The Dad Edge Podcast (formerly The Good Dad Project Podcast)

David Gerber opens this episode with a story that stops you in your tracks: a wild lioness charging at 50 miles an hour, stopping just six feet from him, in the African wilderness where he spends weeks each year tracking lions on foot, not to hunt them, but to experience a level of presence and aliveness he says he's never found anywhere else. David is an executive coach at Novus Global who works with pro athletes, CEOs, and high performers, but the real heart of this conversation is what led him there: a divorce five and a half years ago that broke him open and led to a genuinely dark period in his life, one he's candid about in detail. We get into his framework for why so many successful, high-performing men quietly rate their own lives a "seven out of ten," comfortable enough to avoid change but never truly alive, and what it actually takes to break out of that pattern. David shares practical tools, including an exercise he calls "making friends with the worst case scenario" and his own process of writing a forgiveness letter to his ex-wife, alongside a genuinely moving exchange about his own complicated relationship with his father. If you've ever felt like you're winning at a life you secretly resent, this conversation offers a real, unflinching way through it.   Timeline Summary [1:02] David's story of a wild lioness charging within six feet of him while tracking on foot in Africa [9:47] Larry announces a rare, small-group preview of the Dad Edge Business Boardroom Brotherhood [11:25] Why David has never seen anyone run from a charging lion, and how courage functions like an energy [14:34] A full introduction to David: executive coach at Novus Global, author of "The Lion Is You" [16:51] The origin of the book's title and David's lifelong fascination with lions [17:41] David shares a period of significant suicidal ideation following his divorce [22:33] Unpacking what made the divorce and its aftermath so difficult for him personally [23:47] David shares taking a hair loss medication around the time of his divorce and its effect on him [26:43] Larry announces the first-ever Dad Edge Day with the Arizona Cardinals, November 15th [29:33] Introducing "the drift," and why winning at a resented life is more dangerous than failing [36:15] The "1 to 10 scale" most people rate their lives on, and why most land on a comfortable seven [36:36] The story of "Mike," who sold his company for $42.4 million and still felt unfulfilled [38:19] The question Mike's wife asked him that changed everything: "does this mean you can have donuts with dad at school?" [41:11] What actually calls a man to change without a crisis forcing his hand [46:11] The exercise of identifying what's blocking you from being present [50:35] David's "making friends with the worst case scenario" exercise [53:11] Why David now considers his divorce the best thing that ever happened to him [54:36] The forgiveness letter David wrote to his ex-wife, and what writing it did for him [57:31] Larry shares his own story of reconciling with his biological father after years apart [59:02] Larry's son Mason asks how Larry was able to forgive his own father [1:01:05] David's closing message: find the people closest to you and ask if you need to do deeper work [1:04:09] Where to find David and his book   Five Key Takeaways The most dangerous thing for a high performer often isn't failure, it's winning at a life they secretly resent. Many successful people rate their own lives a comfortable seven out of ten, good enough to avoid real change. A crisis isn't the only thing that can call someone toward a better life. Getting honest about what you deeply want, and don't currently have, can spark the same shift without requiring rock bottom first. "Making friends with the worst case scenario" means imagining the thing you fear most happening, and recognizing that even then, you'd likely find a way through it, and possibly grow because of it rather than in spite of it. Forgiveness doesn't require the other person's response or validation. Writing something down and releasing resentment can restore your own integrity and peace, whether or not it changes the relationship itself. True presence requires doing real inner work, understanding your nervous system and emotional patterns, not just deciding to "be more present" as an abstract intention.   Links & Resources The Lion Is You: Lessons from the Wild on Coming Alive Again by David Gerber: https://www.amazon.com/Lion-You-Lessons-Coming-Alive/dp/1971795003 David Gerber: https://www.davidagerber.com David Gerber on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidgerber Novus Global: https://novusglobal.com The Dad Edge Day at State Farm Stadium: https://thedadedge.com/nfl Dad Edge Business Boardroom Brotherhood Preview: https://thedadedge.com/guest The Dad Edge Podcast: https://thedadedge.com/1533   Closing What's staying with me from this conversation is David's line that the most dangerous life isn't the one that fails, it's the one you win at while secretly resenting it. If you're sitting at a comfortable seven right now, wondering if that's just what life is supposed to feel like, let this be the nudge to ask what you actually, deeply want. And if you're in a season that feels much darker than a seven, please don't carry that alone. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 by calling or texting 988. Go out and live legendary.

I opened this episode by asking Kaseena Birnbaum about something I'd heard her talk about online: the 72 hour rule, a simple commitment she and her husband made years ago to never go more than three days without prioritizing physical intimacy in some form. What made this conversation different from a lot of marriage talks I've had is how honest Kaseena was about how hard that was for her to actually implement, even though it ended up being, in her words, the single thing that changed their entire marriage. We got into what was really underneath her own resistance early on: unaddressed resentment, unspoken expectations, and a cultural upbringing that made talking openly about sex feel shameful. Kaseena shared the exact moment her husband finally understood that her "no" wasn't rejection of him, just exhaustion in that moment, and how that reframe changed everything for both of them. We also talked through the small, everyday behaviors, being observant, following through on your word, creating emotional safety, that build the kind of trust and attraction that makes physical connection feel natural instead of like an obligation.   Timeline Summary [1:02] Kaseena's unusual name and a lighthearted detour into the pressure of naming your own kids [3:49] Introducing the 72 hour rule and what changed after Kaseena and her husband started following it [6:20] Why implementing the rule was far harder for Kaseena than she expected [9:21] A full introduction to Kaseena: marriage coach, content creator, and mother of two [10:06] Resentment as "the polyp," and why it quietly grows until it becomes something much bigger [11:26] Unpacking unspoken and unmet expectations as the root of most disconnection [16:12] Larry announces the first-ever Dad Edge Day with the Arizona Cardinals, November 15th [16:49] Naming an expectation your spouse never actually agreed to isn't really their failure [17:51] The Instagram story that resonated with Larry: flirting all day, then feeling "smoked" by evening [19:53] Understanding the "baby mode" reaction men fall into after being turned down [24:03] The moment Kaseena's husband learned that her "no" wasn't rejection, just exhaustion [25:48] What specific behaviors outside the bedroom actually build attraction and trust [29:06] Larry announces a rare, small-group preview of the Dad Edge Business Boardroom Brotherhood [31:05] Getting curious instead of triggered when your spouse is having an off day [34:23] The two or three things Kaseena hears most often from clients in crisis [37:35] How Kaseena coaches couples: identifying the one shift that will move the needle fastest [41:13] Why small, consistent follow-through matters more than big romantic gestures [42:19] The grocery list example: how small broken promises quietly erode trust [43:47] Why offering two specific options works better than an open-ended "what can I help you with" [45:01] What Kaseena is most excited about next for her mission and message [48:10] Where to find Kaseena and the 72 hour rule challenge   Five Key Takeaways Resentment behaves like a polyp: not every instance turns into something serious, but nearly every serious breakdown started as an unaddressed resentment that was left to grow. Most disconnection in a marriage traces back to expectations that were never actually communicated out loud. If your spouse doesn't know what you expect, you can't fairly hold them accountable for missing it. A "no" to intimacy is often a no to the current moment, not a rejection of your spouse as a person. Understanding that distinction can remove years of unnecessary hurt and insecurity. Trust is built or broken in small, ordinary moments, following through on what you said you'd do, being observant, noticing when something's off, far more than through grand gestures. When your spouse is overwhelmed or triggered, respond with curiosity instead of reacting personally. Getting curious about what's really going on defuses conflict far faster than matching their energy.   Links & Resources Making Marriage Sexy: https://www.instagram.com/makingmarriagesexy The Dad Edge Day at State Farm Stadium: https://thedadedge.com/nfl The Dad Edge Podcast: https://thedadedge.com/1532 The Dad Edge Boardroom Mastermind: https://thedadedge.com/guest   Closing What's staying with me from this conversation is how simple Kaseena's reframe actually is: a no is usually a no to the moment, not a no to you. So much unnecessary hurt in a marriage comes from taking things personally that were never meant that way. Whether it's the 72 hour rule, addressing an expectation you've never said out loud, or just getting curious instead of defensive the next time your spouse is having a hard day, small, consistent shifts are what actually rebuild connection. Go out and live legendary.  

This week's Alliance Q&A is one I think a lot of you will relate to, even if you've never said it out loud. A member named Eric brought a question on behalf of a close friend who's in a genuinely rough season with his marriage, arguments about a job, about help around the house, about who's doing enough for the kids. Rather than treat it as a surface-level scheduling problem, we spent this entire episode digging into what's actually happening underneath, because I've coached enough men to know the surface complaint is almost never the real issue. We get into the real needs driving most marital conflict, why a woman needs to feel seen, heard, and safe, and why a man needs respect, appreciation, and physical affection, and what happens when both partners stop meeting those needs and start reacting to each other instead. I introduce the concept of the emotional bank account, a term I credit to researcher John Gottman, and share a personal example of learning the hard way that not all acts of service are created equal. We also talk through "nice guy syndrome" and its unattractive cousin, people-pleasing, and I introduce a book that's helped me completely reframe how I show up for Jessica: G.S. Youngblood's three-part framework of responding instead of reacting, leading with structure, and always providing safety.   Timeline Summary [1:02] Introducing today's Alliance Q&A and the friend's marriage situation Eric is bringing forward [2:24] The staggering statistic: only about 12% of married couples have a genuinely thriving marriage [3:16] Eric lays out the surface-level arguments: the job, help around the house, time with the kids [6:19] Establishing the marriage timeline and when things started to unravel [8:16] Asking whether the job is really the issue, or just where the resentment gets pointed [8:38] Larry announces the first-ever Dad Edge Day with the Arizona Cardinals, November 15th [10:40] The real needs at play: seen, heard, and safe for her; respected, appreciated, and affection for him [12:14] Whether he's actually meeting those needs, and the common trap of guessing instead of asking [13:58] The reactive cycle: unmet needs on one side triggering unattractive behavior on the other [15:09] Introducing the five love languages and why they aren't one-size-fits-all [15:51] Introducing the emotional bank account and why not all acts of service move the needle [16:09] Larry's own car wash story, and the moment he learned what actually mattered to his wife [18:49] The question worth asking your spouse: what exactly is happening when you feel most loved [21:41] Naming "nice guy syndrome" and the pattern of doing things with a hidden expectation attached [23:22] Confirming he's a people pleaser, and why that trait is deeply unattractive to a woman [23:48] Introducing G.S. Youngblood's book and its three-part framework for masculine leadership [24:07] The first principle: respond, don't react [24:26] The second principle: lead with structure instead of asking open-ended questions [25:54] The third principle: always provide safety through calm, grounded tonality [26:20] Wrapping up and reflecting on how these ideas apply directly to Eric's friend [27:33] Reminders: Roommates to Soulmates starting September 16th, and the Business Boardroom Brotherhood preview   Five Key Takeaways Surface-level arguments, about a job, about chores, are rarely the real issue. Almost always, there's an unmet need underneath that both partners are struggling to name directly. A woman's core needs tend to center on feeling seen, heard, and safe. A man's core needs tend to center on respect, appreciation, and physical affection. When either side stops meeting those needs, both partners start reacting instead of connecting. Not all acts of service are created equal. The emotional bank account concept means some gestures barely register while others, often smaller and more specific, become huge needle-movers. Ask your spouse directly what actually makes them feel loved. "Nice guy syndrome" and people-pleasing are deeply unattractive traits, not because kindness is bad, but because doing things with a hidden expectation attached (do this, then maybe she'll be nice to me) isn't genuine generosity. A grounded, masculine approach to leadership in a relationship comes down to three things: responding instead of reacting, leading with structure instead of vague open-ended questions, and consistently providing emotional safety through your tone and presence.   Links & Resources The Masculine in Relationship: A Blueprint for Inspiring the Trust, Lust, and Devotion of a Strong Woman by G.S. Youngblood: https://www.amazon.com/Masculine-Relationship-Inspiring-Devotion-Woman/dp/1699443386 The Dad Edge Day at State Farm Stadium: https://thedadedge.com/nfl The Dad Edge Podcast: https://thedadedge.com/1528 The Dad Edge Boardroom Mastermind: https://thedadedge.com/guest   Closing If you take one thing from this episode, let it be this: stop guessing at what your spouse needs and just ask. Eric's friend, like so many of us at some point, has been doing things with the hope that they'll move the needle, without ever finding out what actually would. Go ask your wife directly what she was doing, and what you were doing, the last time she felt most loved and connected to you, and then go do more of that. Go out and live legendary.  

Baruch HaLevi opens this conversation with a statistic most listeners have never heard: every 13 minutes in America, a man dies by suicide, and men account for roughly 80% of all suicide deaths. For Baruch, this isn't abstract. He's lost family members to suicide across multiple generations, and he candidly shares that he himself came close to the same fate about a decade ago, during a period of profound identity loss after stepping away from 20 years as a rabbi. Grounded in the work of Holocaust survivor and psychiatrist Viktor Frankl, Baruch and Larry talk through what actually helps a man in genuine despair: finding a "why not," the specific reason to keep going, learning to sit with guilt without letting it curdle into shame, and the necessity of real, honest community instead of empty check-ins. Both men share their own history with suicidal crisis directly. If you or someone you love has ever been in a season that felt unbearable, this conversation offers a clear, compassionate way through it, but given the depth of what's discussed, please take care with how and when you engage with it.   Timeline Summary [1:24] Introducing the statistic behind Baruch's mission: a man dies by suicide every 13 minutes in America [2:41] Baruch shares that his father and grandmother both died by suicide, and that it's deeply personal to his work [4:50] Larry and Baruch each share their own history of suicidal crisis [7:07] Discovering Viktor Frankl's work as a turning point during his own darkest season [11:11] Rebuilding identity from the ground up after stepping away from a lifelong profession [12:22] A full introduction to Baruch: logotherapist, rabbi, author of "The Guy in the Glass" [13:40] The origin of the book's title, tied to a poem given to Baruch by his grandfather [16:21] Larry announces the first-ever Dad Edge Day with the Arizona Cardinals, November 15th [18:24] Baruch reflects on why his father reached the point he did [27:46] Introducing the concept of a "why not" as a foundation to keep living [29:49] Discussing how the idea of "finding your why" has become diluted in modern culture [31:19] Viktor Frankl's concept of self-transcendence: living for something beyond yourself [36:50] Larry announces a rare, small-group preview of the Dad Edge Business Boardroom Brotherhood [38:00] How genuine community changes the experience of shame and crisis [41:11] Why hiding in isolation during a hard season is actually a disservice to others [45:37] The loss of Baruch's closest friend, and the concept of "bearing witness" to another man's life [47:45] Unpacking the phrase "shame dies in safe conversations," and the difference between guilt and shame [49:53] Details on Baruch's book, his mission, and where to find his work [51:37] What Baruch would say directly to a man in a moment of crisis [53:24] Larry shares an important reframe he once heard from his own therapist   Five Key Takeaways Finding a concrete "why not," a specific reason not to give up, can be as important as finding a broader life purpose when someone is in genuine crisis. Guilt and shame are not the same thing. Guilt corrects behavior and can be redemptive; shame attacks a person's fundamental worth and has no redemptive value. Healthy communities make room for guilt and accountability without slipping into shame. Self-transcendence, living for something or someone beyond yourself, is described as the deepest source of meaning available to a person, more foundational than personal happiness or self-actualization alone. Withdrawing into isolation during a hard season doesn't protect the people who care about you, it deprives them of the chance to show up for you, and it removes the example of bravery that could help someone else going through the same thing. Genuine connection, being truly seen and known by another person, is one of the most protective forces against despair. Real community requires honesty, not surface-level check-ins that accept "I'm fine" as a real answer.   Links & Resources Baruch HaLevi: https://bhalevi.com The Guy in the Glass by Baruch HaLevi: https://bhalevi.com The Dad Edge Day at State Farm Stadium: https://thedadedge.com/nfl The Dad Edge Boardroom Mastermind: https://thedadedge.com/guest The Dad Edge Podcast: https://thedadedge.com/1530   Closing If you are having thoughts of suicide, or you're worried about someone who might be, please don't wait. Call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day, every day. You are not a burden, and the people who love you would rather have you, in any season, than lose you. If you're not in crisis yourself but this episode brought something up for you, please talk to someone you trust, or a licensed therapist, today rather than carrying it alone.

John Sapiente never planned to become a charitable force in the veteran community, he just wanted to play golf with a celebrity at a charity gala. That single decision in 2013 led him to a life-changing weekend with military families, a friendship with Folds of Honor founder Lt. Col. Dan Rooney, and eventually the creation of Volition America, a lifestyle apparel brand that has raised over $2 million for veteran and first responder families by donating 13% of profits, a number tied to the 13 folds of the American flag. In this conversation with Larry, John shares the origin story behind brand partnerships with Puma, Cobra Golf, and Luminox, the moment he surprised a wounded Navy SEAL with a custom Jeep on July 4th, and his approach to raising four kids while running two manufacturing companies and a nonprofit-adjacent brand. He's candid about the tradeoffs of building a business empire, protecting Mother's Day as sacred family time, and 30 years of weekly date nights with his wife. If you've ever wondered what it looks like to turn a single meaningful moment into a lasting mission, this episode is a direct look at how that actually happens.   Timeline Summary [1:02] The 2013 charity golf event that sparked John's "patriotic awakening" [4:58] Meeting wounded veterans and hearing taps played during a tournament, and the impact it had [9:22] Becoming friends with Lt. Col. Dan Rooney, founder of Folds of Honor [10:07] The origin of "volition" as a word and a brand philosophy: the power of choice [12:31] A full introduction to John: founder of Volition America, raising over $2 million for veterans [14:32] Raising a confident, self-sufficient daughter, and the values he prioritized as a father [21:56] The family rule that sports never come before Mother's Day [25:43] Referencing Dr. John Delony's take on travel sports ruining the family dinner table [26:46] The mandatory Sunday family dinner tradition that started when the kids were young [28:34] The family rule that every kid needs "a battle," something they're passionate about, one at a time [29:19] A son's question about whether John was disappointed he chose band over sports [31:10] Supporting a daughter who hated soccer but lit up when she found dance [32:13] The father-son talent show plan built around a shared love of Michael Jackson [34:01] Thirty years of marriage and the weekly date nights that started when their kids were young [36:15] Why "if you have to think about your last date night, it's been too long" [43:40] Introducing Volition America and the $2 million raised for Folds of Honor [47:20] The story of surprising Navy SEAL Jeff Samuels with a custom Jeep on July 4th [50:25] How brand partnerships with Puma, Cobra Golf, and Luminox actually came together [53:21] Upcoming brand extensions: a cigar line with Gurkha and a new wine label [55:55] Where to find Volition America and support the mission   Five Key Takeaways A single moment of unexpected exposure, in John's case a charity golf outing, can become a life's mission if you stay open to what it reveals. He wasn't looking for a cause; the cause found him. Kids need something they're passionate about, one thing at a time, not necessarily a sport. Supporting a child's actual interest, whether it's marching band or dance, builds more confidence than pushing them toward what you expected. Protecting non-negotiable family time, like Mother's Day or a weekly date night, requires real boundaries. John's family skipped championship games that landed on Mother's Day because some things matter more than convenience. You cannot build a major business while being a 50/50 present parent every single day. Real tradeoffs exist, and the goal is being genuinely present in the time you do have rather than pretending you can do everything equally. Purpose-driven business partnerships can create value for everyone involved. Brand collaborations built around a genuine mission bring new audiences to both the cause and the partner brand, not just a marketing gimmick.   Links & Resources Volition America: https://volitionamerica.com Folds of Honor: https://foldsofhonor.org The Dad Edge Podcast: https://thedadedge.com/1529 Roommates to Soulmates: http://thedadedge.com/soulmates The Board Room Mastermind: Guest Session: http://thedadedge.com/guest    Closing What stays with me from this conversation is how one afternoon of golf, entered into for the wrong reasons, turned into a mission that's raised over $2 million for the families of fallen and disabled service members. John didn't set out to build a movement, he just stayed open to what that weekend showed him. Whether it's a cause, a kid's unexpected passion, or a weekly date night you've let slide, the same principle applies: show up for the thing in front of you, and let it become what it's going to become. Go out and live legendary.  

For the second time, Marc Hildebrand flips the format and puts Larry in the interview seat, this time to unpack the five things men consistently say changed everything after joining the Dad Edge Business Boardroom Brotherhood: clarity, challenge, strategy, accountability, and brotherhood. Using real, anonymized member stories, Larry walks through how the group helps a business owner named Taylor rebuild connection with his wife using the four pillars of marriage and three levels of listening, why "rusty relationships" built on enabling friends keep 78% of men stuck, and why vague goals like "more communication" aren't actually strategies. Larry also shares the origin story of the group's gamified accountability system, born on a cruise ship when he realized he hated holding people accountable the traditional way, and closes with a blunt challenge: most men wait for a crisis before they get help, and by then it's often too late. If you're a business owner who feels like your family gets the leftovers of your time and energy, this conversation is a direct look at what actually changes that.   Timeline Summary [1:02] Larry opens on the tension every entrepreneur feels: building an empire without sacrificing family [4:21] Introducing Marc Hildebrand as this week's interviewer, flipping the usual format [6:42] The first pillar: clarity, and the story of onboarding a new member named Taylor [7:45] Introducing the Brave Man system: bond, raise, amplify, vitality, enjoy, movement, action, network [9:47] The comparison trap and the real divorce and disconnection statistics behind most marriages [10:28] The four pillars of an extraordinary marriage: individual, partnership, friendship, and lovers [13:20] Giving Taylor the 50 Intimate Conversation Starters and a simple daily walk-and-talk challenge [15:13] The three levels of listening: to respond, to understand, and to hear the emotion underneath [20:43] Larry announces a rare open preview of the Dad Edge Business Boardroom Brotherhood [22:29] Why the same relational skills that fix a marriage also apply to clients and employees [26:35] The second pillar: challenge, and the difference between friends and objective advisors [27:22] Introducing "rusty relationships" and the 78% statistic from Mansfield's Book of Manly Men [30:08] The story of a member named Tim who left his gym to stop being the smartest guy in the room [33:38] The third pillar: strategy, and why "more" or "better" communication isn't actually a strategy [35:25] The Casey 1.0 and 2.0 example: moving from scarcity and fear to strategic thinking [38:20] The story of a member named Blake, whose time management problem was really about protecting family time [40:03] Larry announces the first-ever Dad Edge Day with the Arizona Cardinals, November 15th [42:49] The fourth pillar: accountability, and the cruise ship story behind gamifying it [45:29] Introducing "the tent," the virtual system where members plan and track weekly missions [47:20] The story of a member named Jayden whose recurring unfinished mission revealed a deeper marriage issue [48:51] The fifth pillar: brotherhood, and why shame dies in safe conversations [54:30] Larry's closing challenge: most men wait for a crisis, and by then it's often too late   Five Key Takeaways Real clarity often comes from realizing your problem isn't what you think it is. A man convinced his issue is "not enough communication" usually discovers, through the right questions, that the real issue is which questions he's asking and how he's listening. The four pillars of an extraordinary marriage, individual, partnership, friendship, and lovers, break down when couples get stuck managing logistics (partnership) and skip friendship entirely, which makes physical connection feel confusing or absent. A friend who only agrees with your complaints isn't helping you, he's enabling you. An objective advisor without emotional stake in your friendship will challenge you in ways a lifelong buddy often won't. Vague goals like "more communication" or "better connection" aren't strategies, they're wishes. Real change comes from identifying specific, concrete actions, the same way a health goal requires a specific plan, not just an instruction to "get healthier." Accountability works best when it's gamified rather than shame-based. Publicly tracked weekly goals, done with humor and healthy competition, produce more consistent follow-through than accountability rooted in guilt.   Links & Resources The Dad Edge Business Boardroom Brotherhood Preview: https://thedadedge.com/guest Roommates to Soulmates: http://thedadedge.com/soulmates The Pursuit of Legendary Fatherhood by Larry Hagner: https://thedadedge.com The Dad Edge Podcast: http://thedadedge.com/1531  Mansfield's Book of Manly Men by Stephen Mansfield The Miracle Morning for Couples by Hal Elrod, Lance Salazar, and Brandy Salazar   Closing If there's one thing Larry wants every business owner dad to hear from this episode, it's this: don't wait for a crisis. He read an email that same day from a man who waited seven years to address a marriage on the brink of collapse, and now he's scrambling. Clarity, challenge, strategy, accountability, and brotherhood aren't things you need once things fall apart, they're things you build before they do. Go out and live legendary.  

