based mentoring has taught him about raising grounded, confident, capable young men. Front Row Dads is partnering with Tim for an exclusive father-son wilderness adventure this fall. → https://frontrowdads.com/fatherson In This Interview: → Why earth-based traditions are needed now more than ever to raise boys into men  → What a rite of passage actually is and why the term is widely misused  → The difference between initiation and rite of passage and why it matters  → Why Tim said no to leading rites of passage for 7 years until the community was ready  → What the father-son wilderness adventure looks like (5 days, no screens, no phones, real challenge)  → The developmental path from age 6 through vision quest and why each stage builds on the last  → Why boys need a village of men and not just one father to model after  → What happens when you initiate emotional maturity in boys at 13 instead of waiting until 45 → Jon's personal experience at the father-son trip and what it revealed about his own edges This Conversation Is For You If: → You're a father raising boys and you want more than sports and school to shape who they become  → You've been looking for a meaningful father-son experience that goes deeper than a vacation → You want your son to be grounded, emotionally mature, and ready to lead before he leaves home  → You believe boys need challenge, nature, and trusted men in their lives → You're an entrepreneur or business owner and you want your son to see you do hard things Next Step: Front Row Dads is partnering with Twin Eagles Wilderness School for an exclusive father-son wilderness adventure this fall. Limited to 10 families. If you want to experience what Tim has been building for 25 years with your son, details are here: → https://frontrowdads.com/fatherson Connect With Tim Corcoran: Twin Eagles Wilderness School: twineagles.org  Purpose Mountain (adult vision quests & purpose discovery): purposemountain.com  

What does mature masculinity actually look like in fatherhood, marriage, and leadership? Jeddy Azuma of Rising Man joins Front Row Dads to talk about rites of passage, masculine presence, and why boys need initiated men. In this Front Row Dads interview, Jeddy Azuma shares a grounded and honest look at mature masculinity, fatherhood, rites of passage, and the role men play in creating safety, stability, and leadership at home. Jeddy is the founder of Rising Man and helps men step into deeper responsibility, purpose, and masculine presence. In this conversation, he and Jon Vroman explore the difference between containment and control, why masculine leadership is often about having "the lowest heart rate in the room," and how men can stop making everything about themselves — even when they think they are serving others. A major theme of the episode is initiation. Jeddy explains why fathers may not be the ones to initiate their own sons, why boys need trusted men and "uncles" in their lives, and why modern men still need rites of passage to mark important transitions. This conversation is especially relevant for fathers, husbands, and business owners who want to lead with more presence, emotional maturity, and strength — without bringing battle energy into the home. In this interview: What mature masculinity looks like in fatherhood, marriage, and leadership The difference between containment and control in masculine energy Why fathers may not be able to initiate their own sons into manhood How rites of passage help boys and men mark major life transitions The hidden cost of bringing warrior energy into the home Why men need brotherhood to process emotions before they spill onto the family How fathers can model courage by doing hard things themselves This conversation is for you if: You're a father who wants to raise strong, emotionally grounded sons You're a husband trying to lead at home without controlling everyone around you You're a business owner who carries pressure, intensity, and battle energy into family life You're a man who knows he needs deeper brotherhood, challenge, and initiation You want to become more present, steady, and mature for the people you love most Next Step: If you're a family man with a business and you want to become more intentional as a father, husband, and leader, Family First is the next step. frontrowdads.com/familyfirst Connect with Jeddy Azuma: Website: risingman.org/compass Instagram: @JeddyAzuma #Fatherhood #RitesOfPassage #MatureMasculinity #MensWork #FrontRowDads

Kyle Cease is a New York Times bestselling author, former stand-up comedian, and creator of Evolving Out Loud. He's done over 15,000 one-on-one coaching sessions and spoken to crowds of thousands completely unscripted. He and Jon met 20 years ago at a Tony Robbins event and recently reconnected through their mutual friend Hal Elrod when Kyle moved to Austin. What starts as a conversation about Kyle's work turns into a real-time coaching session where Jon opens up about patterns he's been carrying for years. This is not a polished interview. It's two men letting the conversation go wherever it needs to go. What they get into: → Why your triggers are mirrors showing you something about yourself → The shadow of achievement and the wound of unworthiness underneath it → What happens when you stop needing your wife to hear you and start hearing yourself → The difference between agenda-driven living and soul-driven living → Why the patterns that made you successful are the ones ready to go → How Kyle lets his 8-year-old daughter lead their adventures by listening to her heart → The healing process: catch the pattern, stop feeding it, find the core wound, bring love to it → Why letting everything fall apart might be the most powerful thing you can do → Love liberates. It doesn't bind. What that actually means in a marriage. If you've done years of personal growth work and still feel stuck in certain patterns, this conversation might crack something open.