Abbey Sharp has built an audience of over 2.5 million people calling out nutrition misinformation as a registered dietitian, and in this conversation she and Larry cut through some of the biggest confusion facing dads right now: the seed oil panic, the rise of "looks maxing" and muscularity-focused disordered eating in men, and how to feed a house full of picky kids without turning dinner into a nightly battle. Larry gets unusually candid about his own relationship with fitness and body image, and Abbey offers a grounded, non-restrictive framework for approaching food that she built out of her own recovery from an eating disorder. The conversation also covers modeling healthy body image for kids, a practical division-of-responsibility approach to family meals, and Abbey's honest take on GLP-1 medications. If you've ever felt confused by conflicting nutrition advice online, or wondered whether your own relationship with fitness has quietly become more about fear than health, this episode offers real, evidence-based clarity.   Timeline Summary [1:02] The seed oil debate: what the actual research says versus the online panic [6:15] Ranking cooking oils by nutrient profile, and why canola oil gets undeserved hate [16:09] Introducing Abbey Sharp: registered dietitian, author, and "the internet's no BS dietitian" [17:45] Diet culture's impact on men, reframed as "optimization" and "looks maxing" [19:02] How male-focused disordered eating often centers on muscularity rather than thinness [21:42] Explaining "looks maxing" and its darker corners online [23:23] Larry shares his own history: childhood bullying, a significant weight loss at 17, and fear of regaining it [27:23] Finding balance: caring for your body without making it a referendum on your worth [29:31] Why kids absorb body image messaging from watching their parents, long before anyone tells them directly [34:00] Abbey shares her own teenage experience with orthorexia and how it shaped her career [36:07] Introducing the Hunger Crushing Combo: protein, fiber, and healthy fats instead of restriction [42:44] Abbey's take on GLP-1 medications: real benefits, real risks, and real social side effects [47:07] Building a high protein, high fiber breakfast for kids without restricting carbs [53:32] The Division of Responsibility approach to feeding picky kids without nightly battles [58:24] Larry shares a childhood memory of being forced to eat spinach, and why pressure backfires [59:40] Where to find Abbey: her podcast, YouTube channel, and family nutrition webinar   Five Key Takeaways Not all cooking oils are created equal, and the sweeping "seed oils are toxic" narrative doesn't hold up under real research. The bigger issue is the ultra-processed foods most seed oils show up in, not the oil itself. Disordered eating in men is often disguised as discipline. Framed as "optimization" or "looks maxing," compulsive protein tracking, fear of fat, and obsessive exercise get praised rather than questioned, which makes it harder to recognize as a real problem. A helpful litmus test for a healthy relationship with fitness is whether it still lets you live your life: can you skip a workout, eat at a birthday party, or go out with friends without guilt? If self-care starts shrinking your life instead of adding to it, that's worth examining. Kids absorb body image messaging by watching their parents, not just from what's said directly to them. Comments about needing to "earn" food through exercise or fearing weight gain teach kids that their body is a project long before anyone tells them so outright. The Division of Responsibility approach to feeding kids means parents decide what, when, and where meals happen, while kids decide how much they eat. Keeping one safe, familiar food on the table for picky eaters reduces mealtime battles far more effectively than pressure or bribery.   Links & Resources Bite Back with Abbey Sharp: https://www.abbeyskitchen.com The Hunger Crushing Combo Method by Abbey Sharp, RD: https://www.abbeyskitchen.com/hunger-crushing-combo The Board Room Mastermind: Guest Session: http://thedadedge.com/guest  Roommates to Soulmates: http://thedadedge.com/soulmates  Episode shownotes: http://thedadedge.com/1527   Closing If any part of this conversation, especially the parts about food noise, fear of weight gain, or the pressure to always be optimizing, hit closer to home than you expected, you're not alone, and it's worth talking to someone. If you or someone you know is struggling with disordered eating, the National Alliance for Eating Disorders helpline is available for support and can help you find the right next step. Beyond that, the whole spirit of this conversation is permission: permission to eat the pizza, permission to miss a workout, permission to let your kids grow up without inheriting a fear of their own bodies. Go out and live legendary.  

I've had a lot of impressive guests on this show, but Khalil Zahar's story genuinely stood out to me. He's the founder and CEO of FightCamp, a company he built from a simple idea, wanting to actually measure his own progress as a boxer, into one of the biggest names in connected fitness, with over $100 million raised and backing from legends like Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather, and Georges St-Pierre. He's also not married and doesn't have kids, but the lessons he's built his entire career around, discipline, discomfort, and identity, translate directly to fatherhood and marriage. We started with the pivotal moment in his early 20s, a late night watching Sportscenter, that made him realize he didn't have unlimited time to become who he wanted to be. From there we got into his philosophy around seeking discomfort intentionally, why he believes identity has to come before outcome, and what it actually means to become the person who does the things you want to be known for, rather than chasing the result directly. He shared a personal story about training around a serious injury by controlling everything he could, his nutrition and mindset, when he couldn't control his body, and I shared a nearly identical story from my own torn patella tendon recovery. We closed the conversation on what Khalil calls the mindset of a fighter, discipline, craftsmanship, accepting what you can't control, and learning to be genuinely thankful for your losses instead of resentful of them. If you've ever felt too comfortable, stuck in a rut, or unsure how to push yourself toward the version of you that you know is possible, this conversation gives you a real, practical way to start.   Timeline Summary [1:04] Khalil's early 20s awakening: a late night realization that time wasn't unlimited [3:36] His teenage dream of becoming a professional B-Boy and the intimidating scene around it [7:00] The first concrete steps he took once he decided to stop just "trying a little" [9:25] How Khalil's relationship with failure changed once he actually started taking risks [12:20] Larry announces a rare, small-group preview of the Dad Edge Business Boardroom Brotherhood [12:37] Why embracing failure sooner would have changed everything, and Thomas Edison's light bulb story [14:31] Taking the first, smallest possible step instead of trying to see ten miles ahead [16:34] A full introduction to Khalil: FightCamp's founder, backed by Tyson, Mayweather, and Saint-Pierre [18:11] Khalil's controversial philosophy: why seeking discomfort matters more than self-acceptance alone [21:39] Practical advice for a man who feels too comfortable and stuck in a "dad bod" mindset [22:01] The core idea: identity comes first, and outcomes follow from who you decide to become [25:21] Larry announces Roommates to Soulmates cohort three, starting September 16th [27:16] Diving deeper into identity versus tactics, using Khalil's 13 bodybuilding competitions as an example [32:18] Why seeking discomfort is fundamentally about removing fear, not chasing a specific outcome [35:51] Confidence built through keeping your word to yourself, even when you don't feel like it [36:43] What the mindset of a fighter actually looks like, broken into four core principles [38:18] The first principle: discipline as doing what you don't want to do [39:48] The second principle: craftsmanship, applying full care and attention to everything you touch [40:31] The third principle: you can't control your opponent, only how you prepare and react [42:17] The fourth principle: losses and failure are praised in martial arts, not resented [44:10] Larry's own story of controlling what he could control during a torn patella tendon recovery [45:32] Khalil shares a strikingly similar story recovering from a severe hand injury [49:17] Where to find Khalil and FightCamp   Five Key Takeaways Time is not unlimited, and the sooner you accept that, the sooner you stop just "trying a little" and start actually pursuing the version of yourself you want to become. Identity comes before outcome. Instead of fixating on the result you want, define who that person would be and start living like them today, and the outcome tends to follow naturally. Confidence isn't built by achieving a goal once, it's built by consistently keeping your word to yourself, especially in the small moments when you don't feel like following through. You cannot control your circumstances, your opponent, or the environment around you. The only thing you control is how you prepare for and respond to what happens, and real peace comes from focusing there instead. Losses and failure should be treated as lessons to be thankful for, not outcomes to resent. A fighter's mindset toward getting knocked down and getting back up applies directly to marriage, parenting, and business.   Links & Resources FightCamp (Khalil's at-home connected boxing and kickboxing fitness platform) — https://joinfightcamp.com FightCamp on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok — @fightcamp Khalil Zahar on Instagram — @khalilzahar Shownotes for this episode: http://thedadedge.com/1526 Roommates to Soulmates (Larry's 8-week marriage coaching cohort; next cohort starts September 16th, with free preview calls): http://thedadedge.com/soulmates Join the boardroom: http://thedadedge.com/guest   Closing What's staying with me from this conversation is Khalil's point that losses are meant to be praised, not resented, because that's exactly the mindset a marriage and a family need too. You're not going to get every season right, and neither is your wife or your kids, but treating a setback as a lesson instead of a verdict on who you are changes everything about how you recover from it. Whatever discomfort you've been avoiding lately, in your body, your business, or your relationships, let this be the nudge to take the smallest next step toward it.  

This week's Wednesday Q&A is a little different, I'm running it solo since my usual co-host Joe couldn't make it, and honestly, it turned into one of the harder, more important conversations we've had. A man in our Alliance named Rich called in with a genuinely difficult situation: his 17-year-old stepdaughter recently went through a breakup, was hospitalized shortly after making statements about wanting to end her life, and Rich is trying to figure out how to support her while also being honest that he's not sure whether what he's seeing is a real crisis or a manipulation tactic she's learned to use. I want to be upfront that I am not a licensed therapist, and neither is anyone else on this call. We have someone in our community who specializes in this exact area, and when a situation is acute, that's who we point men toward. What I can offer is real, lived experience, because one of my own boys went through a genuinely frightening season with depression and anxiety years ago, and I've been in the position of feeling completely out of my depth as a father. If you're a father watching a child struggle right now and feeling like you have no idea what you're doing, or you're not even sure if what you're seeing is a real crisis, this conversation won't give you all the answers, because there often aren't easy ones. But it might help you feel less alone in it.   Timeline Summary [1:02] Opening the Wednesday Q&A solo, and introducing today's difficult topic [1:48] Introducing Rich, a leader in the Alliance's teen-parenting group, and his situation [3:13] Rich shares that his 17-year-old bonus daughter has recently expressed suicidal thoughts [4:33] Understanding the timeline: a difficult personal season followed by a breakup two weeks ago [5:43] Larry announces Roommates to Soulmates cohort three, starting September 16th [7:25] Larry's disclaimer: not a licensed therapist, and where the community sends acute cases [8:37] Asking Rich what he'd want to see in his stepdaughter's life a few months from now [9:49] The tension between wanting to support her and wanting to hold her accountable to her own goals [10:47] Assessing her circle of friends and the instability there [12:30] First piece of advice: don't go through this alone, and find a therapist she connects with [13:20] The breakfast and games advice from a mentor, and why simple connection mattered more than conversation [15:27] The medication journey: an initial diagnosis, a worsening condition, and a specialized brain scan clinic [17:07] How a corrected diagnosis and a supplement-based approach turned things around over about a year [17:32] Larry shares his own 2017 hospitalization following extreme physical training and severe insomnia [19:29] Reiterating connection over correction as the throughline of the advice [19:51] Larry announces a rare, small-group preview of the Dad Edge Business Boardroom Brotherhood [24:19] Closing advice: don't go through it alone, connect first, and remember that without connection there is no influence   Five Key Takeaways You don't have to be a mental health expert to support a struggling child, but you do have to know when to bring in someone who is. Recognizing the limits of your own expertise and connecting your family with the right specialist is itself an act of good fathering. Connection has to come before correction. A struggling teenager often needs low-pressure time with a parent, free of goal-setting or serious conversation, far more than another conversation about fixing the problem. Finding the right therapist matters as much as finding a therapist at all. A mismatch in chemistry or approach can make a child more resistant to help they genuinely need. A diagnosis can be wrong, and it's worth getting a second opinion when treatment isn't working. A corrected diagnosis and a different treatment approach turned around a genuinely difficult, months-long decline. You are not required to be blood related to be the father figure a child needs most. Consistent presence during a hard season is what a child remembers and trusts long after the season ends.   Links & Resources Get the full show notes and every link from this episode: https://thedadedge.com/1525 Ready to stop feeling like roommates and start leading your marriage? Join the next Roommates to Soulmates cohort: https://thedadedge.com/soulmates Know a dad with a story worth sharing, or want to be on the show yourself? Apply to be a guest: https://thedadedge.com/guest   Closing If you're a father in the middle of a season like the one Rich is walking through right now, please hear this: you don't have to have it figured out, and you don't have to do it alone. Get connected with people who know more than you do, keep showing up for the small, ordinary moments of connection, and trust that the fruit of your presence will show up even if you can't see it yet. Without connection, we have no influence, so lead with connection first, every time. Go out and live legendary. If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 by calling or texting 988.  

Gentlemen, welcome to the fourth and final episode of this month's series with my wife Jessica, and I want to start by saying thank you for showing up for this one, since August actually had five Fridays this year, which means she recorded a full bonus episode she didn't have to do. Today we're tackling something that trips up more marriages than almost anything else: roles and expectations, and specifically, all the unspoken assumptions about who does what that quietly cause resentment when they're never actually talked about. Jessica and I get into the finances first, how I took over bill paying for our first five years of marriage and, driven by my own anxiety around debt, paid things down so aggressively it actually put us in a bind more than once. We talk through why swapping our roles, me handling investing and her handling the day to day bills, ended up being the right fit for both of us, and why neither of us wants to trade back. From there we get into dinner, probably the single area that's caused us the most quiet frustration over the years, from Jessica's years of resentment doing all the cooking to the practical shift we finally made once we actually talked about it out loud instead of just enduring it. We also open up about how we split the harder parenting conversations, why the sex talk with our boys has always fallen to me, and why Jessica has become the one I lean on for basically every other hard conversation in our house. I share what I've learned watching her approach conflict, calm, strategic, and incredibly well timed, compared to my own instinct to just react in the moment. We close out by talking through how we split up kids' sports and activities, and what boundaries actually held up over 22 years of marriage. If your marriage has ever hit friction over who's supposed to be doing what, and you've never actually sat down and talked about it, this conversation is a real look at how two people figured that out over two decades together, including the parts that took way too long to fix.   Timeline Summary [1:02] Introducing the fourth and final episode of the August series with Jessica [12:56] Reflecting on last week's lower-energy episode and setting up today's topic: roles and expectations [14:12] Larry announces Roommates to Soulmates cohort three, starting September 16th [16:33] Why unspoken and unknown expectations are what actually trip couples up the most [19:00] The early years of bill paying: Larry's aggressive debt payoff and the strain it caused [21:52] Why paying bills stressed Larry out so deeply, no matter how much money was in the bank [24:36] Checking in on whether Jessica still feels good about handling the bills 17 years later [25:39] Introducing the second financial role: why Larry handles all the investing [27:05] Larry's own journey from investing overwhelm to genuinely loving it today [30:45] Confirming neither of them wants to trade financial roles, and why that alignment matters [31:27] Introducing the dinner problem: why family meals can become a major source of strife [32:52] The moment, about a year ago, Jessica finally said out loud that she hated cooking [33:32] The fix: splitting cooking nights and having the non-cooking spouse handle cleanup [37:55] Larry announces the first-ever Dad Edge Day with the Arizona Cardinals, November 15th [42:22] Checking in on what Jessica would still change about how dinner works today [43:24] Jessica's regret: never requiring the kids to eat what was served instead of making separate meals [46:34] Why the sex talk role has always fallen to Larry, and how he approaches it with their boys [52:36] Breaking down Jessica's calm, strategic approach to conflict versus Larry's reactive instinct [57:14] A callback to an earlier, lighter moment in the series about Larry's past drinking [1:00:49] How they split kids' sports and activities, and the assumptions each of them still carries [1:03:22] What comes next: Jessica joining monthly, and how to submit topic ideas [1:04:51] Introducing two free resources: 25 Intimate Conversation Starters and 21 Days to an Extraordinary Marriage   Five Key Takeaways Roles that feel natural today were often built through real trial and error, not instinct. Larry and Jessica swapped financial responsibilities after outside mentors pointed out they'd assigned them backward, and it took years to get right. Resentment builds fastest around unspoken expectations. Nearly every friction point in their marriage, from bills to dinner, traces back to one person assuming a role the other person quietly grew to dread. Sometimes the fix is simple once you finally say the hard thing out loud. Jessica's years of resentment around cooking dissolved almost immediately once she told Larry directly that she hated it, leading to a workable rotation within one conversation. Timing matters as much as the message when addressing conflict. Jessica's approach of waiting for a calm moment, rather than confronting an issue in the heat of frustration, consistently produces a better outcome than reacting immediately. Roles don't have to be permanent or symmetrical to work. Twenty-two years in, the goal isn't a perfectly even split of every responsibility, it's each person operating in the role that actually fits them, while staying willing to revisit it when it's not working.   Links & Resources Shownotes for this episode: http://thedadedge.com/1524 Roommates to Soulmates (Larry's 8-week marriage coaching cohort; next cohort starts September 16th, with free preview calls): http://thedadedge.com/soulmates The Dad Edge Day at State Farm Stadium (Arizona Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Rams, November 15): https://thedadedge.com/nfl  Closing Wrapping up this series, what stands out most is that Jessica and I don't have this figured out because we never struggled, we have it figured out because we finally stopped avoiding the hard conversations about who does what and why. Every role we've settled into came from a real conversation, sometimes an overdue one, not from assuming the other person would just handle it or just deal with it forever. If something in your own marriage has quietly been building resentment because nobody's actually said it out loud, let this be the nudge to finally have that conversation. Go out and live legendary.  

Don Ross is the founder of Manhood Tribes, a former pastor of 20 years who now works in digital marketing and has spent over two decades helping men cut through the noise around masculinity and build real brotherhood. Married 22 years with two boys, he's built his work around five marks of manhood and, more recently, helping men prepare for what he believes are the biblical end times. This is a unique episode. Don walks Larry through the specific signs he sees converging right now, the nation of Israel and the temple, the move toward digital currency, and the gospel reaching every ethnic group, then pivots to what actually matters for the average man: building community, growing real-world skills, and developing a genuine relationship with Jesus rather than just checking religious boxes. If you've felt the anxiety of scrolling the news and wondered how to lead your family through uncertain times, this conversation offers a grounded, faith-centered answer.   Timeline Summary [3:29] – How close are we to the end times, and what that phrase actually means [5:28] – Why the anxiety men feel scrolling their phones connects to the bigger picture [7:33] – The specific signs happening now that are unique in human history [9:05] – Introducing Don Ross, Manhood Tribes, and the epidemic of male loneliness [12:35] – The Euphrates River drying up as a minor sign [13:29] – Israel reestablished as a nation in 1948 and the Ezekiel dry bones prophecy [15:10] – The Temple Institute, the red heifer, and preparations for a third temple [20:41] – Why the dome of the Rock and secular Israeli politics have stalled the temple [25:05] – Global commerce, the mark of the beast, and central bank digital currencies [29:23] – How state-controlled currency mirrors China's social credit system [32:29] – The third and more hopeful sign: the gospel reaching every ethnic group by 2033 [35:27] – Why the decline of masculinity collides with this moment in history [37:13] – Larry on feeling spiritually ready but not practically prepared [44:05] – What Covid revealed about government control, framed carefully as speculation [48:39] – Why building a bunker is the wrong first step [50:34] – The five marks of manhood: strength, courage, skill, honor, and allegiance [51:34] – Monthly challenges, from cold showers to learning vehicle maintenance [54:20] – The spiritual anchor and connecting relationally to Jesus [56:56] – Knowing Jesus as a person, not just checking the church and Bible boxes [1:03:44] – Larry's hike through Garden of the Gods and the decision that brought him peace   5 Key Takeaways Watch the Season, Not the Date — The instruction was never to predict the day, but to recognize the season and be ready. Don points to several signs converging at once as reason to pay attention rather than panic. Loneliness Is a Crisis, and Community Is the Answer — Most men believe they have to figure life out alone, and the isolation is at an all time high. Real brotherhood is what helps men survive hardship and become better husbands and fathers. Don't Build a Bunker, Build a Community — The prepper instinct is individualistic, but the biblical model is to love your neighbor as yourself. The right next step is building strong community that can support each other through any storm. Grow Real Skills as a Man — Strength, courage, skill, honor, and allegiance are traits you develop over a lifetime. Practical challenges like cold showers or basic vehicle maintenance build the grit and capability most modern men have lost. Know Jesus as a Person — Faith isn't just going to church, reading the Bible, and praying as a checklist. It's a relationship built through conversation, listening, and shared experience, the same way you'd cultivate connection with a spouse.   Links & Resources Episode page and all links: https://thedadedge.com/1523 Manhood Tribes on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ManhoodTribes Roommates to Soulmates (cohort 3, starts September 16, free preview calls September 8 and 9): https://thedadedge.com/soulmates Dad Edge Day with the Arizona Cardinals (November 15, Cardinals vs Rams, State Farm Stadium): https://thedadedge.com/nfl The Pursuit of Legendary Fatherhood by Larry Hagner: https://thedadedge.com   Enjoyed This Episode? If Don's challenge to be informed, prepared, and faithful struck a chord, take one small step this week. Learn a practical skill you've been avoiding, or spend ten quiet minutes listening in prayer instead of just talking. If the show keeps delivering, follow, rate, and leave a review so more fathers can find these conversations.

Larry is back in studio with his wife Jessica for the fourth installment of their couples series, recorded the same month they hit 23 years of marriage and 30 years of knowing each other. This time the whole conversation centers on one word that quietly makes or breaks a marriage: alignment. Most couples, Larry notes from a decade of coaching, are misaligned on parenting, money, intimacy, and faith, and never realize it until it derails their connection. Larry and Jessica walk through how they actually got aligned over 22 years, from choosing experiences over stuff and a backyard over a sports car, to spending on healthy food and shared workouts, to raising kids who value connection over possessions. They're honest that it came through constant, daily communication, the kind most couples avoid. If your marriage feels more like managing a household than sharing a life, this conversation is a window into how two people build shared values on purpose.   Timeline Summary [3:04] – What alignment in marriage actually means, and how misalignment shows up [6:09] – The daily reality of getting kids to help, and delegating chores [10:10] – Pulling back the curtain on a heated dinner with one of their kids the night before [10:52] – Why cleaning became Larry and Jessica's separate processing and thinking time [12:10] – The core values exercise and discovering they valued environment and connection, not possessions [13:36] – Their family mission: experiences over stuff, memories over things, connection over everything [16:05] – Why some couples need to buy or schedule experiences just to feel connected [17:53] – The Covid dishes conversation and Jessica's grounded response to Larry's darkest thought [19:52] – No luxury cars, no name brands, and being genuinely okay with less [22:36] – The backyard project versus a sports car, and what Ethan learned from it [24:16] – How they actually arrived at shared values through talking and reflecting [26:40] – 2017 as the turning point toward chasing experiences over stuff [27:04] – The three gifts rule at Christmas and where it came from [30:39] – Jessica's advice to their kids: communication is the key to any relationship [33:55] – Why couples talk about logistics but avoid the deeper alignment conversations [36:02] – The intimacy parallel: what happens when you stop pursuing each other [38:24] – Why they never run out of things to talk about, even after 23 years [40:14] – Can people be taught to communicate, or is that just who they are? [44:43] – Alignment as the make or break, and the non-negotiables they built together [45:33] – Going to bed at the same time, and when it's actually okay to go to bed angry   5 Key Takeaways Alignment Is the Make or Break — Most couples are quietly misaligned on parenting, money, intimacy, and faith, and it derails their connection without them realizing why. Building shared values on purpose is what holds a marriage together over decades. Experiences Over Stuff — Larry and Jessica built a family mission around memories over things and connection over everything. The backyard they gather in beat the sports car precisely because it creates shared experiences instead of solo possession. Communication Has to Be Daily — Talking through logistics isn't the same as real communication. Checking in every day, even briefly, keeps small tensions from compounding into the silence and assumptions that quietly end marriages. Don't Let Intimacy Drift — Just like conversation, physical intimacy erodes when you stop pursuing each other. Let too much time pass and it becomes awkward and hard to return to, so keep reaching for each other before the gap widens. You Can Change If It Matters Enough — "That's just who I am" is an excuse, not a fact. People revert to old patterns, but anyone can learn to communicate better if the relationship matters enough to them to keep practicing.   Links & Resources Episode page and all links: https://thedadedge.com/1522 Roommates to Soulmates (cohort 3, starts September 16, free preview calls September 8 and 9): https://thedadedge.com/soulmates Dad Edge Day with the Arizona Cardinals (November 15, Cardinals vs Rams, State Farm Stadium): https://thedadedge.com/nfl   Enjoyed This Episode? If hearing Larry and Jessica lay out the values they built on purpose made you wonder where you and your spouse are actually aligned, pick one area and talk it through this week. Ask your partner what they'd want more of, or download the 25 questions and work through a couple on your next date. If the show keeps delivering, follow, rate, and leave a review so more fathers can find these conversations.

Officer Randy Keith is a military veteran, a 15-year law enforcement officer, and the founder of Present Father, a platform that now reaches hundreds of thousands of dads across the world. He didn't set out to build a movement. He built it from the darkest chapter of his life, a high-conflict divorce that put him through false allegations, an order of protection that nearly cost him his career, CPS interviews of his young children, and the terror of dropping his kids off not knowing if he'd get them back. Randy walks Larry through the night it all began, why he chose 50-50 custody when his attorney said he could have won full custody, and the moment in his car around the corner from his ex-wife's house when he pulled out his phone and started talking, the post that became Present Father. This is a raw conversation about father's rights, staying present against enormous odds, and turning your mess into your message. It's also a heavy one, with an honest look at how many men in these situations reach the edge, and why community can be lifesaving.   Timeline Summary [1:23] – The night his ex-wife went for the gun safe and he called 911 [4:34] – Declining to press charges because he didn't want to jail the mother of his kids [5:48] – Discharged in hours after telling nurses he was abusing his power as an officer [7:14] – Filing a Title 36 mental health petition and getting emergency custody [9:01] – Choosing 50-50 so he could look his kids in the eye someday [10:15] – His attorney saying he was in the driver's seat and could have full custody [12:13] – Served with an order of protection built on false allegations [13:09] – How a federal firearm statute nearly ended his law enforcement career [14:38] – His kids interviewed by CPS at school without his knowledge [15:40] – The mosquito-bite doctor's note that became a bedbugs and abuse allegation [17:25] – Inviting CPS in, and being asked to teach parenting classes at the end [20:49] – Why she really moved four hours away, and the job that lasted two weeks [23:28] – The threats that continue and the fears he carries as a target [26:35] – Finding purpose in the worst season and turning mess into message [30:10] – Why high-conflict divorce is rare, and why so few men talk about it [33:28] – Introducing Randy Keith and the Present Father platform [36:00] – The moment in the car that birthed Present Father [38:24] – The first TikTok post and the flood of men who felt the same [42:30] – From 800 followers to nearly 900,000 across platforms [44:08] – The suicide messages, and how Randy responds personally [46:08] – Sean Pearson and the Dad to Dad peer support platform [47:22] – The father who thanked him for comforting his son in his final moments [48:06] – Larry on losing two men from the Dad Edge community to suicide [50:30] – The therapist's question that reframed suicide for Larry in 2017 [52:22] – Why the pain is a season, not a life sentence [53:39] – Larry on being glad he didn't listen when people said "this too shall pass," and glad he listened just enough [54:08] – The vision for Present Father: a nonprofit providing attorneys to the falsely accused [54:35] – Advocating in D.C. for equal shared parenting as the standard [56:05] – Bankruptcy as a common cost of fighting for your kids [56:34] – What he learned from his first relationship and carried into his new marriage [57:57] – Why one bad experience doesn't mean everyone will treat you the same [59:55] – Where to connect with Randy and the Present Father Show   5 Key Takeaways Presence Beats Perfection — Your kids don't need a perfect father. They need a present one. Even when circumstances are stacked against you, showing up consistently is what matters most. Your Mess Is Your Message — You don't have to be the polished expert to help people. Randy's raw honesty as an everyday guy going through it reaches people precisely because it's real and relatable, not because he has it all figured out. The Pain Is a Season, Not a Sentence — In the darkest moments it feels like it will never end, but it's temporary. Suicide doesn't end the pain, it transfers it to the people you love most, for generations. Reaching out and finding community can be lifesaving. You're Not Alone in This — High-conflict divorce and false allegations are isolating, and shame keeps men silent. Finding even one other person who's been through it turns unbearable isolation into a community and a path forward. One Bad Experience Isn't the Whole World — Surviving a devastating relationship doesn't mean everyone will treat you the same way. With honest due diligence and self-work, there is happiness and partnership on the other side.   Links & Resources Episode page and all links: https://thedadedge.com/1521 Present Father (Randy Keith's website): https://present-father.com  The Present Father Show podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PZwSoq6glUSq20CcHB88R Roommates to Soulmates (cohort 3, starts September 16, free preview calls September 8 and 9): https://thedadedge.com/soulmates Dad Edge Day with the Arizona Cardinals (November 15, Cardinals vs Rams, State Farm Stadium): https://thedadedge.com/nfl   If You're Struggling This episode deals openly with suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling, you can call or text 988 in the US to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7. You are not alone, and the season you're in is not the end of your story. Enjoyed This Episode? If Randy's story reached you, whether you're in the middle of your own hard season or you know a dad who is, don't let him carry it alone. Send this episode to a father who needs to hear that presence beats perfection and that he's not alone in this. If the show keeps delivering, follow, rate, and leave a review so more fathers can find these conversations.

Larry is back with his wife Jessica for the third installment of their Friday couples series, and this one tackles the quiet killer of long marriages: the drift. That slow slide where you get so buried in kids, sports, work, and the house that you look up years later and realize you lost each other somewhere along the way. Married 22 years, they're honest that they've hit those valleys too, and this episode is about how they catch it and climb back out. Larry opens up about being the avoidant one early on, walking away from hard conversations because it felt selfless when it was actually disconnecting. From there he and Jessica map the exact tools that interrupt the drift: telling your partner what's in your head so they don't assume it's them, the six-second hug that resets everything, the safety that lets you give hard feedback, and the certainty of saying "I need an hour, but I'll be back." If your marriage feels more like two ships passing in the night, this is a practical way back to each other.   Timeline Summary [1:01] – Spinning in different orbits and what it means to interrupt the drift [2:03] – Jessica's first solo episode goes live and the nerves around it [3:47] – How couples drift: five years pass and the connection is just gone [5:05] – Larry owning that he was the avoidant one who'd walk away or sleep downstairs [6:32] – Why walking away felt selfless but was actually selfish and disconnecting [6:50] – Jessica's ask: take your space, but tell me it's not about me and you'll be back [7:39] – The neighbor at the fire pit and the garage door scam that sent him inward [9:49] – What's really happening in a man's head: the shoulds that make it worse [11:01] – The real-world date day where Larry chose to say "actually, that's a lie, I'm challenged" [12:45] – The stories men tell themselves: it's stupid, it'll go away, I'll burden her [14:15] – Wanting connection but doing the one thing that disconnects [14:58] – Jessica's gift: reading people and diffusing tension with a hug [17:23] – Letting women off the hook on nagging, and how to poke with love not gaslighting [18:17] – The six-second hug, oxytocin, and being found out when she hugs him [22:12] – What Jessica needs as a stay-at-home mom: reassurance and connection [24:08] – The certainty of a repair: 30 minutes versus a whole sucky day [24:30] – Last fall's drift, Larry's most impatient season, and asking for feedback [26:25] – The three breadcrumbs: safety, certainty, and repair [27:28] – Why Jessica felt safe enough to give feedback that would land rough [28:14] – Choosing words wisely and avoiding always and never [30:32] – Young and green on relationship dynamics in the early years [31:01] – Marriage as the stock market: valleys and peaks with no tolerance to stay down [33:15] – Honesty and ownership celebrated, not punished, for kids and spouses alike [35:11] – Being held to a higher standard in your worst moments and feeling safe [37:18] – The certainty of "I'll be back in an hour" versus being forced to hash it out now [41:00] – Jessica on why she'd rather cool off than fight in a heated moment [42:38] – Taking pause and the 24-hour rule before responding when triggered [44:22] – Love languages and approaching each kid differently [45:04] – The coaching example: "why did you do X" versus "tell me about that" [47:28] – Meeting each other with compassion and curiosity, not accusation [47:50] – The power of we, plus the Colton-in-pajamas assumption Larry got wrong [49:37] – How they make time for the marriage with four kids and a business [52:26] – Zero tolerance for mediocre and refusing to just exist [53:22] – Why kids feel warm and safe when the marriage is a priority [55:03] – Setting the standard for how their sons should treat a partner [1:02:37] – A teaser for next week: intimacy and finances, the two big resentment topics   5 Key Takeaways Name What's In Your Head — When you go quiet and inward, your partner and kids often assume they're the problem. Telling them what's actually going on, even when it feels stupid or burdensome, is the difference between connection and drift. Take Space, But Give Certainty — Walking away without a word breeds anxiety and uncertainty. Saying "I need an hour to process, but I'll be back to talk about this" lets you cool off while promising your partner the conversation isn't over. The Six-Second Hug Resets Everything — A real, drawn-out hug, not a quick pat, releases the oxytocin that brings peace and diffuses tension. Learning to read when your partner needs that connection is a gift you can give daily. Make Feedback Safe — People only give honest feedback when they trust it won't be met with defensiveness or explosion. Choosing words carefully, avoiding always and never, and holding your partner to a higher standard in their worst moments keeps that safety intact. Have Zero Tolerance for the Valley — Every marriage has peaks and valleys like the stock market. What keeps it strong isn't avoiding the dips, it's refusing to accept staying there, and proactively cultivating connection even in the busy, exhausted seasons.   Links & Resources Episode page and all links: https://thedadedge.com/1520 Roommates to Soulmates (cohort 3, eight-week program, starts September 16, free preview calls September 8 and 9): http://thedadedge.com/soulmates 25 Intimate Conversation Starters (free PDF and video training): https://thedadedge.com/25questions Dad Edge Day with the Arizona Cardinals (November 15, Cardinals vs Rams, State Farm Stadium): https://thedadedge.com/nfl   Enjoyed This Episode? If "spinning in different orbits" describes where you and your spouse are right now, pick one tool from this episode and use it this week. Tell your partner what's actually in your head instead of saying "I'm fine," or give them a real six-second hug the next time you can feel the tension. If the show keeps delivering, follow, rate, and leave a review so more fathers can find these conversations.

Caitlin V is a sexologist, relationship coach, and host of Good Sex on HBO Max who has built a YouTube channel with nearly a million subscribers and over 170 million views, working primarily with men on erectile dysfunction, performance anxiety, premature ejaculation, and the isolation that comes with all three. She started as a sexual health researcher and policy analyst before deciding that change happens in conversations with real people, not in research papers. This is a live Dad Edge Alliance Q&A where Caitlin takes real questions from married men about a sexless stretch, shame carried into the marriage bed, sex used as leverage, and a marriage that has gone completely touchless. If you have been avoiding the conversation with your wife because the last time you brought it up it went badly, this one gives you the actual script.   Timeline Summary [4:12] – Caitlin's path from sexual health researcher and policy analyst to sexologist and coach [6:14] – First question, a husband who pushed too hard once and has been gun shy ever since [9:06] – Why a multi year backlog of unsaid things lands on one conversation and crushes it [11:01] – The cracked foundation, why repair has to come before any talk about frequency [13:35] – Reading her green lights and lobbing the flirtation back without adding pressure [16:33] – Naming the dynamic out loud as an act of leadership instead of a confession [23:58] – Why "the talk" is the wrong model for sex, with your kids and with your wife [27:39] – Nature abhors a vacuum, if she doesn't know what sex means to you she fills it in [31:25] – Anonymous question, premarital sex, religious shame, and less sex after the wedding [36:51] – The taboo factor, why sanctioned sex can lose the charge that breaking the rule provided [40:04] – Shame hates light, why you can't clean it out of her and what you can do instead [47:00] – Anonymous question, sex promised as a thank you that almost never arrives [53:09] – Why nobody can pre consent, and taking penetration off the required list [56:09] – What's underneath sex used as leverage, and how to rewrite that agreement together [59:11] – Anonymous question, a touchless marriage after years of backing off out of respect [1:03:25] – Betty Martin's Wheel of Consent and the Three Minute Game as the road back to touch   5 Key Takeaways Repair Before Frequency — Asking for more sex when years of unsaid things are still sitting there is like redecorating a living room on a cracked foundation. Go back and own what you didn't say first, then build. Name the Dynamic Out Loud — Leadership here is not initiating harder, it's surfacing the pattern so you're both looking at the same thing. Say "I haven't been lobbing these back because I'm afraid" instead of waiting for her to move first. She's Filling In Your Blanks — If your wife doesn't know the texture of what sex actually means to you, she fills that vacuum with social media, her friends, and her parents' marriage. "All you think about is sex" is usually a response to something that was never you. Warmth With an Invoice — If your past kisses and shoulder rubs came with a hidden price tag, she felt it, and that's why affection now reads as a bid. Own it plainly, then rebuild non-sexual touch on purpose. Nobody Can Pre Consent — Agreeing to sex tomorrow is like agreeing to salmon for dinner, the appetite can legitimately change. Keep more than intercourse on the table so a shift in the moment isn't a broken promise.   Links & Resources Episode page — https://thedadedge.com/1519 Roommates to Soulmates, Larry's 8 week program, cohort three starts September 16 — https://thedadedge.com/soulmates Dad Edge Day with the Arizona Cardinals, November 15 at State Farm Stadium — https://thedadedge.com/nfl Betty Martin's Wheel of Consent and the Three Minute Game — https://www.schoolofconsent.org Caitlin V's courses, 20% off with code DADEDGE, including Yoni Massage, Come When You Want, Hard As You Want, and Legendary Lover   Enjoyed This Episode? If the "warmth with an invoice" idea landed the way it lands for most guys, you already know which conversation you've been putting off. Send this to a brother who's been quietly telling himself that not bringing it up counts as respecting her. Follow the show, leave a rating and review, and grab the full show notes at https://thedadedge.com/1519

Larry is back in studio with his wife Jessica for part two of their conversation, recorded the week of their 22nd anniversary. Last week they covered how they met and the crucibles that shaped them. This week they get practical about the daily mechanics of a marriage that works: how they got aligned on parenting, how they resolve conflict, and how they back each other up in front of the kids whether they agree or not. They're candid that none of it came naturally at first. They walk through the parenting classes that helped early on, a hard season with one of their sons that turned out to be driven by a medication reaction, and why setting ego aside to get outside help was the move that saved them repeatedly. Jessica shares what it means to never be emasculated or called a name in thirty years together, and Larry breaks down the guardrails that keep their disagreements calm: no yelling, no name calling, real listening, and a willingness to eat humble pie. If your marriage feels more like managing a household than sharing a life, this one is a window into the operating system of a couple who clearly still like each other.   Timeline Summary [1:02] – Why part two matters, and Jessica joins for parenting and conflict resolution [4:39] – A new season with an adult son and the land of uncertainty it brings [6:39] – Bringing the first baby home to a tornado, and every season being new territory [9:07] – The one thing they nailed early: alignment on parenting styles [10:21] – Love and Logic, 1-2-3 Magic, and the classes that gave them a shared playbook [11:34] – A hard season with Mason at 11 and refusing to let ego stop them from getting help [13:15] – Communication gap: Larry not seeing how bad the mornings really were [16:39] – Owning that "I have to work" wasn't the support Jessica needed [17:23] – The real catalyst turned out to be a medication, and the game-changing fix [18:43] – Having each other's back in front of the kids, no public disagreement [19:47] – The quiet aside instead of the public callout, coming back as a combined unit [21:39] – The over-punishment story: stacking consequences on Ethan's grades [22:54] – Why never being emasculated or disrespected publicly matters so much to a man [25:44] – The non-negotiable guardrails: no name calling, ever, even joking [27:15] – Listening without interrupting and keeping voices calm [30:09] – Tonality, ownership, and a family that apologizes well [34:32] – Why these habits are their operating system but not most people's [35:10] – The waterfall of peace: how Jessica's affection quiets Larry's chaos [36:33] – Not gaslighting a partner who's having a hard day, and giving space to process [37:30] – The "what did you do all day" mistake and never globalizing with always and never [40:43] – The deck argument Ethan witnessed and asked if they were divorcing [42:22] – Ethan's three observations: no yelling, real listening, no name calling [42:40] – Asking "is there truth to this" to sidestep the ego and defensiveness [45:02] – The trash story: coming in guns blazing and eating humble pie [49:11] – Covering for each other's hard seasons with the kids instead of piling on [50:04] – Favorite memories: the simple stuff, laughter under their own roof [52:16] – Valuing experiences over stuff, and how that alignment happened [55:19] – Closing out Mason's last year at home with a bang [56:53] – The 25 intimate conversation starters that keep them connected   5 Key Takeaways Get Aligned and Get Help Without Ego — The couples who struggle most are often fighting over whose parenting style wins. Larry and Jessica treated hard seasons as problems to solve together, bringing in classes and counselors rather than letting pride keep them stuck. Have Each Other's Back in Front of the Kids — Never publicly override your spouse's discipline. Handle disagreements privately, then return to the kids as a combined unit. Kids who can't split their parents feel more secure, not less. Set Guardrails for Conflict — No name calling, no yelling, and real listening while the other person talks. These simple, non-negotiable rules keep disagreements from escalating into damage, and kids notice and absorb them. Ask "Is There Truth to This" — When your partner brings a criticism, the instinct is to defend. Pausing to genuinely ask whether there's truth in it disarms your ego and turns a potential fight into a conversation. And when you're wrong, apologize fast. Protect Each Other's Hard Seasons — When one parent is short-tempered or struggling, the other explains it to the kids with grace instead of piling on. Give your partner room to process a bad day rather than gaslighting or nagging them out of it.   Links & Resources Episode page and all links: https://thedadedge.com/1518 25 Intimate Conversation Starters (free PDF and video training): https://thedadedge.com/25questions Dad Edge Day with the Arizona Cardinals (November 15, Cardinals vs Rams, State Farm Stadium): https://thedadedge.com/nfl   Enjoyed This Episode? If watching Larry and Jessica lay out the guardrails of their marriage gave you something to aim at, pick one and try it this week. Ask "is there truth to this" the next time you feel defensive, or take your spouse through a couple of good questions on your next date night. If the show keeps delivering, follow, rate, and leave a review so more fathers can find these conversations.

Sam Rosenberg has spent his career protecting some of the most recognized people on the planet, heads of state, CEOs, and celebrities including Warren Buffett, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Tom Cruise. A former Marine Corps officer who moved into close protection in 1996, he's since shifted his focus to teaching ordinary people the same skills he used to guard public figures, through his company Live Ready and his bestselling book of the same name. He's trained tens of thousands of people to recognize threats before they become emergencies. This one is a genuine masterclass in personal safety, and Sam's philosophy anchors it: it's good to have a lifeguard, but you should know how to swim. He and Larry get into why violence is never actually random, how to read a parking lot, the acronym TIME that maps how attackers operate, the normalcy bias that keeps good people from trusting their gut, and persuasion predators, the charming, manipulative threats every dad with a daughter needs to understand. If you want to protect the people who matter most without living in fear, this episode delivers the tools.   Timeline Summary [1:02] – Protecting Netanyahu, the chess match, and embedding covert protection in a crowd [4:35] – Tom Cruise in Pittsburgh and why he was one of the best to work with [6:23] – How you even land a gig protecting someone at that level [8:12] – Protecting Terry Bradshaw at the NFL draft, and why it's all word of mouth [12:36] – The core philosophy: it's good to have a lifeguard, but you should know how to swim [14:51] – Sam's full bio, the Marine Corps, Live Ready, and the book [16:34] – Situational awareness starts with our wives in parking lots [20:04] – The myth of helplessness and the myth of randomness [21:44] – Why violence is a process as predictable as boiling water [22:38] – Attacks happen on arrival and departure, and every environment has a purpose [24:10] – Watching for the watchers, and the New York City looking up analogy [26:30] – The creepy guy vibe and why we hunt for evidence to dismiss it [27:42] – Social contracting, bias, and how it blinds us to real danger [30:13] – Normalcy bias: the brain's desire for everything to be normal [32:04] – Breaking down a real, sophisticated parking lot kidnapping on video [35:36] – The simple bow: trust your intuition even without all the evidence [37:12] – What that woman could have noticed, and the double-tap unlock habit [43:14] – The TIME acronym: target selection, intelligence, method of attack, escape [46:16] – Why street criminals run the same process as terrorists [49:17] – Can you avoid being targeted? You can influence it, not always prevent it [52:04] – Charlie Kirk, Butler, and why it has to be stopped in advance [53:27] – Recognizing the interview means you've already been selected [56:16] – Hard target versus soft target, and why gimmicks don't work [57:29] – The undercover story: why street-smart observers saw through his disguise [1:02:47] – Willingness and ability are all it takes to be a hard target [1:04:31] – What bad guys are truly afraid of: failure [1:08:55] – Persuasion predators, masters of charm and disguise [1:10:31] – Reframing charm: ask why is this person trying to charm me [1:11:56] – No is a complete sentence, and the veils of denial [1:13:54] – Sociopaths, the pity play, and the puppy law used on children   5 Key Takeaways Violence Is a Process, Not Random — Attacks follow an observable, predictable sequence. Learning to spot the pattern, especially during arrival and departure moments, is what lets you get ahead of danger instead of reacting to it. Watch for the Watchers — Every environment has a purpose. Scan left to right for anomalies, people not using the space for its intended purpose, and notice who's watching who's coming and going. That awareness alone makes you a harder target. Trust Your Radar Over Normalcy Bias — Good people talk themselves out of intuitive warnings because they can't find hard evidence or don't want to seem judgmental. When something feels off, that unease is data. Default to it and remove yourself from the situation. Recognize the Interview — When a stranger approaches you in an anomalous moment, that's an interview, and it means you've already been selected as a target. How you manage that interaction, with the right body language and enough force, often determines whether an attack proceeds. Reframe Charm and Hold the Line on No — Teach daughters to ask why is this person trying to charm me rather than being flattered. No is a complete sentence, and anyone who pushes past it is signaling they care only about what they want. A pity play after being caught in lies is a massive red flag.   Links & Resources Episode page and all links: https://thedadedge.com/1517 Sam Rosenberg's company, LiveReady: https://www.liveready.co/ Live Ready by Sam Rosenberg (the book): https://www.liveready.co/book LiveReady on YouTube (situational awareness and attack breakdowns): https://www.youtube.com/@LiveReadyCo LiveReady on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livereadyco LiveReady on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LiveReadyCo LiveReady on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/LiveReadyCo/ LiveReady personal training: https://www.liveready.co/training Dad Edge Day with the Arizona Cardinals (November 15, Cardinals vs Rams, State Farm Stadium): https://thedadedge.com/nfl Roommates to soulmates thedadedge.com/soulmates   Enjoyed This Episode? If Sam's breakdown of that parking lot attack made you look at your own routine differently, put one habit to work this week. Get your head up and off your phone during those arrival and departure moments, and have the charm and no conversation with your daughter. If the show keeps delivering, follow, rate, and leave a review so more fathers can find these conversations.