FRD members Jason Lee and Taylor Frame sit down for a real conversation about what's actually working at home right now. Jason has a 4-year-old and a 2-year-old and is deep in the sleepless years. Taylor has a 10-year-old, a 6-year-old, and a 3-year-old and has been through it. Different phases, same mission. Two dads comparing notes.   What they get into: → Why both of them filter all productivity and business advice through one question: do you have kids?  → Why every kid is a different project and you can't parent them the same way  → How Taylor built systems around outdoor living (e-bikes, outdoor showers, gear stations) because his family falls apart the minute they go inside  → Why Jason is learning to stop resenting the middle-of-the-night wake-ups and start seeing them as moments he'll miss  → The question Taylor asks instead of "be careful" that gives his kids room to think before they jump  → How Jason uses a harness to let his kids learn to run and fall without smashing their face  → Taylor gave his 10-year-old $100 at a mall and what she did with it surprised him  → Why a good life isn't a life without problems and why the hard parts are usually the best parts   If you're in the early years and feeling like you can't see straight, this one's for you. If you're past them, it'll remind you how far you've come.  

FRD member Mike Green with a quick one for dads before Mother's Day. If you've ever scrambled at the last minute, grabbed flowers from Trader Joe's, and hoped for the best, this is for you. Mike breaks down the Platinum Rule, which is not treat her the way you want to be treated, but treat her the way she wants to be treated. Sounds simple. But how do you actually know what she wants? Mike shares three curiosity tools that replace guessing with intention: → Ask — but ask thoughtfully and early, not the night before → Observe — watch for the patterns, what drains her, what lights her up, take notes months ahead → Empathy — step into her world and feel what this season of life actually feels like for her Then he gives you a simple past, present, future filter to design a day that's actually about her experience, not just your effort. Short, practical, and worth 6 minutes of your time before Sunday.

FRD member Mike Green sits down with fellow FRD member Danny Mulvihill for a conversation every dad needs to hear. Danny is a father of two daughters (10 and 14) and has been married for 17.5 years. For most of his adult life, he was the master of "I'm sorry, but." The words were there but the energy was off. Two years ago, after a heated argument with his older daughter, his wife pushed him to go upstairs and repair it before bed. He didn't want to. He climbed those stairs, fighting it every step. But what happened when he got there changed how he shows up as a father. They get into: → How to name the specific thing you did wrong and then stop talking → Why you can be right or you can be connected, but rarely both at the same time → How the repair process actually shortens the gap between blowing up and catching yourself → Why proper repair is sometimes better than never having the rupture at all → The long-term stakes of how you apologize to your daughters and what it teaches them to accept in future relationships → How learning to repair opened the door to showing real emotion in front of his kids for the first time  

Lorra Dailey is the daughter of lifetime FRD member Seth Dailey. She's been going to personal growth events since she was 9 years old, firewalked with Tony Robbins at 12, and has traveled the world from China to Nepal to Costa Rica.  Now she's built Thrivable, a personal growth community for young people ages 9 to 17. Think of it like FRD for kids. A community where young people get tools, accountability pods, weekly calls, challenges, and a tribe of other kids who actually want to do big things in the world. Jon sits down with Lorra to hear how she got here and what she's building. They get into: → How her dad planted seeds by bringing her to events even when she was coloring in the back of the room  → The bulletin board quote that made her say yes to Tony Robbins after she already said no  → Why she believes good intentions as parents are no longer enough  → The five pillars of Thrivable and what a typical week looks like for members  → The story of a 12-year-old boy who was being physically bullied and found his confidence through the community  → Why kids already know this stuff and adults are the ones who got trained out of it  → The question she wants every parent to sit with: are you more concerned with your children being comfortable or with them being capable? If you've ever wondered what it would look like if your kid had a community like yours, this is it.

This is Part 2 of our conversation with Jefe Greenheart — filmmaker, documentary maker, and one of the most beloved brothers in the Front Row Dads community. If Episode 1 was about who Jefe is, this one is about how he actually lives it out. He breaks down his Three P Framework for parenting — Presence, Play and Patience — and gets honest about why driven, creative dads like him struggle most with the one that should come easiest. He shares the phone commitment that changed how he shows up at home, how to film your kids without losing the moment, and why Play might be the most underrated tool in a dad's arsenal. Then the conversation opens up into something bigger. Jefe shares the vision behind Story House, his Austin studio built intentionally close to home, and a new offering he's developing called the Video Letter of Wishes — the piece he believes is missing from every family's estate plan. Not the money. The wisdom. In this episode: The 3 P Framework and why Patience alone won't cut it How to capture your family's moments without losing presence The annual highlight film tradition every dad should steal Why your story is a gift — and it's time to share it  