This is a Wednesday Wins Q&A, with Larry joined by his longtime co-host Joe Bailey to tackle a question that lands for almost every married dad. Mike from Washington State wrote in about a marriage that isn't broken, no fighting, no affairs, but feels more like two coworkers running a small company called the family. He and his wife talk schedules, kids, and bills, physical intimacy has slowed, and as he puts it, he misses her even though she's only six feet away. Larry breaks down the four pillars of marriage from Lance and Brandi's work, individual, partnership, friends, and intimacy, and explains how couples get stuck in the partnership loop and skip straight to intimacy, which backfires. Joe follows with the idea of getting used to the light again after emotional disconnection, releasing resentment, and making small pursuits without attaching expectations. If your marriage feels more like a business partnership than a romance, this one is a practical roadmap back.   Timeline Summary [1:02] – Setting up Mike's question about a marriage that feels like a business partnership [2:12] – Mike's full letter: coworkers running a company called our family [3:46] – Larry on his own first decade feeling exactly the same way [4:05] – The four pillars of marriage from Lance and Brandi's book [4:46] – Pillar one, individual: self-care and emotional check-ins by percentage [5:42] – Pillar two, partnership: the bills, roles, and chores, aka the partnership loop [5:59] – Pillar three, friends: shared interests and real alignment [6:21] – Pillar four, intimacy, and why it collapses when the others are neglected [6:47] – How couples skip friendship and self and jump straight to intimacy [7:26] – Disrupting the partnership loop by cultivating friendship first [7:49] – The walk-and-date boundary: be Larry and Jessica, not Mom and Dad [8:13] – Bookending conversations with appreciation so your partner feels seen [8:30] – Adventuring together and asking bucket-list questions [9:34] – Why men eradicate their own self-care and isolate [12:12] – Joe on living this exact dynamic in his own marriage [12:32] – The dark-theater analogy: getting used to the light again [13:35] – Step one, release resentment when reconnection feels uncomfortable [14:02] – Be persistent and stop attaching sex to every act of connection [14:27] – Small pursuits: flowers and a coffee dropped off at Ivy's work, just because [15:46] – Small investments compound like a financial portfolio [16:40] – Stop keeping score and get in the habit of just investing [16:59] – The car story: we love the things we invest in [20:07] – Loving your wife publicly and without agenda [20:44] – Loving her in front of the kids and her mother [21:48] – The Hitch analogy and winning over the people around her [22:14] – The marriage hack: your mother in law as your greatest ally   5 Key Takeaways Marriage Has Four Pillars — Individual, partnership, friends, and intimacy. When you neglect self-care, friendship, and quality time and jump straight to intimacy, it falls flat. Intimacy is the natural result of the other three working. Escape the Partnership Loop — If every conversation is about schedules, bills, and who needs to be where, you're stuck in the partnership loop. Break out by rebuilding the friendship: dates, walks, adventures, and conversations where you're a couple, not just co-parents. Get Used to the Light Again — After emotional disconnection, reconnecting feels awkward and uncomfortable for both people. Expect that, release resentment about it, and don't attach worst-case scenarios to the discomfort. Make Small Pursuits Without Agenda — Drop off flowers just because, and don't attach any expectation of sex, because she'll sniff that out instantly. Stop keeping score and keep making small investments, and the connection compounds over time. We Love What We Invest In — Don't wait to feel the love before you invest. As the car story shows, investment creates love, not the other way around. Love your wife publicly and without agenda, and let her people, especially her mother, become your allies.   Links & Resources Episode page and all links: https://thedadedge.com/1516 Legendary Couple with Larry and Jessica: https://thedadedge.com/legendary-couple/ Dad Edge Day with the Arizona Cardinals (November 15, Cardinals vs Rams, State Farm Stadium): https://thedadedge.com/nfl   Enjoyed This Episode? If Mike's letter read like a page out of your own marriage, pick one small pursuit and do it this week with zero agenda. Drop off her favorite coffee, take a walk where you're just the two of you again, and stop waiting to feel connected before you invest. If the show keeps delivering, follow, rate, and leave a review so more fathers can find these conversations.

This is a special live Q&A recorded inside Apogee, where the hosts turned the tables and interviewed Larry alongside his wife Jessica for a rare joint conversation. Married 23 years with four sons, the two open up about what actually creates safety in a home, and their answer surprises the room: it starts with relentlessly prioritizing the marriage. From there they get honest about the early years when Larry admits he floundered and didn't lead well, how Jessica learned to call him forward without emasculating him, and why connection always has to come before correction. They talk repair as the true measure of a relationship, letting kids witness the full cycle of a disagreement, and Larry shares the hardest parts of his own story, an estranged mother and a father who left twice, and what forgiveness has and hasn't looked like. If you want a real look inside a marriage that leads, this one delivers.   Timeline Summary [1:05] – Larry and Jessica join Apogee, and the watermelon splitter jokes begin [5:03] – The Freud quote on a child's need for protection, and Larry's book for his boys [6:19] – What's really happening in a home when a child feels deeply safe [7:01] – The frying pan on the back burner: how marriages slide after kids arrive [8:29] – Marriage as a skill, not just a feeling, and the tactical work it requires [9:09] – Telling his 12 year old he prioritizes mom, and why that creates safety [10:04] – The 18 year old who wants to be home because of how his parents love [11:05] – Jessica on kids modeling what they see, and her daughter wanting flowers [13:16] – Jessica's loving, family oriented upbringing versus Larry's chaotic one [15:08] – Jessica's honesty: he did not lead very well in the early years [15:51] – Calling him forward with love instead of a finger in his face [17:28] – Connection before correction, and picking one when forced to choose [20:55] – Why calling someone forward implies connection and trust already exist [22:08] – Without connection you have no influence, even with your own kids [23:14] – Having tough conversations through activity: walks, workouts, the range [23:38] – Hold On to Your Kids and why attachment precedes instruction [24:51] – Parenting across developmental stages and the two bigs, two littles dynamic [28:01] – Why Larry found the young years hardest and came alive in the teens [29:23] – Jessica as the boy mom of empathy, affection, and don't cross me [30:29] – What repair looks like after losing patience with the kids [32:22] – Figs O'Sullivan on harmony, disharmony, and quality living in the repair [33:05] – Growing up with parents who never apologized, and breaking that cycle [35:05] – Coach Whittle's house rule: if you see the collision, you see the repair [36:12] – The deck argument Ethan witnessed and the repair he described back [38:20] – Repairing with your own parents, and the letters Apogee members are writing [41:53] – Larry's estranged mother, the milk incident, and an unsafe environment [42:37] – A father who left twice and the Starbucks reunion 18 years later [43:36] – Mason at 15 asking how he could ever forgive him [44:34] – Forgive and co-create the future, or live in the past with a grudge [46:18] – Screen time boundaries, dumb phones, and earning time through fitness [49:37] – The three page contract for an adult son living at home rent free [50:28] – Why doom scrolling infuriates Larry, and his own guilt with the work phone [57:08] – The Apogee host thanks Larry, and an early zoom happy birthday   5 Key Takeaways Protecting Kids Starts With the Marriage — The deepest safety a child feels comes from parents who prioritize each other. It's a long tail game, not a short term action, and kids who see their parents love each other feel warm, safe, and want to be home. Call Each Other Forward, Don't Tear Down — Jessica changed Larry by naming what she saw with love and respect instead of criticism, which made him want to change. That same energy, connection before correction, is exactly how they lead their sons. Without Connection You Have No Influence — Kids tune out discipline from someone they don't feel attached to. Building connection first, often through shared activity, makes every hard conversation land far better. The Relationship Lives in the Repair — Every relationship cycles through harmony, disharmony, and repair, and the quality resides in how you repair. Letting kids witness the whole cycle, including your apology, teaches them it's safe to mess up and own it. Forgiveness Is a Choice About the Future — Larry's father owned his two abandonments completely and earned a 21 year relationship, while his mother's unsafe patterns went unrepaired. You can forgive and co-create the future, or live your whole life in the past with a grudge.   Links & Resources Episode page and all links: https://thedadedge.com/1507 Dad Edge Day with the Arizona Cardinals (November 15, Cardinals vs Rams, State Farm Stadium): https://thedadedge.com/nfl Connect with Jessica Hagner: https://thedadedge.com/jessicahagner/ Larry and Jessica interview each other (part one): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aCcKKv9pXw Larry and Jessica interview each other (part two): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsHmnQiROMo&t=138s   Enjoyed This Episode? If watching Larry and Jessica lead their marriage out loud gave you something to aim at, take one piece into your own home this week. Prioritize your spouse in front of your kids, or let them witness a full repair the next time you lose your patience. If the show keeps delivering, follow, rate, and leave a review so more fathers can find these conversations.

Harry Psaros is an author, neuroscientist, health coach, and third degree black belt, known to Pittsburgh sports fans as the Pit Guru, but the title that matters most to him is dad. He and his wife Michelle have been married 24 years and raised two sons, and it was his journey raising Gus, who's on the autism spectrum, that led him to write his Amazon bestselling, award winning book From Struggle to Strength. He's one of the rare male voices in the autism space, and he doesn't shy away from calling other fathers forward. Harry and Larry, who's walked a similar road with his own oldest son, get into why so many dads resist an autism diagnosis, the devastating fall that erased years of Gus's progress, and the mindset that pulled the family through. Harry breaks down the two ideas from his book that have resonated worldwide: the 2% rule for cutting through overwhelm, and the difference between sight and vision. If you're a father facing a diagnosis you didn't expect, this one meets you where you are and refuses to let you stay there.   Timeline Summary [1:02] – Two martial artists connect over a shared lifelong passion [7:13] – The fall down two flights of stairs and the concussion that changed everything [9:14] – Total regression: years of therapy and even the piano, gone [9:37] – Picking yourself off the mat because the endgame never changed [10:45] – Gus graduates Kent State and starts a physical therapy graduate program [12:16] – The full bio: author, neuroscientist, the Pit Guru, and a dad [14:51] – When Gus was diagnosed and why Harry was so stubborn at first [15:31] – The oddities Michelle saw that Harry couldn't accept [16:28] – The birthday party, the fan, and the teacher who said it out loud [17:57] – The two hour drive home and the moment he decided, game on [19:16] – The two types of dads, and why both need to hear this [22:26] – Gus at 22, the vision board, the degree, and the Ram truck [23:09] – The three levels of autism and why mild is never easy [24:19] – A nonverbal keynote speaker with two degrees and a full life [25:31] – Larry's own son: low muscle tone, food textures, and an IEP that led to drum major [29:33] – Larry's younger son, PANDAS, and the strep connection [31:47] – The 2% rule: one thing a day to silence the cacophony [41:58] – Sight versus vision: the daily grind and the long term picture [43:19] – Brain Balance, Dr. Robert Melillo, and lifting the autistic fog [45:21] – Why the vision piece includes estate planning for some families [47:33] – Filotimo and doing good for the sake of good, asking nothing in return [49:16] – Wanting to become a preeminent male voice in the autism space [51:10] – Your number one job as a dad is to be there for your kid [53:19] – Gus wins a National Courage Award and says yes to help one person [55:09] – Where to find the book and connect with Harry   5 Key Takeaways Control the Controllable — When a devastating setback erases years of progress, you can't change what happened. You can refocus on the endgame, pick yourself off the mat, and keep fighting toward the best version of your child. The 2% Rule — Parenting a child with extra needs floods you with everything that needs fixing at once. Pick one thing each day and make your child 2% better at it. Anything beyond that is icing on the cake. Mild Doesn't Mean Easy — A level one diagnosis still means years of therapists, neurologists, and countless hours on the road. Improvement applies at every level, and no one should tell you what your child can't do. Sight and Vision Are Both Required — Sight is the daily grind of therapies and goals. Vision is the long term picture, and it can change dramatically as your child grows, so keep both in view and adjust the vision as gains come. A True Man Shows Up — Your number one job as a dad is to be there for your kid. Resisting the diagnosis or staying on the sidelines is doing the opposite of what fatherhood requires. Get your emotions out, then dive in.   Links & Resources Episode page and all links: https://thedadedge.com/1514 Dad Edge Day with the Arizona Cardinals (November 15, Cardinals vs Rams, State Farm Stadium): https://thedadedge.com/nfl Alex the Terrible scream video (referenced in episode, just for fun): https://www.youtube.com/shorts/UMZ1tqojC2Q Become a legendary couple: https://thedadedge.com/legendary-couple/   Enjoyed This Episode? If Harry's message reached something in you, whether you're facing a diagnosis yourself or you know a dad who's still resisting one, pass it along. Send this episode to a father who needs to hear that showing up is the whole job, and pick one small thing to get 2% better at with your own kids this week. If the show keeps delivering, follow, rate, and leave a review so more fathers can find these conversations.

This is a Wednesday Wins Q&A, with Larry joined by his longtime co-host and friend of nearly a decade, Joe Bailey. The two open up about the Bible study they've been doing together before digging into two listener questions that hit at the heart of hands-on fatherhood. First, Steve asks how to prepare his three year old daughter for a new baby sister arriving in a few weeks, and how to keep the first child feeling seen. Then Brad from Florida sends in a question that lands hard: his wife says that even when he's home, he's not really there, and his 11 year old recently cut off a story with "never mind, dad, you're not listening anyway." Larry and Joe get practical on capacity for love, protecting margin, and the exact tools they use to actually be present. If you've ever been physically home but mentally somewhere else, this one is for you.   Timeline Summary [1:02] – Larry and Joe celebrate nearly a decade of friendship and their ongoing Bible study [3:09] – Steve's question: transitioning a three year old into big sister life [4:57] – The fear of not having enough love to go around, and why it's unfounded [5:19] – The Love and Logic lesson: what a new sibling feels like to a toddler [7:05] – Kids spell love T-I-M-E, and why one on one time matters most [9:36] – Joe on quality over quantity once you can't match the same hours [11:39] – Becoming a subject matter expert in whatever your kid is into [13:03] – Inviting the older child into the role of big sister without pressure [14:14] – Watching for behavioral cues before jealousy goes full fledged [14:34] – Being depth on the bench for your wife and beating the guilt monster [15:37] – Larry's chapter on raising daughters and leaning on Meg Meeker's work [16:26] – Chris Berry's daddy-daughter dates and setting the standard sky high [18:01] – Why three years old isn't too early to start dating your daughter [19:19] – Brad's question: present in body, absent in mind [21:03] – Why perception is reality when your family feels you're not there [22:16] – The name cue: teaching your family to signal when they need you fully [23:26] – Being relentless about creating margin and hard stops for work [25:24] – Larry on notifications as the window that steals your presence [25:43] – The Gary John Bishop river metaphor for the past, present, and future [28:28] – Larry's Full Presence Training and grounding through the five senses [31:07] – Joe on great expectancy with no expectations   5 Key Takeaways Your Capacity for Love Isn't Fixed — Every parent fears they can't love a second child as much as the first. Both hosts describe the same surprise each time: a fresh reserve of love shows up that you didn't know you had. Quality Beats Quantity — With more kids, you simply can't give each one the same number of hours. Get intentional instead: enter your child's world, learn what they love, and make the time you do have count. Perception Is Reality — You may feel like you're present and carrying the load, but if your wife and kids experience you as checked out, that's the reality you have to address. Validating their experience comes before defending your own. Protect Margin With Hard Stops — Decide when work starts and when it ends, and hold the line even when customers call at night. Give your family a simple cue, like saying your name, that signals you'll drop everything and give full attention. Ground Yourself in the Five Senses — When your mind drifts to the past or the future, you miss the present entirely. Deliberately noticing what you see, hear, feel, and smell in a moment with your kids pulls you fully into it.   Links & Resources Episode page and all links: https://thedadedge.com/1513 Dad Edge Day with the Arizona Cardinals (November 15, Cardinals vs Rams, State Farm Stadium): https://thedadedge.com/nfl Meg Meeker episode: https://thedadedge.com/meg-meeker/   Enjoyed This Episode? If Brad's question hit a nerve, or if you've got a new sibling on the way like Steve, take one idea from this episode and put it to work this week. Set a hard stop on work tonight, or ground yourself in the five senses the next time your kid is talking to you. If the show keeps delivering, follow, rate, and leave a review so more fathers can find these conversations.

Jenna Free is a counselor who specializes in ADHD, and she doesn't teach it from a textbook, she lives it, having been diagnosed herself at 32. Her work zeroes in on the piece she says the field keeps missing: dysregulation. Through her ADHD regulation groups and her training for mental health professionals, she teaches a method built around regulating the nervous system, thoughts, and behaviors, and she's put it all into her bestselling book The Simple Guide to ADHD Regulation, a Toronto Star and Globe and Mail bestseller. The core idea here reframes almost everything men think they know about ADHD. Jenna argues that most of what gets labeled ADHD is actually an ADHD brain stuck in chronic fight or flight, and that it's fixable. She and Larry get into what's happening in the brain during dysregulation, the four survival responses, why potential keeps you stuck, and how simply refusing to fight with reality can change your whole day. If you or your kids have ever felt like putting on socks is a full body assignment, this one explains why.   Timeline Summary [1:58] – Getting diagnosed at 32 and finally making sense to herself [3:28] – Four careers by 35, from marketing to modeling in South Africa to teaching [9:14] – Two kids under a year and a half apart and max fight or flight [9:57] – Your mess becomes your message [10:16] – The full bio: the ADHD regulation method and a bestselling book [13:16] – What's actually happening in an ADHD brain stuck in fight or flight [14:43] – Why the fight or flight symptom list looks almost identical to the ADHD one [15:49] – The socks story and how different life feels once you're regulated [18:58] – Fight, flight, freeze, and fawn, and how each one shows up [20:39] – Why your body can't tell a to-do list from a bear [22:01] – Which survival response dominates, and whether gender or age matters [24:41] – Why this work is hard for kids and lands better with bought-in adults [25:28] – Hyperactive, inattentive, and combination types across the lifespan [26:28] – Where regulation actually starts, and why buy-in comes first [27:43] – Putting on your dysregulation goggles to see symptoms differently [29:26] – Giving yourself permission to regulate when survival mode resists it [32:44] – Physical regulation first: slowing down to signal safety to the body [35:14] – Potential versus reality and the shoulds that pull you back into panic [36:50] – The spilled box of gems and dropping the fight with reality in five seconds [38:27] – Larry's disputed parking charge and staying calm while everyone else panicked [43:12] – Do people with ADHD have less energy, or is it pouring onto the floor? [45:13] – Why Jenna's calming tone regulates her own body in real time [48:14] – How fawning and people pleasing trace back to the amygdala   5 Key Takeaways It's Often Fight or Flight, Not Just ADHD — Many of the symptoms people write off as permanent ADHD traits, the overwhelm, paralysis, and procrastination, are actually a nervous system stuck in survival mode. That part is treatable. Your Body Can't Tell a To-Do List From a Bear — Under chronic stress, blood flow leaves the prefrontal cortex so you can fight or run, which is exactly why you can't think clearly when you sit down to work. Buy-In Comes Before Any Technique — Regulation work is uncomfortable because your system thinks its old patterns are keeping you alive. You have to genuinely want the change to push through the resistance. Start by Physically Slowing Down — Walking instead of rushing, dropping your shoulders, and typing at a reasonable pace all signal safety to the body. Small shifts over time retrain the nervous system far better than fast, intense change. Stop Fighting With Reality — Shoulds, what-ifs, and "this shshouldn't have happened" throw you straight back into panic. Naming what is real and asking "now what" is one of the fastest ways to calm the system down.   Links & Resources Episode page and all links: https://thedadedge.com/1512 Dad Edge Day with the Arizona Cardinals (November 15, Cardinals vs Rams, State Farm Stadium): https://thedadedge.com/nfl   Enjoyed This Episode? If Jenna's reframing of dysregulation gave you a new way to understand your own brain or your kid's, put one piece of it to work. Catch yourself the next time you're rushing and physically slow down, and notice how quickly your body follows. If the show keeps delivering, follow, rate, and leave a review so more fathers can find these conversations. This episode discusses ADHD, disordered eating, and mental health. If any of it resonates personally, consider reaching out to a licensed professional who can offer support tailored to you.

Thais Gibson is the co-founder of the Personal Development School and the creator of Gibson Integrated Attachment Theory, whose work on attachment and subconscious rewiring has reached more than 75 million people. He holds a PhD, is certified in over 13 therapeutic modalities, and his research shows that 88% of the more than 70,000 people he's worked with developed a secure attachment style in just 90 days. He got there the hard way, through a six and a half year opioid addiction that only broke when he understood he wasn't running from his outside world, he was running from his inside one. This one gets unusually personal. Thais breaks down the difference between the conscious and subconscious mind, why willpower alone never sticks, and the exact rewiring exercise he uses, then Larry opens up about childhood bullying and body-image fear he says he's never shared in 1,500 episodes. If you've ever set a goal your behavior refused to follow, this conversation explains why and what to do about it.   Timeline Summary [1:44] – Growing up in a tumultuous household and one of Canada's longest divorce cases [2:46] – A knee surgery, painkillers, and the start of a six and a half year spiral [4:00] – The idea that changed everything: you're numbing your internal reality, not your external one [5:52] – Why sobriety finally stuck the third time around [6:20] – The sentence in a psych class that began his recovery [8:04] – Finding God, meditation, and building a real support system [11:33] – The full bio: 75 million people reached and an 88% success rate in 90 days [13:09] – The actual difference between the conscious and subconscious mind [14:14] – The Freudian iceberg and where your conditioning is stored [16:03] – Why there's no such thing as self-sabotage [19:18] – The Monday drinker: a case study in wanting to quit but not quitting [20:36] – The three pillars of why we keep choosing what we say we don't want [24:05] – Upgrading the form: how Thais turned his own anger into vulnerability [28:55] – The red converse shoes and how we wire by emotional association [29:42] – The cost benefit rewiring exercise, step by step [32:37] – What's actually happening in the brain when you reflect, write, and repeat [36:09] – Larry shares being a bullied, overweight kid and the dance that changed him [41:05] – Why body image got wired to so much pain, and what it's really about [48:34] – The three step exercise for rewiring a core wound [50:37] – Building confidence rooted in character instead of appearance [57:04] – The four attachment styles explained [1:00:14] – The fearful avoidant style and the unworthiness wound [1:04:17] – Why your attachment shows up most where you were most wounded   5 Key Takeaways Willpower Can't Beat Your Programming — Your conscious mind can't outwill your subconscious. When you keep repeating a pattern you swore you'd quit, that isn't weakness, it's your subconscious running a different program than the one you set. There's No Such Thing as Self-Sabotage — What feels like sabotage is your conscious intention and your subconscious conditioning pulling in opposite directions. Nobody wakes up planning to wreck their day. Upgrade the Form, Don't Just Kill the Habit — Every habit meets a real need. Instead of white-knuckling it away, identify what the behavior gives you and build a healthier way to get that same need met. Rewire Through Repetition, Emotion, and Imagery — The subconscious speaks in images and feelings, not logic. Recording your costs and benefits and listening back daily for 21 days builds new neural pathways while the old ones atrophy. Root Your Worth in Character, Not Appearance — Confidence based on your body or achievements can be taken away by an injury or a setback. Confidence built on evidence of who you are at your core can't be infringed.   Links & Resources Episode page and all links: https://thedadedge.com/1511 Join the Dad Edge Alliance: https://thedadedge.com/join Dad Edge Boardroom Goal Setting Intensive (July 31, 8am central): https://thedadedge.com/goals The Personal Development School: https://personaldevelopmentschool.com Thais Gibson on YouTube: Thais Gibson Personal Development School The Personal Development School on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thepersonaldevelopmentschool The Pursuit of Legendary Fatherhood by Larry Hagner: referenced in episode   Enjoyed This Episode? If Thais naming the gap between what you intend and what you actually do landed for you, take it as the starting point. Send this episode to a man who keeps setting the same goal every Monday, and pick one core wound to run the 21 day rewiring exercise on this month. If the show keeps delivering, follow, rate, and leave a review so more fathers can find these conversations. This episode touches on addiction, bullying, and body image. If any of it hits close to home for you, it's worth talking with a licensed professional who can offer personalized support.