Jefe Greenheart is a filmmaker, documentary maker, and one of the most beloved brothers in the Front Row Dads community. He's been with us for seven years and this conversation was worth every one of them. Before he was behind the camera telling other people's stories, Jefe was on the verge of something big — a PBS pilot that could have made him a household name. Then COVID hit. Then life hit harder. And somewhere in the middle of his wife Kelly's health crisis, a solar eclipse on a paddleboard, and a long-overdue conversation with his estranged father, Jefe found what he was actually here to do. In this episode we talk about: Walking away from fame to be present for two kids Carrying your family through a dark season without losing yourself The "sacred interview" that healed years of silence with his dad Why your family's story is more valuable than you think — and how to capture it before it's gone Part 2 of this conversation drops in two days. You're going to want to hear it.  

Michael Diettrich-Chastain is a new VIP Front Row Dads member, father to Juniper with another baby on the way, and the founder and CEO of Arc Integrated, a leadership development consultancy. He's spent years helping leaders ask better questions of their teams. In this conversation with Jon, he breaks down how those same skills apply to being a better husband and father. They get into: → The shadow side of being a question asker (and how curiosity can backfire)  → Why your energy matters more than your words (anxiety is excitement without the breath)  → How DISC styles change the way you should approach a conversation  → Stop coaching your kids. Start connecting with them.  → The check-in rituals Michael uses with his wife Robin  → A simple question Michael asks teams that unlocks what they're not talking about If you've ever caught yourself asking a question to make a point instead of to actually understand someone, this one will land. _________________________________________

FRD member James Yaman moved his family from upstate New York to Ecuador. But it wasn't a snap decision. He and his wife explored four different cities and countries before choosing. This conversation with Jon is a real look at what goes into making a big move as a family man. What they cover: → How James and his wife made the decision together without one person just following the other  → Why your gut has to be the first box checked before schools, cost of living, and safety  → The role mentors and community play in gut-checking a decision this big (and why your parents are the wrong people to ask)  → What the first 18 months in a new country actually feel like and why you need to give it at least a year  → How he kept his business running from another country  → Why nothing about the decision has to be permanent and how that freed them to actually do it  → The difference between a trip and an adventure and why your family might need the second one If you've ever thought about moving your family somewhere new, whether across the country or across the world, this one's worth a listen.

Jon sits down with Scott Seymour, conscious partnership coach, men's work facilitator, and the newest leader inside Front Row Dads. This conversation explores what makes Scott the kind of man that other men immediately trust. They get into his formula for making real friends, the corner man concept, unconditional love vs boundaries, and what it actually looks like to show up for another human without an agenda. A few things that stand out: trust is built in droplets and lost in buckets. Two acronyms that change how you show up in every conversation (WAIT and HALE). And the idea that everyone you meet is just a mirror showing you something about yourself. If you want deeper friendships but don't know how to get past the surface with other men, this one's for you.

Julien Marion is a father of six, married 17 years, entrepreneur, Muay Thai practitioner, and author of Gentle Rage. In this conversation, Julien breaks down why most men aren't too angry — they're too disconnected. He explains why sexual energy and aggression are the two most primal forces inside every man, and what happens when you suppress them, leak them, or learn to lead them. He also shares what changed in his family after his oldest son attempted suicide and how that moment transformed the way he shows up as a father.

FRD member Eric Farewell sits down with Craig Perra for a conversation about parts work, self-leadership, and the reframe that changed Craig's life. Craig is an attorney by training and former senior executive who hit rock bottom and discovered that the parts of himself he hated most were actually trying to help him. They dig into Internal Family Systems, why there are no bad habits (only bad outcomes), how shame is actually a compliance department working overtime, and what it looks like to lead your inner world the way you'd lead a business. Craig shows how neuroscience, psychology, spirituality, and business leadership all point to the same truth: we have parts, they're in conflict, and there's a powerful center inside every one of us that can lead them. The last five minutes are especially practical. Craig walks you through how to start doing this work right now with two simple questions you can ask yourself today.

FRD member Jason Bronson shares five things he does that drive his wife crazy — validated by his bride of 21 years. From giving his best energy to everyone except her, to fixing when she just wants him to feel it. Nine minutes. Honest. You'll recognize yourself.

Brent Perkins is a father of two, author of Paper Cuts, and a Front Row Dad since 2022. He's also the man behind the growth of our band program — the small groups of four to eight men who meet monthly for three hours to do the kind of work most guys never get access to. In this conversation, Jon and Brent dig into what actually happens when men stop performing and start being real with each other. Why bands have become the number one rated feature in our community. What the edge of vulnerability looks like. And why the skills you build sitting with other men transfer directly to how you show up at home with your wife and kids. If you've ever felt like the rock for everyone else with nowhere to lean — or if you've read the books, listened to the podcasts, and still feel stuck — this one might be the nudge you've been waiting for. For current FRD members: frontrowdads.com/vault to get into a band. For everyone else: frontrowdads.com to learn more about the community.  

Dr. Kelly Flanagan is a clinical psychologist with 20 years of experience, a Front Row Dad since 2020, and the author of several books including Lovable and True Companions. His newest book, The Road Less Triggered, is about the moment your heart closes — and what to do about it before you set your relationships back. In this conversation, Kelly and Jon get into why having the right communication tools doesn't matter if you shut down in the moments that matter most. They explore defensiveness, boundaries, the difference between reacting and responding, and what it actually looks like to keep your heart open when everything in your body is telling you to close it. If you've ever known better and still lost it with your wife or kids — this one's going to land.

Download the free Money Meeting Implementation Guide — everything Dave walks through in this episode so you can start with your kids this week: https://frontrowdads.com/moneymeeting Two Front Row Dad VIP members. One big disagreement. Eric Farewell thinks allowances are a mistake. Dave Powders swears by them. In this episode, they hash it out — and what comes out of it is a practical framework any dad can use to raise financially confident kids. Dave breaks down the exact system he's used since his oldest was 8 (she's now 12 and asking about maxing out her Roth IRA), while Eric shares why he pays his kids $25–$75/hour and makes them cover their own expenses — including half their dance lessons and even dental bills. In this episode you'll learn: The 5-jar system for splitting allowance money (play, save to spend, wealth, education, give) Why biweekly "money meetings" build financial literacy most schools never teach How to use a simple ledger to teach kids budgeting before they're teenagers The difference between allowance and commissions — and why it matters less than you think How one 12-year-old is funding her Roth IRA through her crochet business Why letting your kids make money mistakes young saves them from costly ones later Whether you're team allowance or team commission, this episode will change the way you talk to your kids about money.

This conversation was originally shared inside the Front Row Dads community — just for members. But it was too important to keep behind closed doors. Ali Jafarian sits down with Philip McKernan — world-class speaker, coach to pro athletes and top executives, and the man leading a retreat for FRD fathers at a 500-year-old castle in Ireland this June. Philip also led two powerful sessions at FRD Live 2025. They dig into the hidden guilt driving so much of our parenting, why doing the opposite of your own father still isn't authentic, and whether who you are — not what you do — is actually enough for your kids. Philip says something you won't forget: if you can't find value in just sitting with your child doing nothing, it doesn't matter what you do for the next 25 years.  

Bryan Post has spent 30 years working with families in crisis. He's a father of seven, a former foster and adopted child himself, and the author of 20 books — including From Fear to Love, which has sold over a million copies. In this conversation, Bryan breaks down why most of what we call "bad behavior" in our kids is actually stress — and why the most powerful thing a dad can do isn't fix, coach, or correct. It's slow down and breathe. What you'll learn:  — How a parent's energy directly shapes a child's anxiety  — Why love-based parenting isn't permissive (it's actually harder)  — The difference between coaching your kid and connecting with them  — How to hold space when your child is melting down without losing yourself  — Why Bryan says grief is the most overlooked tool in a father's life If you're a dad who wants to lead with love instead of fear, this one's for you.

Alison Armstrong has been studying men since 1991. What started as a personal mission to stop bringing out the worst in them turned into over three decades of research, workshops, and books that have changed how thousands of people understand relationships, masculinity, and what really drives human behavior. In this episode, she sits down with Jon Vroman and goes deep on what none of that research prepared her for — what it looks like when these dynamics show up between fathers and their children. What you'll learn: The 6 Dominant Drivers — building, knowing, sharing, growing, expressing, and enjoying — and how to spot yours Why your dominant driver is visible to everyone except you How a dad's drive to build can unintentionally crush a child whose driver is joy The "hidden why" behind everything you do — and why it lives in your blind spot Why Alison banned her husband from Disneyland (and what that taught her about overprotective fathers) What her stepson meant when he said "Greg was the man" — and why Greg may never have known The shame conversation every father needs to hear: why penance is easy but forgiveness takes courage Jon also shares an unscripted moment from his son's birthday that brings everything Alison teaches into sharp, personal focus. Learn more about Alison's work at alisonarmstrong.com  