Sterling Seizert spent his career as a US Army Special Forces Green Beret, serving as a senior communications and intelligence sergeant in 10th Special Forces Group and as a Special Operations liaison at the US Embassy in Nigeria. When he transitioned out, he carried the same discipline into entrepreneurship, and today he's the founder of Patriot Capital and Legends Lodge, overseeing eight self storage facilities worth over 58 million dollars and serving 3,100 clients. He's also the author of the new book Buy Your Freedom. This one goes deeper than either man expected. Sterling opens with a harrowing 2013 combat story, then he and Larry get into how training builds calm under pressure, servant leadership in marriage, raising daughters who hold themselves to a standard, and why honesty in a home should be celebrated rather than punished. If you want a masterclass in staying grounded when the stakes are high, this is it.   Timeline Summary [2:54] – The 2013 mission in northwest Africa and the firefight that changed everything [6:11] – Holding a soldier's heart and being told to keep the rhythm [8:11] – Did training take over, or was there disbelief in the moment? [10:26] – How repetition inoculates you to the sights, sounds, and smells of the battlefield [12:32] – Advice for the average man facing his own hard situation [14:25] – Why action creates clarity and keeps you out of rumination [15:11] – The full bio: Green Beret, Nigeria, and 58 million in self storage [17:36] – Growing up in small-town Wisconsin and a colder father [20:59] – The deep question: would he still eat Taco Bell knowing what he knows? [22:21] – Did quitting ever cross his mind in selection? It never did [26:07] – The frozen ambush in North Carolina and putting suffering in perspective [30:35] – Getting recycled through small unit tactics and choosing to be an asset [32:09] – The first responder divorce rate and how he and Rebecca stayed tight [32:36] – Marriage as service, and why keeping score never works [35:09] – Serving your wife without becoming the nice guy or the domineering man [38:33] – Servant leadership, apologizing, and holding a standard at the same time [39:03] – Larry and Sterling compare their household standards for conflict [41:07] – The one question that disarms almost any argument with someone close [43:44] – The plan for when his daughters start dating, sniper school included [45:10] – Raising strong daughters to look for ambition and a standard [48:14] – What this generation of young men is missing, from social media to porn [52:03] – Cultivating real connection with daughters in the teenage years [54:13] – The one hard rule he'll raise his voice over, and why honesty gets celebrated [57:29] – The two books that changed his life, plus his own new release   5 Key Takeaways Action Creates Clarity — When you're facing something hard, assess what needs to get done and execute in order. Movement keeps you out of the rumination loop and steadily reveals the next right step. Marriage Is Service, Not Score — Approach your marriage as the person there to serve, and assume your spouse will meet you halfway. Keeping score guarantees you'll always find a way to justify why you're winning. Serve Without Being a Doormat — Servant leadership isn't groveling and it isn't domineering. Hold a real standard for how you're treated, model that same standard yourself, and pick the battles that actually matter. Assume the Best Interest — In conflict with someone close, ask whether they truly lack your family's best interest at heart. Nine times out of ten they don't, which turns the fight into the two of you against the problem. Celebrate Honesty, Don't Punish It — Make ownership safe. When kids know honesty is welcomed rather than met with punishment, you can address the actual problem instead of untangling a lie on top of it.   Links & Resources Episode page and all links: https://thedadedge.com/1510 Join the Dad Edge Alliance: https://thedadedge.com/join Dad Edge Boardroom Goal Setting Intensive (July 31, 8am central): https://thedadedge.com/goals Buy Your Freedom by Sterling Seizert: https://a.co/d/0fwMJAzB   Enjoyed This Episode? If Sterling's line about action creating clarity gave you something to hold onto, put it to work this week. Send this episode to a man who's stuck ruminating instead of moving, and take one honest look at the standards you're actually modeling at home. If the show keeps delivering, follow, rate, and leave a review so more fathers can find these conversations.

Joshua Becker is the founder of Becoming Minimalist, a New York Times bestselling author, and one of the leading voices in the world on intentional living. His work reaches more than 4 million followers across social media and over 1 million readers a month on his website. He spent 15 years as a pastor before discovering minimalism in his own driveway, and his newest book Uncluttered Faith makes the case that owning less isn't just practical, it's profoundly spiritual. The conversation starts with the Memorial Day garage cleanout where Joshua looked up and saw his five-year-old son swinging alone in the backyard, and goes into what he realized about Jesus' teachings on money, how he and his wife Kim navigated wanting to get rid of very different amounts, and the parable that showed him he wasn't the soil he thought he was. If you've ever spent a day off managing your possessions while your kids waited, this one will land.   Timeline Summary [1:02] – Joshua on finally making the New York Times list with his fourth book [2:51] – The Memorial Day garage cleanout that started everything [4:40] – A neighbor named June changes his life in one sentence [5:23] – Seeing his son swinging alone and realizing possessions were taking him away [6:37] – Telling Kim, and starting Becoming Minimalist that Monday [7:02] – Why the very first thing he decluttered was the cars [8:57] – Starting with the easiest, most lived-in rooms instead of the garage [11:50] – Easier to clean, more money, more generosity: cataloging the benefits [13:11] – Owning fewer things means owning higher quality things [13:58] – Full introduction: 4 million followers, 1 million monthly readers, 15 years pastoring [16:32] – Realizing June wasn't the first person to tell him about minimalism, Jesus was [17:47] – Why Jesus wasn't inviting him to a boring life but a better one [20:56] – Knowing the verses for years without knowing how to actually live them out [22:39] – Five thousand advertisements a day and the world's definition of a good life [25:16] – Kim was on board, but she wanted to lose 40% and he wanted 80% [27:21] – It's always easier to see everyone else's clutter than your own [28:28] – Why men and women tend to accumulate differently [29:44] – The three moments it got hard, including "let me handle the children's clothes" [32:40] – Would he still be a minimalist if he weren't a Christian? [34:32] – Raising Salem and Alexa in it, and the test that comes with the first big paycheck [37:23] – The foundation kids can always come back to [41:03] – How minimalism forced him to redefine success [43:45] – The parable of the four soils and the weeds nobody names correctly [46:15] – Discovering he was the third soil, not the fourth   5 Key Takeaways Your Stuff Is Taking You From What Matters — It isn't just that possessions fail to make you happy. Managing, cleaning, and organizing them actively pulls you away from the people and purpose that do. Start With the Easy Rooms — Most people think decluttering means attacking the garage or the storage unit. Begin with the car and the most lived-in spaces, where you'll feel the benefit immediately and build momentum. Clean Up Your Own Clutter First — It's always easier to see your spouse's or your kids' excess than your own. You have little standing to ask anyone to let go of their things until you've dealt with yours. Owning Less Redefines Success — When you stop earning to accumulate, you're forced to answer what you're actually working for. That question reshapes your filter for nearly every decision. Worries, Riches, and Pleasures Choke Fruitfulness — In the parable of the four soils, Jesus names riches themselves, not merely the love of them. Many who assume they're the fourth soil are living as the third.   Links & Resources Episode page and all links: https://thedadedge.com/1509 Join the Dad Edge Alliance: https://thedadedge.com/join Dad Edge Boardroom Goal Setting Intensive (July 31, 8am central): https://thedadedge.com/goals Uncluttered Faith by Joshua Becker: available everywhere books are sold, plus a six week small group Bible study Becoming Minimalist: https://becomingminimalist.com Joshua Becker's personal site: https://joshuabecker.com Luke 8:14, the parable of the four soils: referenced in episode The Pursuit of Legendary Fatherhood by Larry Hagner: referenced in episode   Enjoyed This Episode? If the image of Joshua's son swinging alone in the backyard while he sorted boxes stopped you cold, take that as the nudge. Send this episode to a dad who spends his days off managing his possessions, and go clean out one small space this week just to feel the difference. If the show keeps delivering, follow, rate, and leave a review so more fathers can find these conversations.

Jon Gustin is the founder of Tired Dad, a community of more than 2 million followers built on one honest premise: parenting is only hard for good parents. A former personal trainer of 14 years who started making short videos during the sleepless newborn stretch of 2020, he became one of the first men online talking openly about the mental load of fatherhood. He co-hosts the Tired Dad and Tired Mom podcasts with his wife Jessica and released his book The Tired Dad: 100 Reflections on Showing Up for What Matters Most in May. Larry and Jon get into the exhaustion that comes from doing the work right, both of their fathers coming home from Vietnam unable to talk about it, the rebellion and loss that followed Jon's parents' divorce, and the ego death that pulled his marriage out of the roommate phase. If you're tired in the best way possible and still wondering whether you're doing a good job, this conversation is for you.   Timeline Summary [1:02] – Parenting is only hard for good parents, and why tired means invested [3:19] – Tired from parenting, not tired of parenting [6:23] – How the newborn stretch of 2020 accidentally birthed Tired Dad [8:10] – Nobody was talking about the mental load of fatherhood, so Jon did [12:16] – The Justin Gustin problem and Larry's own Hagman mixup [13:29] – Full introduction: 2 million followers, two podcasts, and the book [16:54] – Growing up the baby of the family with siblings seven and eight years older [20:18] – A Vietnam veteran father, a World War Two grandfather, and night terrors that never left [21:55] – Watching your dad go from Superman to human during the divorce [26:38] – Running from it: partying, drugs, theft, and total chaos at 14 [28:26] – Losing friends to overdoses and deciding to get out [29:48] – Moving to Tennessee, meeting Jessica, and marrying 11 months later [34:08] – The Gottman research and why only 12% of marriages truly thrive [36:27] – Marry the right person for the right reasons, because marriage fixes nothing [37:59] – Postpartum, the roommate phase, and the darkest stretch of their marriage [40:56] – Killing the ego and why keeping score breeds resentment [43:48] – Getting sober three and a half years ago and what changed [46:42] – Ego death without becoming a doormat or a nice guy [48:55] – Eliminate the guessing and learn what your wife actually needs [52:42] – Inside the book: the weight fathers carry and the mantra to keep showing up [54:47] – Wearing exhaustion as a badge of honor versus being the healed version of you [57:18] – Legacy, being a home worth coming back to, and the 3am call   5 Key Takeaways Tired Means You're Doing It Right — If parenting feels hard and exhausting, that's evidence you care enough to invest in it. You're tired from the work, not of it. Marriage Fixes Nothing — Your partner isn't responsible for healing your wounds and you aren't responsible for healing theirs. Two people can both do their own work and build something great, but expecting rescue guarantees misery. The Ego Is a Heavy Backpack — Keeping score is the breeding ground for resentment. Dropping the ego means asking how you can help the situation, not tallying what you're not getting. Ego Death Is Not Becoming a Doormat — Killing the ego doesn't mean happy wife, happy life, or becoming a yes man. It means eliminating the guessing, expressing your own needs clearly, and understanding hers. Be the Healed Version, Not the Broken One — Carrying exhaustion proudly while running on empty leaves you injured at the end of the road. The goal is showing up tired but well, in shape for the job.   Links & Resources Episode page and all links: https://thedadedge.com/1508 Join the Dad Edge Alliance (July promo: signed book, two courses, 50 conversation starters): https://thedadedge.com/join Dad Edge Boardroom Goal Setting Intensive (July 31, 8am central): https://thedadedge.com/goals The Tired Dad: 100 Reflections on Showing Up for What Matters Most by Jon Gustin: available wherever books are sold Tired Dad website: https://tireddad.com   Enjoyed This Episode? If Jon's line about being tired from parenting rather than tired of it reframed something for you, pass it along. Send this episode to a dad who's running on empty and quietly wondering if he's cut out for this, and ask yourself whether you're carrying the weight well or just carrying it. If the show keeps delivering, follow, rate, and leave a review so more fathers can find these conversations.

This episode flips the script. Instead of Larry hosting, Marc Hildebrand, one of the top coaches in the Dad Edge Business Brotherhood, a 20-year LAPD veteran, life coach, and founder of Modern Leadership, sits Larry down and interviews him. The jumping-off point is a hard statistic: most men are lonely, and the majority don't have a single friend they could call at 3am. Larry opens up about the mastermind that changed his life eleven years ago, the "cost of doing nothing" question that got him to say yes, the BRAVE MAN system his Boardroom runs on, and the August 2017 morning his wife told him he was losing her. If you're a man who's surrounded by people but still feels alone, or a business owner pouring everything into work while the rest of your life drifts, this one is a roadmap.   Timeline Summary [1:02] – The loneliness statistic and why Larry isn't surprised it's that high [3:17] – Marc introduces Larry and the role-reversal format [7:04] – The first mastermind eleven years ago and mentor Aaron Walker [8:45] – Rusty relationships and why "fine, good, busy" keeps men shallow [10:03] – The $500-a-month invitation that sounded like snake oil [11:55] – The question that changed everything: the cost of doing nothing [13:45] – Sitting with the chills, imagining life a year out, and calling back in 12 minutes [16:24] – What pulled Larry to lean in instead of talking himself out of it [19:03] – "Show me your calendar and I'll show you what's important to you" [22:59] – Why it's never the business, it's the person running the business [25:41] – The BRAVE MAN system explained category by category [29:53] – Why the room, not just the strategies, is what gets men to change [30:52] – The black belt lesson: that's when the training actually begins [35:02] – Attracting your wife back to you instead of chasing [36:22] – The August 2017 morning Jessica said "you're losing me" [40:30] – Masculine and feminine energy, and helping your wife soften [44:11] – Inside the quarterly Goal Setting Intensive [47:19] – Why the Boardroom is only 20-25% about business [50:26] – Living an "and" life instead of an "or" life [52:36] – The Dad Edge core values, read in full for the first time [58:04] – Who the room is for, and how to join the intensive   5 Key Takeaways The Cost of Doing Nothing — When weighing an investment in yourself, the real question isn't the price. It's what your life looks like a year from now if you change nothing at all. It's Never the Business — Entrepreneurs blame the business for their disconnection, burnout, and lost health. The hidden truth is that it's the person running the business, and reactivity is the pattern to break. Attract, Don't Chase — Chasing your spouse reads as needy, desperate energy. Leading from a grounded, positive masculine presence lets her soften and pulls her back toward you. Set "And" Goals, Not "Or" Goals — You don't have to choose between growing your business and connecting with your family. The right question is how one could actually strengthen the other. The Room Is the Gold — Skills and strategies matter, but transformation happens in a room of trusted men who share wins in detail, hold public accountability, and call each other forward.   Links & Resources Episode page and all links: https://thedadedge.com/1515 Join the Dad Edge Alliance: https://thedadedge.com/join Dad Edge Boardroom Goal Setting Intensive (July 31, 8am central, 10 guest spots): https://thedadedge.com/goals   Enjoyed This Episode? If the "cost of doing nothing" question landed for you the way it landed for Larry, don't let it sit. Send this episode to a man who's surrounded by people but still feels alone, and ask yourself honestly who your own 3am call would be. If the show keeps showing up for you, follow, rate, and leave a review so more fathers can find these conversations.  

Stefanos Sifandos returns to the show six years after his first appearance, and this time the conversation goes straight to the bone. A behavioral scientist and relationship expert who's worked with Olympic gold medalists, world champion fighters, special forces operators, and high-performing couples, Stefanos helps successful people confront the emotional armor and old patterns that achievement can't hide. He's also the author of the new book Tuned In and Turned On. Larry and Stefanos both grew up with volatile, abusive fathers, and they open up about the exact moments they stood up to the men who terrorized them, the survival patterns that followed them into adulthood, and the slow inner work of forgiveness. If you're a man carrying more than you've ever said out loud, this conversation names it and points to a way through.   Timeline Summary [1:02] – Stefanos returns after six years and revisits growing up in violence [3:09] – A gambler father, criminal company, and never knowing which version you'd get [4:39] – How the abuse shifted between two brothers over the years [6:24] – Leaving the country at 18 and the eldest-child savior role [7:40] – Larry shares his own story of standing up to his mom's abusive boyfriend [10:09] – Why a terrifying confrontation can be a painful gift with a long trajectory [12:40] – Stefanos on the night at the kitchen bench when he told his dad "I'm not small anymore" [18:46] – Stefanos' full background in behavioral science, performance, and embodiment [21:24] – The unconscious, fractured initiation from boyhood into manhood [23:44] – Larry on deliberately taking his sons through rites of passage [24:26] – Where the relationship with his father stands now, and the memoir project [27:15] – Forgiveness as an inside job and letting go without relying on the other person [29:37] – Scarcity, hypervigilance, and why the nervous system prepares for the worst [36:18] – Why 80% of healing is how others show up and meet you [38:41] – How children internalize abuse as proof they're unworthy [41:24] – The book's practices: get a friend, and why men are so isolated [46:20] – Deliberate solitude in nature and learning to slow down [48:55] – Seeking physical challenge as the path to real confidence   5 Key Takeaways Standing Up Is an Initiation — For many men, the shift from boyhood to manhood happens through a raw, unchosen confrontation rather than a healthy rite of passage. Naming that moment helps you understand who you became because of it. Forgiveness Is an Inside Job — Closure doesn't require the other person to change or even participate. Peace comes from your own diligent inner work, not from waiting on an apology. Your Survival Patterns Made Sense Once — Scarcity thinking and catastrophizing were hypervigilant survival tools in childhood. The work isn't to shame them away, but to notice them and stop feeding the beast. Healing Is Relational — Around 80% of transformation is being met with compassion and nonjudgment by someone who can relate to you. Insight matters, but connection is what actually changes you. Get a Friend, Then Get Alone — Men are epidemically lonely, so build real friendships despite the risk. Then balance that with deliberate solitude in nature and physical challenge that builds genuine confidence.   Links & Resources Episode page and all links: https://thedadedge.com/1506 Join the Dad Edge Alliance: https://thedadedge.com/join Dad Edge Boardroom Goal Setting Intensive: https://thedadedge.com/goals Tuned In and Turned On by Stefanos Sifandos: published by Hay House, February 2026 (audiobook includes bonus material) Stefanos Sifandos on Instagram: https://instagram.com/stefanossifandos Stefanos Sifandos on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@stefanossifandos Follow Stefanos Sifandos on Facebook and TikTok: search "Stefanos Sifandos" The Pursuit of Legendary Fatherhood by Larry Hagner: referenced in episode   Enjoyed This Episode? If Stefanos' line about men leaking their pain sideways into aggression and avoidance hit home, don't carry it alone. Send this episode to a man in your life who might be quietly isolated, and think about who your own 3am friend would be. If the show keeps showing up for you, follow, rate, and leave a review so more fathers can find these conversations.

Leslie Tyler is the Director of Parent Education at Pinwheel, where she's also known as the Chief Mom, and the editor of Your Healthy Tech Playbook. She co-hosts the Technically Parenting podcast, collaborates with leading researchers to build practical tools for families, and previously took an edtech company from startup through acquisition by GoGuardian. She's also a mom of two teenagers doing this work in real time. This conversation gets into what most parents are missing: the body image and hyper-masculinity content quietly targeting boys, why the bully now follows your kid into his bedroom, what AI is actually doing to kids' thinking and relationships, and how to teach self-regulation without setting your kid up to fail. If you've ever thought "he's in his room, what could go wrong," this one's for you.   Timeline Summary [1:02] – Why boys get lost in the conversation about social media risk [2:20] – Looksmaxxing, jawlines, and the body image content aimed squarely at boys [3:52] – What the Netflix series Adolescence revealed about hidden bullying [7:43] – Comparison versus inspiration and why kids can't tell the difference [9:17] – That photo wasn't their first take, and adults know it but kids don't [13:25] – How to interrupt the gut reaction when your son sees an idealized image [14:51] – The cupcake story and giving your kid grace [19:19] – Why exposing your own vulnerability opens the door to connection [20:24] – Middle school as the hardest age and where the filter disappears [22:48] – School used to end at the door, now the bully is in the bedroom [24:14] – Text monitoring as a window into your kid's friends' real character [29:22] – The story of a dad who said nothing and changed everything [31:25] – Leslie on losing her father and what her kids remembered about him [33:00] – The AI frontier: what's real, what isn't, and why critical thinking matters more [36:32] – AI is not your friend, it's a sycophant programmed to please [41:01] – Let kids fail when the stakes are low so they don't fail when they're high [42:42] – A practical path to self-regulation that starts with the parent [49:48] – The hallway phone is back, and why kids need a landline again   5 Key Takeaways Boys Are Being Targeted Too — Looksmaxxing and hyper-masculine content hits boys just as hard as thinspo hits girls, but there's no counter-message, so boys internalize it silently. The Bully Followed Them Home — Kids used to escape their tormentors when the school bell rang. Now the device sits in the bedroom and the bully is in there with them. Vulnerability Is the Doorway — When your kid feels inadequate, don't lecture. Admit you feel the same thing sometimes. That's the moment connection actually happens. AI Is Not a Friend — It's programmed to tell kids what they want to hear, and there's no give and take. That one-way sycophancy is the biggest AI risk facing children right now. Self-Regulation Is Taught, Not Assumed — Start with the parent setting limits and explaining why, then loosen them gradually. Kids will fail, and that failure is the actual lesson.   Links & Resources Episode shownotes: https://thedadedge.com/1505 Join the Dad Edge Alliance: https://thedadedge.com/join Bark (Dad Edge listener discount, 10% off): https://thedadedge.com/bark Dad Edge Boardroom Goal Setting Intensive: https://thedadedge.com/goals Pinwheel: https://pinwheel.com    Enjoyed This Episode? If the line about the bully sitting in your kid's bedroom stopped you cold, don't let it end there. Send this episode to a parent who's still telling themselves their kid is safe because he's upstairs, and go have one honest conversation with your son this week about what he's actually seeing on that screen. If the show keeps delivering, follow, rate, and leave a review so more parents can find it.

Gary John Bishop is the New York Times bestselling author behind Unfuk Yourself* and Stop Doing That Sht*, with seven books and millions of copies sold, and his new release Now What out this month. In this episode Larry opens the doors to an exclusive Q&A Gary did inside the Dad Edge Business Boardroom Brotherhood, where business owners brought him their real, unfiltered questions. Three men bring their hardest challenges to the table: grief and a 20-year marriage at a crossroads, the daily collapse between what you plan and what you actually do, and the fear of losing a business that follows you home to your kids. If you're a business owner who says one thing and does another, or who's been quietly sacrificing family for a fear you haven't named, this conversation will hit you where you live.   Timeline Summary [1:02] – Larry introduces this exclusive Boardroom Q&A and why he brings in high level guests monthly [3:30] – Gary is introduced as the bestselling author of seven books and a friend since 2018 [5:38] – Slade opens with losing his father, rebuilding a career, and a 20-year marriage at a crossroads [8:20] – Gary challenges the idea that you lose anything when someone dies [8:57] – Your life as a conversational domain and why your father still exists inside it [13:12] – The question that changes a marriage: what are the conversations actually about? [16:02] – Why calling his dad a "degenerate gambler" was costing Slade more than he knew [18:35] – Alan asks how to stay focused when the day falls apart by 10am [20:39] – The real issue is integrity: you say and then you don't do [21:23] – Would you trust a man who never keeps his word? You're doing it to yourself [24:17] – Gary doubles his revenue target for no reason other than he said he would [29:26] – You're not detaching from emotion, you're recognizing you're attached to it [31:14] – Blake on the fear that not answering the phone will cost him his business [33:26] – Every company is organized around the fears of its founder [37:39] – "This is not appropriate to this space" and how to shut work off at home [45:05] – Ciprian asks how to stop building the present on a broken past [49:01] – Nobody cut you off in traffic: how automatic language creates your world [53:04] – Husserl's bracketing: set the story aside and be in wonder of what's there   5 Key Takeaways Your Life Is a Conversational Domain — The people you've lost still exist in the conversations you have and the way you speak about them. Locate them somewhere that nurtures you instead of somewhere labeled loss. Integrity Is Honoring Your Word — Integrity isn't morality, it's treating what you say like it matters. If you routinely say and then don't do, you've trained yourself to be unreliable to yourself. Your Business Runs On Your Fear — Every company is organized around the fears of its founder. If you're taking calls at the dinner table, look at what you're actually committed to versus what you say you're committed to. The Language Is Creating the World — Calling something a struggle instead of a challenge, or your father a degenerate instead of a man who gambled, isn't description. It's construction, and you'll live inside whatever you build. Bracket the Story and Declare Something New — You don't have to fix the past. Set it aside, declare who you are right now, and ask what that person would obviously do next.   Links & Resources Episode shownotes — https://thedadedge.com/1504 Join the Dad Edge Alliance — https://thedadedge.com/join Dad Edge Boardroom Goal Setting Intensive — https://thedadedge.com/goals   Enjoyed This Episode? If Gary's line about every company being organized around the fears of its founder made you sit up, sit with it a while. Send this to a business owner who's been sacrificing his family for a fear he hasn't named yet, and ask yourself where you say one thing and do another. If the show keeps delivering, follow, rate, and leave a review so more men can find these conversations.

Gary John Bishop is the New York Times bestselling author behind Unfuk Yourself* and Stop Doing That Sht*, whose books have sold over 4.5 million copies and whose audiobooks alone have topped 2 million. Making his sixth appearance on the show, the Scottish philosopher and personal development author joins Larry to break down his newest book, Now What, and challenge the entire premise of self-help. This conversation gets into why chasing the next fix keeps you stuck, how your old solutions quietly become your current problems, and why self-invention beats self-improvement for good. If you're a dad who's done all the work, read all the books, and still catches himself asking why life feels the same, this one will reframe how you see time, identity, and being present with your kids.   Timeline Summary [1:02] – Gary returns for his sixth appearance and the "Larry and Gary Show" reunion [3:13] – The line that started it all: solving your life instead of living in it [5:23] – Why the book slapped Gary around as he wrote it and questioned everything he knew [6:38] – Realizing most of what we call fulfillment is actually just relief [8:03] – Now is not a time, now is a place, and now is eternal, but you're not [11:28] – How Gary scrapped a finished manuscript and rewrote the guts in 30 days [14:20] – The difference between having knowledge of something and truly knowing it [22:12] – How old solutions become current problems: work ethic turning into workaholism [27:03] – Larry on his son's graduation and why he felt joy instead of regret [29:52] – The meerkat in the cathedral and why context is your one true superpower [32:16] – Alan Watts on standing in a river with the past and future always here [36:13] – Self-invention over self-improvement and why the "self" isn't broken [41:20] – Declaring who you are as accomplished and letting it call you forward [48:00] – What to do when the people closest to you resist the new version of you [53:03] – Why we prefer the certainty of misery over the uncertainty of joy [1:00:26] – The simplest way to teach kids this thinking through better questions   5 Key Takeaways Stop Solving, Start Living — Most people spend their whole lives fixing the problem in front of their face, then wonder why relief never comes. A life you create still has problems, but they're the right ones. Old Solutions Become New Problems — The job, the relationship, the work ethic you built to fix an old pain often becomes the very thing troubling you now. Recognizing that pattern is how you stop repeating it. Context Is Your Superpower — You can't always change what's happening, but you can shift the context you hold it in. Mandela sat in the same cell for years and chose to experience it as a life of service. Self-Invention Beats Self-Improvement — You aren't a broken, fixed thing that needs better habits. Through language you can declare who you are right now and let that identity call new actions out of you. Teach Kids to Question, Not to Comply — Instead of correcting kids, ask them where they heard that, what they're making it mean, and what else it could mean. "Now what?" asked honestly and repeatedly shifts any story.   Links & Resources Episode page and all links — https://thedadedge.com/1503 Join the Dad Edge Alliance — https://thedadedge.com/join Dad Edge Boardroom Goal Setting Intensive — https://thedadedge.com/goals Now What by Gary John Bishop — available wherever books are sold Gary John Bishop's website — https://garyjohnbishop.com Follow Gary John Bishop on Instagram — https://instagram.com/garyjohnbishop Follow Gary John Bishop on TikTok — https://tiktok.com/@garyjohnbishop    Enjoyed This Episode? If Gary's idea that "now is a place, not a time" cracked something open for you, don't let it stop at a listen. Send this episode to a dad who's done all the work and still feels stuck, and try asking your kids one of Gary's questions this week. If the show keeps delivering for you, follow, rate, and leave a review so more fathers can find these conversations.

Rock Thomas is a serial entrepreneur, motivational speaker, and personal development teacher whose 7.5-minute story about his father has been viewed by over 125 million people and credited with changing thousands of lives. The youngest of seven kids raised on a farm by a cold, duty-bound father, he channeled that pain into decades of overachievement before spending over $2 million on his own healing and building a body of work on breaking generational trauma. This episode gets into what happens when a boy grows up chasing a father's approval that never comes, and how that wound quietly shapes marriage, friendship, and the way you show up as a dad. If you are a father wrestling with your own childhood, questioning whether you're doing a good job, or trying to break a cycle you inherited, this conversation will hit home.   Timeline Summary [1:02] – Larry shares how a coach showed him Rock's video at the Dad Edge Summit and it moved him to tears [2:14] – Rock explains how his 7.5-minute story with Goal Cast reached 125 million people and stopped people from taking their lives [3:00] – The origin of the wound: a young boy craving a distant German father's approval [4:20] – Broken arm, "suck it up," and the trauma that drove decades of overworking [5:16] – Why Rock reframes the David Goggins "stay hard" model as pain in disguise [6:08] – The empty, hollow heart behind the boats, cars, and houses [7:07] – Rock's mission to be the one who breaks the generational cycle [7:28] – The football day: waking up excited, and the moment his spirit broke [9:53] – Larry describes his own absent father and running into him in a coffee shop at 30 [12:06] – Larry's vow to play with his kids 300 days a year after watching Rock's video [18:22] – How the father wound showed up in Rock's friendships and marriages through self-sabotage [23:00] – The hockey parking lot: leaving before the other kids to please his father [24:14] – Why Rock spent over $2 million on therapy, mentors, and personal development [28:52] – The real win isn't the home run, it's a dad in the stands saying "that's my boy" [30:25] – Larry shows a video of his 17-year-old son and the dad he's becoming [33:12] – Rock on the ego, the amygdala, and the voice of doubt keeping men stuck [35:07] – The "I used to... but now" method for rewiring your identity one small shift at a time [42:26] – Why big hairy goals backfire and how tiny wins harness dopamine and the RAS   5 Key Takeaways Kids Want Connection, Not Trophies — Overachievement can look like success while masking an empty heart. What children actually crave is to be seen, felt, and heard, not provided for from a distance. The Wound Shapes Every Relationship — An unhealed father wound quietly leaks into marriage and friendship through self-sabotage and distrust. Naming the pattern is the first step to stopping it. Break the Cycle On Purpose — You can be the one person in your family line who chooses differently. Doing the work now means your kids inherit the healing instead of the wound. Change Your Identity One "I Used To" At a Time — When a negative thought surfaces, catch it and say "I used to... but now" followed by a tiny new action. Small wins trigger dopamine and reprogram your subconscious over time. Small Goals Beat Big Hairy Goals — Massive goals trip your survival brain into fear of failure. Micro-commitments slip past that alarm and let your reticular activating system pull you toward the person you want to be.   Links & Resources Podcast Shownotes — https://thedadedge.com/1502 The Dad Edge Alliance — https://thedadedge.com/join The Dad Edge Business Boardroom Brotherhood — https://thedadedge.com/goals   Enjoyed This Episode? If Rock's story about that one football morning hit you the way it hit Larry, don't keep it to yourself. Text this episode to a dad who's carrying his own father wound, or to a friend who's chasing approval he'll never get. And if this show keeps showing up for you, follow, rate, and leave a review so more fathers can find it.

Larry Hagner and Joe sit down for a Wednesday Q&A the day after Larry's 51st birthday, and this one goes deep on marriage repair. Nick brought a raw, real question to the room: his wife has finally said she's willing to try to fix things and go to counseling, and he's scared. Scared to hope. Scared she doesn't mean it. Scared he'll lose himself in the process of trying to save the relationship. What follows is one of those conversations that only happens when the guys in the room have actually lived it. Joe opens up about being what he calls a three-time marriage loser and a one-time marriage big winner, and he doesn't dress it up. He blew up three marriages before he learned the thing that changed everything: when you take your wife as your bride, you inherit all of her wounds, even the ones her father put there, even the ones you didn't create. Your job isn't to fix only the damage you did. Your job is to become sensitive to all of it, so she finally feels safe enough to lower the shields. Then Larry brings in two tools that shift the whole frame. The first is vision, fast-forwarding the tape to a year from now and asking your spouse what you'd both be celebrating, because whatever we focus on grows and whatever we resist persists. The second is forgiveness, and here Larry shares the framework Father Stephen Gadberry gave him: forgiveness isn't a single conversation, it's a plant. You water it, you don't overwater it, and as it grows you keep pruning it. You forgive but you never fully forget, so you keep coming back to the conversation with curiosity instead of an attack. If you're a man trying to rebuild trust in a marriage that's been hard for years, or you're carrying resentment you don't know how to put down, this episode gives you a real place to start. It's about consistency when you don't feel like it, owning wounds you didn't cause, and building a vision worth walking toward together.   Timeline Summary [1:02] Larry opens the Wednesday Q&A the day after turning 51, and shares why his 50s beat his 40s [1:19] The July birthday promotion breakdown: signed book, patience course, marriage course, and 50 conversation starters [2:34] Joe comes on and speaks from the heart about getting a front row seat to Larry's last decade [3:43] Nick asks his question after his wife agreed to try repairing the relationship and start counseling [4:26] Larry points Nick back to the consistency and brotherhood that softened his wife in the first place [5:30] Why real repair takes years not months, and why you keep going even without visible results [6:19] Joe introduces himself as a three time marriage loser and one time big winner [7:12] Nick admits he's responsible for about 90% of his wife's wounds, and Joe says he owns all of them [8:11] The wisdom Joe was given: you inherit the wounds her father and others put in her heart [9:01] Why women go into self preservation mode and how shields only drop when they feel safe [10:02] Joe shares how his tone of voice was unknowingly triggering Ivy's father wounds [10:54] Larry names Nick's real fear, that his wife is only saying the words to keep things civil [15:00] Joe offers to talk with Nick personally about forgiveness and what it is and isn't [16:06] Larry sets up the Father Stephen Gadberry forgiveness episode and who Gadberry is [17:07] The vision exercise: fast forward to July 7th next year and ask what you'd be celebrating [19:25] The forgiveness-as-a-plant framework: plant the seed, water it right, and keep pruning it [23:49] Larry drops the line that lands hardest: what you criticize metastasizes, what you affirm multiplies [24:38] Larry's real example of praising his oldest son over text and watching the good behavior grow   Five Key Takeaways When you marry someone, you inherit all of their wounds, even the ones you didn't cause and the ones their parents left behind. Your job isn't to address only the damage you're responsible for. It's to become sensitive to all of it so she feels safe. Real repair is built on consistency, not intensity. If things have been hard for three years, they won't turn around in three months, so you keep showing up and doing the work even when you don't feel like it and even when you don't see the softening yet. Women stay guarded when they're in self preservation mode. The shields only come down when they feel safe with you around all of their wounds, so lead differently around the walls even when you didn't build them. Stop fighting over the past and build a shared vision instead. Ask your spouse what you'd both be celebrating a year from now, because whatever you resist persists and whatever you focus on grows. Forgiveness is a process, not a single conversation. Think of it like a plant you water, protect, and prune over time. You forgive but you never fully forget, so keep returning to the conversation with curiosity instead of an attack.   Links & Resources Shownotes for this episode — https://thedadedge.com/1501 Join the Dad Edge Alliance (July promotion: signed book, patience course, marriage course, 50 conversation starters) — https://thedadedge.com/join How to Forgive Someone Without Letting Them Off the Hook featuring Father Stephen Gadberry — https://thedadedge.com/how-to-forgive-someone-without-letting-them-off-the-hook-featuring-father-stephen-gadberry/   Closing Nick came into this call scared to hope, and by the end he'd shown he was already doing the work: leading with vision, talking about letting old habits die, thinking in terms of pruning the plant instead of tearing it down. That's the whole thing right there. You don't rebuild a marriage by beating down the resentment. You build it by owning the wounds, staying consistent when it's hard, and affirming the good things you want to see multiply. If your marriage has been in a hard season, take Joe's challenge to heart, own all of it, and take Larry's, cast a vision worth walking toward together. Go out and live legendary.

  My guest is Caitlin V, a sexologist and relationship coach who started out as a sexual health researcher and policy analyst before realizing that real change doesn't happen in research papers. It happens in honest conversations between real people. She's the host of Good Sex on HBO Max, her YouTube channel has reached hundreds of millions of people, and she's become one of the leading voices in men's sexual health, helping guys overcome erectile dysfunction, performance anxiety, premature ejaculation, and the isolation that comes with those struggles. This conversation went places I didn't expect. Caitlin explains why the biggest roadblock in a couple's sex life isn't your partner, it's the gap between your expectations and reality. She breaks down why "why can't we have more sex" is almost never about sex, what women are actually attracted to in a man (the Indiana University smell study blew my mind), and why the way you do anything is the way you do everything. I also got personal about my own marriage, including why I quit porn years ago and the one question I asked my wife in our mudroom three months ago that changed how we think about intimacy. If you and your wife have slipped into roommate mode, if the conversation about sex feels impossible to start, or if you want to rebuild attraction and connection after years of kids, schedules, and busyness, this episode is your roadmap back.   Timeline Summary [1:02] Larry opens with an adult content disclaimer and celebrates episode 1500 landing on his 51st birthday after 11 years [3:00] The single biggest roadblock in couples' sex lives, the painful gap between expectations and lived experience [5:16] The performance expectations men carry into the bedroom, from lasting longer to frequency to technical skill [10:11] Caitlin's first piece of advice for every man, start with your own relationship to sexuality before approaching your wife [11:37] Why "why can't we have more sex" is really a request for closeness, connection, and feeling loved [16:33] Caitlin's story, from sexual health researcher to sexologist and host of Good Sex on HBO Max [20:13] Fact checking the viral claim that 50% of couples married three plus years haven't had sex in a year [21:55] Why Gen Z is having less sex, porn access, dating app algorithms designed to keep you single, and Covid [28:49] The Indiana University t-shirt study, why smell predicts attraction and how birth control changes desire [36:37] What women actually find attractive in a man's body, hands, forearms, posture, and capability over six packs [44:40] Why your solo sex life shapes your marriage, and Caitlin's snack versus whole meal analogy [49:49] Larry opens up about quitting porn years ago and how it fixed his arousal issues and transformed intimacy [53:37] Retraining your body without porn, why orgasm may take weeks to return, and why nobody fails to get there [57:00] Escaping roommate syndrome, why sex was never actually spontaneous, and reclaiming the effort of courtship [59:35] The intimacy spectrum beyond penetration, and Caitlin's personal story of healing pain through yoni massage [1:06:09] The mudroom moment, how one question changed the way Larry and his wife connect after 23 years of marriage   Five Key Takeaways The biggest obstacle in your sex life isn't your wife. It's the unspoken gap between what you expected sex to be and what it actually is, and the shame that keeps both of you from talking about it. Never bring the conversation to her when it's burning hot. Do your own untangling first, figure out what you actually need underneath the request, and come with self-awareness and accountability instead of a demand. How you care for your body is a proxy for how you care for everything. Your grooming, your hygiene, and your posture tell her more about who you are than a six pack ever will. Don't show up to your wife starving. If she's the only source of meeting your needs, every approach carries desperation. Take care of yourself first and you'll come to her with something to give instead of something to take. Sex is one point on a wide spectrum of intimacy. A shoulder massage, a hand in hand walk, or a deep conversation on the couch can keep you insanely connected without needing to lead anywhere.   Links & Resources Caitlin V on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/@caitlinvneal Caitlin V's website with free yoni massage guide and courses — https://caitlinvneal.com Erotic Blueprints playlist — search "Caitlin V blueprints" on YouTube Join The Dad Edge Alliance in July to get a signed copy of The Pursuit of Legendary Fatherhood, both courses, and the 50 Intimate Conversation Starters PDF — https://thedadedge.com/join This episode — https://thedadedge.com/1500 Closing Fifteen hundred episodes, and this might be one of the most important conversations I've ever had on this show. When I stood in my mudroom and asked my wife "what type of intimacy would you be up for today," everything about how we connect shifted, and that's available to you too. Don't wait until it's burning hot to have this conversation, and don't settle for being roommates with the woman you married. Share this one with a brother who needs it. Go out and live legendary.

If you're trying to put the puzzle pieces of your marriage back together, or you're stuck in that roommate syndrome that drains the life out of a home, this replay is for you. I'm bringing back G.S. Youngblood, author of two bestselling books, The Masculine in Relationship and The Art of Embodiment for Men, because over the past couple of months I've gotten so many emails from men who are really, really struggling in their marriages. His work has come up again and again in our community, and he's even helped me with my own clients. What I love about G.S. is that he lives in neither of the two extremes most men swing between. There's the ultimate nice guy who's disrespected, unappreciated, and quietly filled with resentment because his needs never get met, and there's the toxic, controlling, domineering guy on the other end. Neither one is attractive, and neither one leads. G.S. teaches what he calls relational masculinity, staying grounded in your masculine core while being deeply connected to your partner, and he lays out a three part blueprint any man can actually follow. This was one of our top shows of the past year, and we get into the stuff that changes marriages. We talk about firm but loving parenting and why ruling by fear breaks down the relationship you'll want with your kids later. We talk about grounding your nervous system before you ever try to fix anything, and G.S. even walks me through a live embodiment exercise right there in my chair. And we get honest about sex, rejection, and the little hurt boy that shows up when we feel shut down. G.S. was one of our speakers at the Men's Forge this past April, and he blew the doors off. I've read his book three times now. If you've been banging your head against the wall in your marriage, or you just want to understand why your wife can sniff out an agenda from a mile away, this conversation is going to give you clarity and probably piss you off a little at the same time, in the best way.   Timeline Summary [1:02] Larry sets up the replay and why he's bringing G.S. Youngblood back for men struggling in their marriages [3:00] The July promotion for the Alliance and Boardroom, with a hard stop on July 31st [5:05] G.S. on his intense but loving childhood and how it polarized him into the good boy role [7:36] Firm but loving parenting, and why he went the opposite direction with his own kids [10:06] The energetic difference between "no" with an iron fist and "I love you, but no" [11:15] Why ruling by fear gets compliance but breaks the free flowing relationship you want later [14:05] Inner clarity comes first, and why nice guys chase external validation instead [16:01] The daily embodiment practice G.S. installs with every man before anything else [20:03] A day in the life of his grounding routine: ground connection, breathwork, movement, meditation [22:41] Why embodiment sticks better than meditation, and a live exercise Larry does in his chair [26:36] Curiosity, agenda, and how women sense the energetic plane men usually ignore [31:21] The frozen "data file" picture men keep of their wives, and why the feminine is always changing [34:31] Emotional safety as the foundation of sexual chemistry, and going for the cause not the symptom [39:38] The Masculine Blueprint: respond versus react, provide structure, and create safety [41:07] What to tell the man who says "I stay calm and she still pushes back" [45:59] Provide structure without domination, and the clarity plus inclusion principle [50:18] Larry's story of owning his need for sex without getting pissy, and how it landed for his wife [53:02] Why sexual rejection feels like kryptonite, and owning your sexuality with power or humor [58:02] The gift of reassurance from Larry's wife, and reframing rejection that isn't about you [1:03:16] Leading your partner toward arousal by getting her back into her body [1:04:35] Where to find G.S.: his bootcamp, workshops, Instagram, and book   Five Key Takeaways Lead your family with firmness and heart at the same time, not with an iron fist and not with a loose "anything goes" structure. You can be powerful, clear, and unyielding while staying in your heart, and that artful blend is what your kids and your wife actually need. Before you try to fix anything in your marriage, ground your nervous system with a daily embodiment practice. When you're triggered, you make regressed, reactive decisions, but when you bring your awareness back into your body and into the present moment, the fight in front of you isn't nearly as scary as your nervous system claims. Stop pounding on the symptoms and go find what's underneath. When a good woman is chronically prickly, critical, or shut down sexually, it's usually because a need isn't being met or a wound never got addressed, and your job as a man is to lead the way back to connection rather than blame her mood. You may or may not be the problem, but you are the solution. Stop trying to figure out who caused the fight and step up to be bigger than her mood, because taking ownership of the repair is what masculine leadership actually looks like. Rejection around sex feels like kryptonite, but going into your little hurt boy and pouting is deeply unattractive to your wife. Own your sexuality with calm power or playful humor, remember that a "no" often has nothing to do with you, and know that her desire can live just below the surface waiting for connection to bring it up.   Links & Resources Episode 1499 show notes: https://thedadedge.com/1499 Join The Dad Edge Alliance and Boardroom (July promotion): https://thedadedge.com/join The Dad Edge Boardroom mastermind (apply and book a call): https://thedadedge.com/mastermind G.S. Youngblood's website and bootcamp: https://gsyoungblood.com G.S. Youngblood on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gsyoungblood   Closing Go back to the moment in this episode where I told G.S. about my wife looking me dead in the eye and saying, "Larry, it's never you." I had spent years viewing every "not tonight" through a lens of personal rejection, and that one piece of reassurance changed how I show up. That's the whole point of this work. You are not the toxic iron fist guy and you are not the resentful nice guy, you're a man learning to lead with a straight spine and a big heart. If this episode shook something loose for you, share it with a brother who's been quietly banging his head against the wall in his own marriage, and go grab the July promotion at thedadedge.com before it's gone on July 31st. Go out and live legendary.