Valentine's Day doesn't have to be stressful. Front Row Dad Jason Bronstad (married 21 years) breaks down how to ditch the performative stuff and actually reconnect with your wife. He shares practical moves any dad can do this weekend — a connection signal, a no-agenda date, and one powerful question most men are afraid to ask. Want to keep leveling up your marriage? Grab the top book recommendations from 300+ Front Row Dads — including the relationship books that changed the game for us — https://frontrowdads.com/books/  

What does real brotherhood look like for dads? One of the most powerful parts of Front Row Dads is something called a Band — a small group of men who meet regularly to go deep on life together. Not surface-level stuff. Not backyard BBQ small talk. The real stuff. The hard stuff. The stuff most men never talk about with anyone. In this episode, we're sharing something we've never released publicly before: a portion of an actual Band meeting. Our meetings usually run about 3 hours. This is just over an hour — a sample of what it sounds like when men do the work together. You'll hear Jon Vroman, Hal Elrod, Justin Donald, Dane Espegard, and Tim Nikolaev show up, put in the reps, and have the kind of conversations that change how you show up as a man, a husband, and a dad. They talk about: → Faith and what it means to pray out loud for the first time at 50 → Losing your spark — and the work it takes to get it back → The difference between surviving a year and actually thriving → Goals, dreams, and the accountability most men are missing → Why brotherhood isn't optional anymore And yes — there's plenty of humor. They give each other a hard time. They laugh. They interrupt. Tim almost walks out of the meeting. That's part of it too. But what you'll really hear is what it sounds like when men trust each other enough to tell the truth. A lot of guys tell us that joining a Band has been one of the most impactful decisions of their life. This episode will show you why. If you know another dad who needs this kind of brotherhood in his life — share this with him.  

If you've ever felt guilty about taking time away from your family to work out — this one's for you. Front Row Dads Scott Groves and Jason Bronstad share real wisdom from inside our community on how they solved the fitness vs. family dilemma. You'll walk away with: A new way to think about fitness and family time Permission to start even if you're out of shape The power of finding an activity you can do with your kids Why having other dads in your corner changes everything ___________________________________ Join us for our Family Boarding Meeting Masterclass: https://frontrowdads.com/fos-masterclass

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In this special episode, we're dropping you into a live segment from our Ignite 2026 online summit with our brother and coach, Matt Drinkhahn, host of The Eternal Optimist podcast. Matt walks us through what it actually takes to live in alignment with your true identity as a family man with a business — not a businessman with a family. He shares the story of a life-altering accident that stripped away his old identity (tall, athletic, successful in business) and forced him to rebuild who he was from the inside out, rooted in faith, fatherhood, and core values. From there, Matt gets intensely practical. You'll be guided through the same exercises he uses with high performers to: Name and disarm your deepest fears Rewrite the script of your inner critic Build tiny daily tweaks that compound into massive change Use a simple "emotional artifact" to stay present with your wife and kids This isn't theory. It's reps, practice, and a long-game approach to becoming the man 2026 requires of you. In this episode, you'll learn: Why tying your identity to business, status, or your body sets you up for collapse How acceptance (not denial or hustle) unlocked a new identity for Matt after spinal surgery A journaling prompt to expose the voice of your "villain" or inner critic A simple script for welcoming fear to the table so it loses power over you How to craft one tiny daily tweak that keeps your calendar and habits aligned with your true identity Why an "emotional artifact" (a small object in your pocket or on your desk) can anchor you in presence with your family If you're serious about making 2026 your most aligned year yet — not just with goals, but with who you are as a husband, father, and leader — this conversation is a powerful place to start. ___________________________________________________  

Have you ever felt like you're working harder than ever, but somehow missing what truly matters? Every year around this time, we bring back one of our most impactful conversations—a powerful master class with Hal Elrod originally recorded in 2019. This episode has become a yearly ritual for many of our guys, a reset they return to again and again as they head into the new year. Each time you listen, you'll hear something new—because you're in a new season. In this episode, Hal shares the radical changes he made after a life-altering health scare to reclaim his time, focus on what truly matters, and design a life of deep connection. He also walks through practical steps to clarify and achieve your family goals in the year ahead. We cover: Practical strategies to align your actions with your values. The power of rituals like family meetings to foster open communication. Why learning to say "no" is the ultimate act of self-love and prioritization. The critical role of health and emotional mastery in being present. How community and accountability drive transformation. Why listen now? This annual encore has inspired countless listeners to rethink how they approach their family life and priorities. Whether it's your first time or your fourth, it's the perfect episode to set the tone for a year of alignment, connection, and fulfillment. ____________________________________