This is a marriage and fatherhood Q&A episode of The Dad Edge with Larry Hagner and Joe, recorded as Larry rolls his June birthday promotion into July ahead of his 51st. It's a quieter, more vulnerable episode than most. Two members brought real questions, and both answers turned into something close to a masterclass on leading at home without resentment. Rich opened up about a marriage that's been struggling for a couple of years. He and his wife have started reconnecting, but he feels the load is one-sided. He's carrying the household, the kids, two jobs, and the role of primary parent, while she's drawing a line on how much she's willing to change. Joe's answer reframed the whole problem. Stop compromising, he said, because compromise has regret baked into it. Lead instead. He shared how he and Ivy split their money, how he trained himself to notice the socks on the floor she'd notice, and why an underlying resentment will sabotage everything no matter how well you execute the plan. Then Larry delivered what Joe called a freaking masterclass on the difference between expectations and boundaries, the thing 95% of the men he coaches get backwards. An expectation is a clearly communicated request you then release because you don't control the other person. A boundary is the part you own and enforce on yourself. He walked Rich through actual language, leading with structure, owning specific responsibilities, and turning a fight into a collaboration. The line that landed: uncommunicated expectations breed resentment. The second half got personal fast. Jason Grace, a leader in the Alliance who runs the divorce group, asked about the gap between being ready for a new stage of fatherhood and being willing to step into it. His daughter just graduated and is leaving for an equestrian science program in Virginia. Both Larry and Joe are living the same thing right now. Larry's son leaves for the University of Arkansas on August 6th, and he choked up describing the 5.5-hour campfire conversation they shared on a recent trip. Joe read Psalm 127 and the picture of children as arrows, the archer deciding how he launches them into the world. If you've got a kid getting close to leaving, or a marriage where you feel like you're carrying it alone, this one is for you.   Timeline Summary [1:01] Larry welcomes July, turns 51, and extends his birthday promotion with a hard stop on July 31st [3:06] Joe checks in from a new location mid-move, and the hosts set up the marriage and fatherhood themes [4:04] Rich asks for help with a marriage that feels one-sided on compromises, budgeting, and household responsibilities [7:23] Joe makes the case against compromising because regret is baked into it, and reframes the answer as leading [9:25] How Joe and Ivy handle money with separate accounts and real trust instead of monitoring every dollar [12:48] Joe on the socks he trained himself to notice and paying attention to what matters to your wife [14:39] Why underlying resentment is the biggest turnoff and will sabotage how you lead at home [16:24] Larry breaks down the difference between expectations and boundaries that 95% of men get backwards [18:38] The clean room example showing why clarity beats assuming people should just know [20:16] Larry gives Rich exact language to open the conversation without it landing as an attack [21:35] How to lead with structure by owning specific responsibilities and inviting your wife to collaborate [24:27] Joe warns against tying too much to one conversation and shares the expectancy versus expectations idea [27:17] Larry asks Jason Grace about the gap between readiness and willingness as kids hit new stages [29:06] Larry talks through his son leaving for Arkansas on August 6th and the 5.5-hour campfire conversation [36:14] Joe reads Psalm 127 and the picture of children as arrows the archer launches into the world [40:18] The real readiness question is whether you've made your kids ready, and why it's never too late   Five Key Takeaways Stop compromising and start leading. Compromise has regret built into it, so instead of giving something up and quietly resenting it, decide what your household needs and choose to lead in that area. Resentment leaks out no matter how well you execute. Your wife can sense your discontent through your body language and energy, so address the underlying resentment before you ever try to change the dynamic at home. Expectations and boundaries are not the same thing. An expectation is a request you communicate clearly and then release because you don't control the other person, while a boundary is the part you own and enforce on yourself. Uncommunicated expectations breed resentment. Don't assume your partner should just see how much you're doing and step up, because adults need to hear things at least three times, and it's on you to communicate clearly and calmly. You'll never be fully willing to let your kids go, so focus on whether you've made them ready. The readiness that matters isn't yours, it's whether you've given your kids the tools, the faith, and the foundation to face the world and pick themselves back up when they fall.   Links & Resources Join The Dad Edge Alliance (July promotion with signed book, two courses, and bonus PDF): https://thedadedge.com/join 50 Intimate Conversation Starters PDF: https://thedadedge.com/kidquestions Episode 1498 show notes: https://thedadedge.com/1498   Closing If today hit home, it's probably because you're living one of these seasons right now, whether that's feeling like you're carrying your marriage alone or watching a kid get close to leaving the nest. Go back to the moment Larry described sitting at that campfire until 12:26 a.m., having the longest and best conversation he's ever had with his son, and ask yourself where you can create that kind of connection this month. Don't lose the battle for someone's heart just to win an argument, and don't wait until the last few years, because they fly by faster than anything. Share this episode with a dad or a husband who needs to hear it, and if the show keeps adding value to your life, follow, rate, and leave a review so more men can find it. Go out and live legendary.

Charles Gaudet built his first multi-million dollar business at 24 years old while battling severe learning disabilities, survived a hospitalization in his early twenties after working from 3:30am until midnight seven days a week, and has since helped clients across six, seven, eight, and nine figure businesses generate over $1 billion in combined revenue. Yahoo Finance nicknamed him the CEO Whisperer, his work has been featured in Forbes and Fox Business, and he hosts the Beyond Seven Figures podcast. But none of that is what makes this conversation worth your time. What makes this episode worth your time is Charles sitting down with Larry and being completely honest about the phone call his dad made in the final weeks of his life, offering to give up everything he had ever made just to spend more time with his kids and grandkids. That one moment reframed everything Charles thought he knew about success, hard work, and what a father is actually building toward. If you have ever worn your busyness like a badge, this one is going to hit you somewhere important. Charles is a husband of 24 years to his wife Heather, a father of three, a CEO coach to some of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world, and a man who learned the hard way that working harder is not the same as building something that lasts. This is Episode 1497 of the Dad Edge. Charles Gaudet went from a kid selling construction paper art door to door at age four to coaching billionaires in boardrooms, and the thread connecting all of it is the same lesson a neighbor named Mrs. Hersey gave him when he was mortified: always bring your best. Timeline Summary [1:02] Larry opens with a June-only Alliance offer including a signed copy of his book, a patience course, and 50 intimate conversation starters [3:07] Charles explains how Yahoo Finance dubbed him the CEO Whisperer and why asking the questions nobody else will ask is his edge [4:40] The boardroom moment with the CEO of a $34 billion company and why Charles was the only person in the room willing to challenge him [8:03] Charles tells the story from the US Army War College: a five-star general who couldn't figure out why they kept losing a battle until he asked the lowest-ranking soldier on the ground [13:26] The phone call from his dad in the final weeks of his life: "I would give up everything I've ever made just to spend more time with you and the grandkids" [17:29] Growing up barely seeing his dad, the pillow and blankets by the front door, and starting his first business at age four just to get his dad's attention [20:29] Selling construction paper art door to door as a kid and the lesson Mrs. Hersey gave him that shaped every standard he has held himself to since [23:07] Charles teaching his son the difference between being an employee and owning a business using a lemonade stand, and watching his son at 19 reach a multi-million dollar valuation [28:16] Working 3:30am to midnight seven days a week, not eating, not sleeping, and landing in the emergency room at 22 with his organs shutting down [41:32] The diving board principle: the further it bends, the higher you spring, and why gratitude became Charles's superpower when resistance shows up [45:29] Charles's dad competing against him instead of cheering for him, and why Charles chose a completely different approach with his own kids [47:35] What it means to be the shoulders your kids stand on, matching his son dollar for dollar on a car, and why making it easier is not always making it better [52:55] How Charles and Heather built a marriage strong enough to last by having the hard conversation about honesty before they were even fully exclusive [1:02:26] The distinction between being rich and being wealthy, and the mic drop moment when Charles's son told him exactly why their family has the highest quality of life he knows [1:07:32] Why a loud house means happy kids and what it looks like to build a home people actually want to come back to Five Key Takeaways The people who give you the most honest feedback are the most valuable people in your life. Whether it is a 10-year assistant, a lowest-ranking soldier, or a neighbor who tells a four-year-old his artwork is not worth $0.50, the person willing to tell you the truth is the one who actually helps you grow. Hustle culture is using the wrong scorecard. Working hard and working until midnight are not goals. The question is what outcome you are actually working toward, and whether the sacrifices you are making are getting you closer to the life you want or further from it. Resistance is not a sign that something is going wrong. It is usually a sign you are about to break through to a new level. Charles uses gratitude as a tool to stay in his own power rather than giving it away to circumstances he cannot control. Your kids do not need you to make everything easy for them. They need you to build the shoulders they can stand on. The goal is to help them become healthier, wealthier, and happier than you, not to protect them from the lessons that would get them there. True wealth is not measured by the bank account. It is measured by the quality of your life. When Charles asked his son how he would rate their family's quality of life, his son said they had the highest of anyone he knew, because he actually wanted to spend time with his parents. Links & Resources Predictable Profits — https://www.predictableprofits.com Beyond Seven Figures Podcast — search "Beyond Seven Figures" on your podcast app Follow Charles Gaudet on Instagram and LinkedIn — @CharlesGaudet Dad Edge Episode 1497 Show Notes — https://www.thedadedge.com/1497 Join the Dad Edge Alliance — https://www.thedadedge.com/join Kid Questions Resource — https://www.thedadedge.com/kidquestions Closing Charles Gaudet sat in a boardroom with the CEO of a $34 billion company and asked the question no one else in the room was willing to ask. He built companies, lost his health, nearly lost his mind, and then got a phone call from his dying father that reframed everything. And somehow, in the middle of all of it, he figured out how to be the kind of dad whose kids say they want to spend more time with him than anyone they know. That is the whole game right there. Share this episode with a man in your life who is still confusing busyness with progress. He needs to hear it. Subscribe, leave a review, and help other dads find the show. Go out and live legendary.

Marty Hofman built a multi-million dollar real estate operation from a single $5,000 duplex, but what he's really known for isn't the portfolio. He's the founder of OKC REIA, the host of the Kill Complacency podcast with over 180,000 downloads, and the author of "Complacency Kills: Stop Drifting and Start Living the Life God Designed You For." He's also a husband of 24 years to his wife Ginger, a father of six, and a man who has built his entire life around one relentless idea: complacency is always at the door. In this conversation, Marty and Larry get into the Seven F's framework, why "I want to be more intentional" is meaningless without specifics, how your environment will eventually defeat your willpower, and what it actually looks like to fight for your marriage and your kids at the same time. If you've ever felt like you're living on autopilot and you can't quite put your finger on why, this episode was made for you. Marty is a husband, father of six, real estate investor, podcast host, and author who has given his life to helping men kill complacency before it kills everything they care about. This is Episode 1496 of the Dad Edge. Marty's book just dropped in May and this conversation is everything you'd hope for from a man who doesn't just talk about living with intention, he's built an entire framework to help you do it every single day. Timeline Summary [1:02] Marty joins the show and Larry kicks things off with a quote that anchors the whole episode: "The enemy of intention is complacency" [2:18] Why complacency isn't a one-time enemy you defeat — it keeps knocking, every single day, like Oreos on the kitchen counter [5:22] "Your environment will eventually trump your willpower" — Marty and Larry debate where willpower ends and environment takes over [8:46] Why saying "I want to be more intentional" is not enough — and what it actually takes to turn that into a real behavior change [10:43] The difference between a vague goal and a measurable one: phone away at the door, greet your wife by name, make it specific [12:34] Todd Herman's insight on the first 45 seconds of any interaction and why Marty puts it to work every time he walks through the front door [14:04] Larry introduces Marty's full background — the $5,000 duplex, the Kill Complacency podcast, the Seven F's framework, 24 years of marriage to Ginger [30:27] How intentional actions become identity over time — and why date night stops being a discipline and starts being just who you are [32:16] Why putting your marriage on the front burner is the best thing you can do for your kids, not despite them [36:50] Faith as a daily decision — how Marty grew up in a Christian home of 10 kids, went to Bible college at 18, and met Ginger there [43:16] Six kids, ages 9 to 22 — how Marty stays intentional across the board by protecting Friday family night like a funeral-level commitment [51:33] Parenting adult kids and the part nobody talks about — Marty tells the story of his son Ezekiel, video game addiction, homelessness, and what it means to show up when your kid can't have a conversation [57:54] Why we have to let our kids fail — and why praying for your child to hit rock bottom is one of the hardest, most loving things a parent can do [1:00:29] Where Ezekiel is now — working construction, up at 5am to read his Bible, completely transformed [1:02:04] Where to find Marty, the Kill Complacency assessment, and the book that just came out May 12th Five Key Takeaways Complacency is not something you defeat once. It comes back every day, in every area of your life, which is exactly why intentionality has to be a daily practice, not a one-time decision. "I want to be more intentional" means nothing without specifics. Put your phone in the car on date night, greet your wife by name when you walk in the door, and schedule one-on-ones with each of your kids. Vague goals produce vague results. Your environment will eventually beat your willpower. If you want to change a behavior, change what you're surrounded by first, whether that's removing the cookies from the counter or getting away from friends who make the habit harder to break. Prioritizing your marriage over your kids is not selfish, it's the most important thing you can do for them. When your kids feel the security of a strong, affectionate marriage, they feel safe. When that foundation cracks, they feel it at 9 and still feel it at 39. You have to let your kids fail. As painful as it is to watch, failure is where they learn best and sometimes the most loving thing a dad can do is stay in relationship, keep showing up, and pray for them to hit the bottom they need to hit to climb back up. Links & Resources Kill Complacency (book and website) — https://www.killcomplacency.com Kill Complacency Podcast — search "Kill Complacency" on your podcast app Complacency Assessment — available at killcomplacency.com Follow Marty Hofman on social media — @MartyHofman (1 F, 2 N's) Willpower Doesn't Work by Benjamin Hardy — available wherever books are sold The Alter Ego Effect by Todd Herman — available wherever books are sold Dad Edge Episode 1496 Show Notes — https://www.thedadedge.com/1496 Join the Dad Edge Community — https://www.thedadedge.com/join Kid Questions Resource — https://www.thedadedge.com/kidquestions Closing Marty spent years watching complacency chip away at men who had everything going for them and he built an entire life and a framework to fight back against it. Whether it was the moment he described greeting Ginger by name when he walked through the door, the Friday night family tradition his kids now look forward to, or the raw honesty of watching his son Ezekiel hit rock bottom and praying for it to happen so he could finally come back, this conversation was a reminder that intentional living isn't a personality type. It's a daily decision. Share this one with a man in your life who you know is drifting. He needs to hear it. And if this episode moved you, subscribe, leave a review, and help other dads find the show. Go out and live legendary.

In this episode, Lee returned to the Dad Edge Alliance for an exclusive live Q&A with members asking real-time questions about raising kids to think like value creators. The conversation covers everything from how to engage a four-year-old in family finances to what to do when a capable adult son is drifting in a digital fog. If you've ever wanted to raise kids who don't just follow rules but genuinely understand why building a life of meaning matters, this one delivers. Most parenting conversations focus on values, the character traits we want our kids to have. Lee draws a sharp distinction: having a values list is fine, but the real work is teaching kids to create value, holistically, across three buckets: material (money and lifestyle), positive emotional energy (how alive you feel going through life), and spiritual connectedness (family, community, and purpose). That framework, combined with one simple question (how would you like to create value in the world?), is the thread that runs through every answer Lee gives, whether he's talking to a dad with four-year-old twins, a dad with checked-out teenagers, or a dad watching a 20-year-old spend six hours a day alone in his room. This is especially powerful for any dad who has felt the frustration of talking at his kids instead of being with them, who wants to make family meetings something his kids actually look forward to, or who is watching a young adult drift and wondering when to push harder versus when to change the environment instead.   Timeline Summary [1:02] Larry introduces Lee Benson: Wall Street Journal bestselling author, founder of Dinner Table (impacting 50,000-plus families), serial entrepreneur with eight companies and a nine-figure exit, back for a second exclusive Alliance Q&A [3:31] Lee's entrepreneurial origin story: pulling weeds at age 6 for $0.25 an hour, playing over 1,000 shows in a band in the early 80s, and launching his first actual business in 1993 after a lifetime of learning to trust the struggle [5:36] Coming home at 17 to find his clothes in paper grocery sacks on the porch and the locks changed, and why getting forced out of a toxic, dangerous home was one of the best things that ever happened to him [10:23] The Dinner Table framework: the critical difference between having a values list and intentionally creating holistic value across three buckets, material, positive emotional energy, and spiritual connectedness, and why keeping all three in balance is the whole game [12:41] How the monthly family meeting works: setting shared goals, defining what leadership looks like in the family, reviewing the household budget as a team sport, and why a six-year-old can absolutely have her own line item [16:19] Tommy's follow-up on his 23-year-old daughter who comes to him for financial advice but won't take it, and the one question Lee says works better than any advice you could give [19:18] Luke's question: his family used to have a dinner table culture, but phones and teenage independence have caused it to drift, what's the one actionable thing he can take into tomorrow? [21:23] The loneliness epidemic Lee witnessed firsthand: speaking to six groups of high school seniors in a single day, he watched every group melt when asked what it actually feels like to be more digitally connected and lonelier than ever [24:03] The statistic that stops the room: only 18% of American families are traditional nuclear families with two biological parents and kids under 18 at home, and why it means anyone can build the family culture they want, regardless of where they started [27:02] Larry's raw personal question: his 20-year-old son is a great kid headed for the fire academy, but right now he's spending five to six hours a day on screens, physically declining, and stuck in a liminal space with no clear purpose, and Larry doesn't know how to get through to him [32:49] Lee's answer: environment shapes human nature more reliably than any conversation, and the story of his own brother whose entire trajectory changed when the Marine Corps changed his surroundings, and reversed the moment it was gone [35:31] Lee pushes back hard on the "kids can't do it today" narrative: two grown men agree they would crush the exact same challenges facing young people right now, so why do adults keep having conversations that tell kids they can't? [39:36] The digital isolation question: why providing basic needs without accountability for how hours are spent creates the exact environment that enables drift, and what rules of engagement actually look like when you apply them clearly and without flinching [43:56] Lee flips the table and asks Larry a question: in his entire life, across thousands of leaders he has studied and worked with, only two people have ever been truly "with" him, not talking at, over, or down to him, and what does Larry think most dads are missing? [45:29] Larry's honest answer: 80% generative questions and psychological safety, 20% intense and emotion-driven lectures, and why that 20% probably feels like the majority of the experience for his son [48:42] Lee reframes the whole conversation: planting seeds takes time, and being frustrated that a 20-year-old hasn't learned what took you 30 years to figure out is a form of unfairness, the job is to keep planting, not to demand the harvest [53:06] Lee and Luke on using a hard childhood as rocket fuel: it took Lee 17 years to fully separate from a toxic family situation, and the shift that freed him was realizing it was never about him, it was about people who couldn't even raise themselves   Five Key Takeaways There is a critical difference between having values and intentionally creating value. Values are character traits on a list. Value creation is an active, daily practice across three buckets: material (money and the lifestyle your family needs), positive emotional energy (how alive and energized you feel going through life), and spiritual connectedness (your bonds with family, community, and purpose). Families that confuse the two drift. Families that focus on all three build something that compounds over decades. The one question that works at every age is: how would you like to create value in the world? For a four-year-old it plants a seed. For a teenager it opens a door that lectures can't. For a 23-year-old in "I Know Everything Syndrome," it bypasses the defense wall entirely and invites her into a real conversation about who she wants to become. Lee uses it with 3-year-olds and 80-year-old CEOs because it is never about telling someone what to do, it is about making the conversation theirs. The environment shapes human nature more reliably than any conversation. If you make it easy to drift, human nature says they'll drift. Lee has seen this in a brother who became a model Marine the moment the Corps changed his surroundings, and unraveled the moment it was gone. For any dad watching a young adult spiral, the most powerful lever is not a harder talk. It is changing the rules of engagement in the home, clearly and without negotiation, so that moving forward becomes the path of least resistance. Only 18% of American families are traditional nuclear families, and households with two parents where one stays home represent just 7%. Lee's point is not that the numbers are discouraging, it is that they are liberating. The vast majority of families are navigating this in some non-traditional structure, which means there is no inherited blueprint you are obligated to follow. You can build exactly the family you want to lead, and you can start that process at any age. Most adults talk at, over, or down to kids. Almost no one is truly with them, with their potential, with their future self, with who they are still becoming. In Lee's entire life, across thousands of leaders he has studied, only two people showed up for him that way. The dads in this community have the chance to be that person. Getting curious, asking generative questions, and sitting beside a kid instead of facing off against him is not just a communication tactic. It is the whole relationship.   Links & Resources   Dinner Table Community: https://dinnertable.com Execute to Win (CEO Mastermind Groups): https://etw.com Value Creation Family by Lee Benson: https://www.amazon.com/Value-Creation-Family-Playbook-Setting/dp/1636805981 The Dad Edge Alliance: https://thedadedge.com/join Episode Shownotes: https://thedadedge.com/1495 http://thedadedge.com/kidquestions   Closing What Lee brought to this Q&A is not a framework you need a consultant to implement. It is one question, how would you like to create value in the world?, and the willingness to ask it and actually listen to the answer. Try it this week with one of your kids. And if Larry's raw honesty about talking at his son instead of being with him hit close to home, share this episode with a dad who needed to hear it. If you're not yet part of the Alliance where conversations like this happen live every month, head over to thedadedge.com. Follow the show, leave a rating and review, and help us get this in front of the dads who need it most. Go out and live legendary.

Most of us grow up thinking success means staying busy, staying strong, and never stopping. But what happens when the career that defined you is gone? Michael Kay spent decades as a financial planner and NYU instructor helping high achievers build wealth — until he realized the most important investments had nothing to do with portfolios. He's the host of the Chapter X Podcast and author of How to Craft Your Chapter X, and he's spent years guiding successful men through the emotional and psychological shift from career identity to a purposeful next chapter. He's been married to his college sweetheart Wendy since 1977, is a dad of two, and a grandfather of three. This conversation goes deep on the patterns we inherit from our fathers, what it actually means to listen instead of just waiting to respond, and why retirement without intention is a trap most men never see coming. If you've ever tied your worth to what you do instead of who you are, this one is for you. Timeline Summary [1:02] Larry introduces the June Alliance promo — signed copy of The Pursuit of Legendary Fatherhood plus three bonus courses for new members [3:01] Michael joins in studio, sharing what it means to be a dad and grandfather first [3:48] Larry invites Michael to describe growing up with a demanding, workaholic father who didn't spare physical discipline [5:29] Michael reflects on how watching his father — who had no model himself — taught him what he would never do with his own children [9:49] Michael shares what he learned from his father's dedication as a sixth-grade teacher who taught every student at their own reading level [10:42] Michael's musical upbringing — his uncle was good enough to play with Duke Ellington, and Michael took weekly lessons from a New York Philharmonic trumpeter at 14 [17:55] A butcher named Al Roth becomes a turning point — the first man Michael ever saw who loved his family openly, and what that lit up in him [22:31] Larry asks how Michael and Wendy have navigated 49 years of marriage, especially given the communication models neither of them grew up with [26:36] Michael breaks down how men and women process differently — and why creating space instead of rushing to solve is the real skill in marriage [29:47] What deep listening actually looks like in practice, and why a "yeah, but" response signals that no one was listening at all [34:26] The origin of "Chapter X" — and how an eighth-grade algebra class planted the idea that every next season of life is something to solve for [40:19] Why the book is not about money — it's about reclaiming the curious, unfinished person you were before your career became your identity [43:33] The eulogy exercise: Michael and Larry on why writing your own eulogy is one of the most powerful things a man can do to realign his actions with his values [47:37] The hard truth that 98% of daily activity often isn't in alignment with what you'd want said about you at the end [49:44] Michael tells his 50-years-younger self to stop taking himself so seriously, start listening better, and soften the edges Five Key Takeaways Nothing happens in a vacuum. The way your father treated you was shaped by everything that happened to him before you arrived. Understanding the roots of that behavior doesn't excuse it, but it changes how you carry it forward. You only break a cycle when something from outside enters your normal. For Michael, that was Al Roth — a marine turned butcher who loved his family loudly and openly. You can't change patterns you can't see, and sometimes it takes a single outside example to show you another way. Men and women don't process information the same way, and pretending otherwise is what creates most communication breakdowns. Allowing space, taking things in small chunks, and saying "let me think about that" are not signs of weakness — they're how you stop reacting and start responding. Retirement without intention is just drift. Most high-achieving men have never asked themselves who they are without the title. Chapter X isn't about winding down; it's about solving for what comes next before the career disappears and leaves a vacuum behind it. Your eulogy is your roadmap. What you want your spouse, your kids, your grandchildren to say about you at the end is the truest picture of what you actually value. The gap between that and how you spent last Tuesday is worth sitting with. Links & Resources The Dad Edge Alliance (June promo — signed book + bonus courses) — https://thedadedge.com/join Episode show notes and links — https://thedadedge.com/1494 Kid Questions resource — https://thedadedge.com/kidquestions Michael Kay's website, blog, and podcast — https://michaelfkay.com/ Contact Michael directly — mk@michaelfk.com How to Craft Your Chapter X — available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and at michaelfk.com Closing Michael Kay has been figuring out what matters most for a long time, and everything he shared in this conversation — from a demanding father who had no model of his own, to a butcher named Al who showed him what a loving man actually looks like — points to the same truth: the way we show up is almost always about where we came from, until we decide it isn't. If this episode hit close to home, send it to a man in your life who's chasing the next thing without knowing why. Rate and review the show so more dads find these conversations, and follow along so you don't miss what's coming next. Go out and live legendary.

I'll be honest with you — this conversation gave me chills more than once. JoJo Simmons grew up with one of the most recognizable names in music history, the son of Joseph "Run" Simmons, co-founder of Run-D.M.C. and a pioneer of hip hop culture. But what I've always respected about JoJo is that he's never coasted on that name. He's spent years carving out his own path in music, entertainment, and now podcasting, while quietly doing the harder work of becoming a present father and a committed husband. We went everywhere in this conversation. We talked about what it was like growing up under a microscope, making the kinds of mistakes every teenager makes except having them show up on TMZ. We talked about his parents, how they kept love intact through divorce, how his mother made one of the hardest decisions a parent can make to protect her son, and how his dad evolved from tough love to open communication in a way that shaped the father JoJo is today. This episode is filled with wisdom I didn't expect and moments that made me stop and think about my own home. JoJo has been married to his wife Denise for nearly seven years, together for 17. They're raising a ten-year-old daughter named Mia and a four-year-old son, Joseph, who is nonverbal and receiving occupational therapy. Watching JoJo talk about both of his kids, the way he's learning to hold space for his daughter as she grows into her own person, and the way he's modeling confidence and calm for his son, you can see a man who is fully in it. Not perfect. Fully in it. He's also building something. His podcast and media community, For Good, launched just a year ago and it's already growing fast. The name says everything: it represents forever, and it represents putting good into the world. JoJo's vision for it goes beyond episodes and downloads. He wants festivals. He wants a movement. He wants people from every walk of life sitting in a room together feeling heard and seen. After spending an hour with him, I believe he'll build it.   Timeline Summary [1:02] Growing up as the son of Run from Run-D.M.C. — the good and the hard of a very public childhood [3:47] How JoJo's parents stayed committed to their kids' wellbeing despite divorce, and why he never felt an absence of love [5:07] The arrest that showed up in the New York Times and TMZ, and the moment JoJo knew he had gone too far [10:24] What his dad did specifically that shaped the father JoJo wants to be, including the shift from discipline to conversation [14:28] Dad Edge June offer — signed copy of The Pursuit of Legendary Fatherhood, the Patience course, and more at thedadedge.com/join [17:28] JoJo's mom: a single mother with a doctorate who ground every day, never spoke ill of his father, and made the hard call to send JoJo to live with his dad at 13 [22:23] How JoJo met Denise at McDonald's — two vegetarians, one bold move, and a phone call to her mother [28:38] Ten years of dating, a breakup, a promise ring, and why the time apart made the relationship real [32:21] How communication and being willing to ask "are we really this bad?" has kept their marriage intact through seven years [36:56] Raising a ten-year-old daughter — learning to listen instead of lead, and why how you treat her now shapes who she'll accept later [40:44] JoJo's morning routine: up at 5:30 a.m., candle lit, meditation music, 20–30 minutes of emotional regulation before the household wakes up [44:54] Raising his four-year-old son Joseph — teaching both kids that they are the value in every room they walk into [46:30] How JoJo thinks about raising kids in the public eye, protecting them from attaching their worth to fame [49:39] How the For Good podcast started, what the name means, and the community and movement JoJo is building [57:38] A ten-year dinner table visualization — what JoJo wants his wife and kids to say when they look back   Five Key Takeaways Growing up in the spotlight teaches you fast that public mistakes carry a different weight — JoJo's arrest at a pivotal teenage moment became front-page news, and he now uses that experience to stay honest with his own kids about consequence and accountability without shame. The way your parents handle their relationship with each other after a split shapes your children more than you realize — JoJo's parents never let him see the turmoil between them, and that protection of the family unit became one of the greatest gifts they gave him. Marriage takes courage from both people — brushing arguments under the rug feels like peace in the short term but builds into the bigger blowups, and JoJo has learned to address issues in the moment rather than let them accumulate. As a father of a daughter, your emotional regulation sets the template for what she will tolerate and accept in her own relationships — staying calm, listening deeply, and being the safe place she can come to at 2 a.m. at age 20 is the whole job. You are the thermostat in your home, not the thermometer — JoJo wakes up at 5:30 every morning before the household starts because he knows the energy he brings into the day is the energy the whole family will operate in.   Links & Resources Join the Dad Edge Alliance (June offer — signed book, Patience course, marriage course, and more) — https://www.thedadedge.com/join Kid Questions resource — https://www.thedadedge.com/kidquestions Full show notes for this episode — https://www.thedadedge.com/1493 For Good Podcast website — https://www.forgooduniverse.com JoJo Simmons on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/jojo_simmons For Good Podcast on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/forgoodpodcast For Good Podcast on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/@ForGoodPodcast   Closing JoJo came into this conversation humble, honest, and more self-aware than I expected from someone who's been in the public eye since he was a teenager. That moment where he talked about looking back ten years from now at the dinner table — not asking for perfection, just asking that every person around that table felt seen, heard, and not forced into anything — that hit me. That's the goal. That's the whole thing. If this episode spoke to something you're working through in your own home, share it with another dad who needs to hear it. And if you haven't already, please follow The Dad Edge, leave a rating, and drop a review. Go out and live legendary.

Jenna Free is a counselor specializing in ADHD regulation who discovered her own diagnosis while drowning in grad school with two babies 17 months apart. She has since developed a full certification program teaching other mental health professionals her ADHD regulation method, and she runs ADHD regulation groups for clients from her home base in Calgary, Alberta. In this episode, Jenna joined The Dad Edge Alliance for a live Q&A that goes far deeper than a typical ADHD conversation. The focus isn't the diagnosis itself — it's the nervous system, specifically how chronic fight-or-flight mode silently drives the impatience, compulsive behavior, crashes, and parenting struggles so many dads in this community experience. If you've ever wondered why you can't just logic your way into being calmer, this one's for you. Most of us assume ADHD is about the brain you were born with. Jenna reframes it completely — the real problem isn't the diagnosis, it's the dysregulated nervous system underneath it, and that part is something you can actually change. This conversation pulls back the curtain on the frantic-crash cycle, the fight-flight-freeze-fawn response, why pressure feels like performance, and what it looks like to function from a regulated baseline instead of white-knuckling through the day. This is especially powerful for any dad who has ever snapped at his kids in the morning, struggled to slow down, or quietly wondered whether go, go, go is actually working against him.   Timeline Summary [1:02] Jenna's background: how her own ADHD diagnosis in grad school — with a six-month-old and an 18-month-old at home — led her to develop the ADHD regulation method [3:24] Why calendars and timers weren't enough: the frantic-crash cycle Jenna kept seeing in herself and every client she worked with [4:13] The nervous system root cause: why almost every neurodivergent person (and most parents) is running in a chronic state of fight-or-flight [6:36] Can you think your way out of it? Jenna explains why logic alone can't calm a dysregulated nervous system [9:16] Alliance member Jason's question: where to start with regulation for yourself and how to notice when your son is sliding into dysregulation [10:06] The first practical step — learning to physically feel dysregulation in your body: tight shoulders, rushing, impatience, holding your breath [11:49] The rushing reframe every parent needs: shifting from "let's go, let's go" to "let's focus" and why that small shift changes the whole morning [17:55] Breaking down all four modes: fight, flight, freeze, and fawn — including why people-pleasing is a survival response, not a personality trait [25:26] Alliance member Chris's question: the "pressure to perform" cycle and why functioning in high-intensity fight-or-flight leads to hard crashes and compulsive avoidance [30:21] Why a formal diagnosis may not matter: Jenna's framework focuses on nervous system regulation regardless of whether you have a label [40:19] Dysregulation is contagious — but so is regulation: how Jenna's own internal work changed her husband without a single conversation about it [42:16] Joanne's question: how to help a high-achieving son who struggles at school, and why the most powerful thing parents can do happens before they drop the kids off [47:21] Jenna's upcoming book, Full Capacity, and why she believes regulation is the most ambitious thing a driven person can pursue [54:12] The dreamer-freeze type: why a low-motivation, avoidant kid is just as dysregulated as a hyperactive one — it just looks different [57:10] The host shares his own ADHD management tools — exercise and clean eating — and Jenna explains exactly why they work from a nervous system standpoint   Five Key Takeaways You can't think your way out of fight-or-flight because it's not a thought problem — it's a nervous system problem. The primal part of your brain believes you're being chased by a bear, and no amount of self-talk will convince it otherwise until you address the physical and behavioral patterns keeping it on alert. The frantic-crash cycle isn't a productivity style — it's a symptom. When you require pressure to get things done and then collapse afterward, you're not built that way; you've been trained into it. The only way out is to consciously lower the intensity during the good stretches, not just manage the crashes. Rushing is one of the clearest signals your nervous system has flipped into survival mode. When you catch yourself rushing the kids in the morning, the fix isn't to push through faster — it's to physically slow down and shift from "let's go" to "let's focus," which calms everyone's system and actually gets you out the door more effectively. Your regulation — or lack of it — is setting the baseline for your whole family. Kids and partners co-regulate with the people around them. You can't force your kids to be calm, but becoming a regulated, grounded presence does more than any conversation about breathing ever will. Fight-or-flight doesn't always look like intensity. Freeze and avoidance are just as much a dysregulated state as frantic rushing — they're just the other end of the pendulum. A kid who looks unmotivated or a dad who procrastinates for two weeks is dealing with the same nervous system problem as the guy who can't slow down. Links & Resources The Dad Edge Alliance — https://thedadedge.com/join Questions for the Car (free resource) — https://thedadedge.com/kidquestions ADHD with Jenna Free (social media) — @adhdwithjennafree Full Capacity HQ (upcoming content on regulation for ambitious people) — @fullcapacityhq Episode Shownotes: http://thedadedge.com/1492 Closing What Jenna laid out here isn't a quick fix — and she'd be the first one to tell you that. But there's something powerful in knowing that the part of you that snaps at your kids, crashes after a big push, or can't quite slow down no matter how much you want to — that part isn't a character flaw. It's a nervous system that's been running in survival mode, and it can be retrained. If this conversation hit close to home, share it with a dad you know who's quietly fighting the same battle. And if you're not yet part of the Alliance where conversations like this happen every month, head over to thedadedge.com/join. Follow the show, leave a rating and review, and help us get this in front of the dads who need it most. Go out and live legendary.

Jamie Kozub and Chris Carter are the yin and yang behind Shit My Dad Taught Me, a podcast that's exploded to over 2.5 million views every month in barely 18 months. Together they also co-founded Burlington Dads, a community of 7,200 fathers that has raised over $1 million for local families and charities. But what makes these two men worth an hour of your time isn't the numbers. It's the two completely different roads that brought them here. Jamie has never met his biological father and grew up 40 minutes outside Thunder Bay in a house with no working toilet and a potbelly stove for heat. With his dad working construction hundreds of miles away Monday through Saturday, Jamie was cooking dinner and raising his little brother at 12. He moved out at 15, worked the Sony store from two till ten every day through high school, and was making $130K a year by 18. Then at 19, after blowing $60,000 at the casino, he walked back in, handed over his driver's license, and banned himself from every casino in Ontario. Chris had the opposite upbringing: a ten-out-of-ten dad who fed every kid who walked through the door and modeled what it means to raise daughters. Now a girl dad of two, Chris shares his number one piece of advice, just take them with you, and the story of the letter that confronted him at 340 pounds. A year later, he's lost nearly 100 pounds and is preparing for his first bodybuilding show at 42. We also go to some deep waters in this one: their friend Matt's story of losing his father and grandfather to suicide, and my own 33 days of insomnia in 2017 and the counselor's words that changed my perception forever. This is a conversation about fatherhood, brotherhood, and building the communities that keep men alive and thriving. Don't miss it.   Timeline Summary [1:02] Larry welcomes Jamie Kozub and Chris Carter, the yin and yang behind Shit My Dad Taught Me [1:56] Jamie on never meeting his biological father and why he feels no void to fill [2:58] Growing up outside Thunder Bay with no working toilet, a potbelly stove, and a dad gone Monday to Saturday [10:33] Chris's number one girl dad advice: just take them with you, from boardrooms to private jets [17:56] Moving out at 15, couch surfing, and working the Sony store from two till ten every day [19:39] Making $130K at 18 and turning down a University of Miami scholarship [20:28] Walking into the casino at 19 to ban himself from every casino in Ontario for five years [26:35] Chris's dad and the barbecue pizza rule: everyone who walks through the door gets fed [33:02] How Shit My Dad Taught Me reached 2.5 million monthly views through radical authenticity [37:16] The Lexie J letter story that confronted Chris at 340 pounds and sparked his transformation [42:18] Their friend Matt's story of loss and his commitment to breaking a generational cycle [45:18] Larry opens up about 33 days of insomnia and the counselor's words that changed everything [48:14] Pits and peaks: Chris's daily traditions for getting his girls to open up [51:46] A warrior on a farm: why the biggest guy in the room works hardest at being gentle [54:30] Jamie on raising boys who respect women, learn from losing, and greet every guest at the door [56:47] Inside Burlington Dads: 14 events, a $75K golf tournament, and a $77K Christmas toy drive   Five Key Takeaways You don't need a void filled to move forward; Jamie chose to honor the dad who raised him while letting go of the one who didn't, and turned a hard childhood into fuel instead of an excuse. The simplest girl dad advice is also the best: take your kids with you everywhere so they never believe a glass ceiling exists. Make your home the place where every kid is fed, welcomed, and safe, because you'd rather your kids make their choices under your roof than somewhere else. Find the thing that confronts you before your family has to write you the letter; Chris lost nearly 100 pounds because he refused to put his daughters in that position. Whatever pain you're carrying, you don't have to carry it alone; real communities of men exist, and guys like Jamie and Chris will always pick up the phone.   Links & Resources Shit My Dad Taught Me — available on all platforms, including Spotify and YouTube Follow Chris on Instagram — @chriscarterbd Follow Jamie on Instagram — @jamiekozub Burlington Dads on Facebook Episode resources — https://thedadedge.com/1491 Join the Dad Edge Alliance — https://thedadedge.com/join Questions for the Car free download — https://thedadedge.com/kidquestions Closing There's a moment in this episode where a 19-year-old kid making six figures walks into a casino, hands over his driver's license, and bans himself for five years because he knew the life he wanted required a different man. That's what taking responsibility actually looks like, and it's the thread running through this entire conversation, from Chris's 100-pound transformation to two men building a community of 7,200 dads who refuse to do life alone. If this one hit home, send it to the brother in your life who needs to hear that good men come together. Go out and live legendary.

Jess Hilarious has built a career on telling the truth in a way that makes people laugh and feel seen, from the Baltimore open mic scene to Wild 'N Out, starring on Rel, her hit podcast Carefully Reckless, and now co-hosting The Breakfast Club. But in this conversation, we go somewhere most people have never heard her go: what it really took to become the mother and co-parent she is today. Jess got pregnant at 19, raised in a strict church household, terrified to tell her parents she even had a boyfriend. She opens up about the first six months after her son Ashton was born, when she didn't want to be a mom at all, and the breakdown on her knees in her mother's house that ended with her baby smirking up at her from the crib. That was the moment everything changed. We also walk through the hard road with her son's father, Jerome. The cheating, the other girl at Ashton's first birthday party, and the public comment that revealed he had a second child on the way. Instead of staying at war, Jess chose to understand the trauma behind his behavior, and the two of them took actual co-parenting vows: for better or for worse, till death do we parent. As a father of four boys, I know how many men in our community are navigating co-parenting right now, and this episode is packed with hard-won wisdom on boundaries, accountability, and putting your kids first. Jess's new book, Til Death Do We Parent, brings her trademark humor and honesty to all of it, and this conversation is the perfect introduction.   Timeline Summary [1:01] Larry welcomes comedian, actress, and Breakfast Club co-host Jess Hilarious to the show [1:48] Jess opens up about not wanting to be a mom for the first six months after her son was born [3:15] Telling Jerome she was pregnant at 19 and his unexpectedly joyful reaction [4:25] A charge on her record, no job offers, and moving back in with her mom after Ashton arrived [4:52] The breakdown in her mom's house: "why would you pick me to be your mother?" [7:17] Telling her parents at 8 PM: her dad's ten-second breathing technique and her mom's prayer [15:02] The funeral story at age eight that proved Jess was born funny [17:43] Martin Lawrence's brother calls and Jess fakes ten years of stand-up experience [18:41] Opening for Martin Lawrence in front of 13,000 people in Baltimore after five open mics [25:05] Rome brings another girl to Ashton's first birthday party [26:57] Leaving a good man for one more chance, then learning about Rome's second child from a public comment [31:14] Understanding Rome's trauma: losing his mother at ten and finding her himself [33:32] The co-parenting vows: "I take you, Jerome James, to be my lawfully wedded co-parent" [35:22] Dating selfishly and taking accountability for the men she brought around Ashton [38:15] The 1 AM phone call that made her husband draw the line on boundaries [42:58] Larry shares meeting his biological father by chance in a St. Louis Starbucks at age 30   Five Key Takeaways Treat co-parenting like a vow you can't walk away from, because your child is watching how you show up for better or for worse. Your kids absorb every ounce of tension between you and your ex, and defiance at school is often a reflection of the energy they're consuming at home. Understanding the trauma behind your ex's behavior won't excuse it, but it can free you from resentment and make a real friendship possible. When you have kids, you date as a package, so anyone who isn't building a bond with your child isn't actually good for you either. Boundaries protect every relationship you have, and putting "friendship hours" around your co-parent isn't disrespect, it's what keeps your marriage and your co-parenting healthy.   Links & Resources Til Death Do We Parent by Jess Hilarious: https://www.amazon.com/Til-Death-Do-We-Parent/dp/1668059355 Jess's website — https://jesshilariousofficial.com Follow Jess on Instagram — @jesshilarious_official Follow Jess on Twitter and Snapchat — @jess_hilarious Jess Hilarious Official on Facebook Episode resources — https://thedadedge.com/1490 Questions for the Car free download — https://thedadedge.com/questions The Dad Edge Alliance — http://thedadedge.com/join   Closing There's a moment in this episode where Jess describes falling to her knees, asking her infant son why he chose her as his mother, and looking up to see him smirking at her from the crib as if to say "I'm here, so put on your big girl panties." That's the kind of raw honesty that changes how you see your own parenting story. If you're navigating co-parenting, boundaries, or just the weight of feeling unready, share this one with a brother who needs it. Go out and live legendary.

Gentlemen, we're two weeks out from Father's Day and this Q&A hit me right in the chest. We've got Joe the Legend joining me today, a father of five who brings that earned wisdom — the kind that only comes from years of being in the trenches, making mistakes, and choosing to grow through them. This conversation is real, raw, and exactly what this community is built on. We tackle two questions from the Alliance today. The first one is about a 12-year-old daughter who's been lying and stealing from family members — and how to guide her toward accountability while keeping the relationship open and safe. The second one is something almost every dad I know battles: losing patience by the end of the day when the tank is completely empty. Joe drops some of the most honest perspective you'll hear anywhere on why kids lie and steal, what birth order has to do with it, and how a scarcity mindset can drive behaviors you'd never expect. And then he shares something that personally rocked me — that impatience isn't a discipline problem. It's a selfishness problem. That one landed hard, and I'll explain why. This is the kind of show that reminds you why we're here. Not to be perfect dads. But to be intentional ones who keep showing up, keep learning, and keep choosing our kids — even when we've got nothing left in the tank.   Timeline Summary [1:01] Larry introduces the show and a special four-part June offer for new Dad Edge Alliance members [1:38] What's included: signed copy of The Pursuit of Legendary Fatherhood, two courses, and a brand new PDF resource [3:39] Today's two topics: how to handle a child who is lying and stealing, and losing patience by end of day [4:00] Morgan (The Engineer) asks his question: his 12-year-old daughter is stealing from family members, often tied to jealousy [5:36] Joe shares that lying is almost always a defense mechanism and stealing is tied to either scarcity mindset or attention-seeking [6:55] Joe reflects on growing up without enough — and how that scarcity mindset made stealing feel necessary as a kid [8:10] Joe raises the birth order question: second borns can feel like second best, and attention imbalance can drive behavior [9:38] Joe's reframe: are you unintentionally reinforcing scarcity in your home, or creating uneven attention among your kids? [12:08] Larry tells the story of his son Mason getting caught shoplifting at age 11 — caught on video at a local store [15:28] Larry calls the store, finds out the owner is a retired cop, and decides not to protect Mason from the consequences [17:49] Larry takes Mason to face the store owner directly and tells his son: whatever this man asks you to do, you're going to do it [20:34] The 30-day consequence plan: daily chores, journaling gratitude and reflections, and a final trip to the police station [22:15] The Sonic parking lot conversation — where Mason finally broke down and told the truth about why he did it [23:37] Mason's real confession: he was afraid of losing another friend if he didn't go along with the theft [25:51] Calvin asks his question: how do you stay patient at the end of the day when you're completely drained? [27:40] Larry's answer: surrender before you walk in the room — pray and admit you can't do it alone [29:50] Joe's reframe on patience: it's listed as a fruit of the spirit in Galatians, and a lack of it is rooted in selfishness [31:18] Joe's inner monologue when he feels impatience rising — asking himself whether it's about him or about the person in front of him [34:29] Joe reflects on the relationship he has with his oldest son today, and why patience made it possible   Five Key Takeaways Lying is almost always a defense mechanism — when your child lies, look first at what they're afraid of, not just what they did wrong. Stealing in kids is usually tied to either a scarcity mindset or an attention grab — ask yourself if you're unintentionally reinforcing either one in your home. When your kid does something wrong, connection has to come before correction — Mason's breakthrough happened in a Sonic parking lot, not in a punishment. Impatience isn't a willpower problem, it's a selfishness problem — if you're losing patience, something is encroaching on your agenda, and recognizing that shifts everything. You cannot white-knuckle sustainable patience on your own — whether through faith, community, or both, the fathers who show up consistently are the ones who know they need help.   Links & Resources The Dad Edge Alliance: https://www.thedadedge.com/join Questions for the Car (free PDF): https://www.thedadedge.com/kidquestions Episode Show Notes: http://thedadedge.com/1489   Closing This episode is a reminder that the best fathering doesn't happen when we have it all together. It happens in Sonic parking lots, in honest conversations after long days, and in the moments when we finally stop trying to do it alone. Joe's story about his oldest son hit me differently today — knowing how far they've come, knowing there's no reason they should be close, and hearing him say that patience is what made the difference. That's the work, gentlemen. That's exactly the work. If today's conversation meant something to you, pass it to a dad who needs it, leave us a five-star review, and keep showing up for your family every single day. Go out and live legendary.

Thomas Pfanner is a husband, father of three, combat athlete with nearly 20 years of jiu jitsu training, and a former strength coach at the University of Oregon who was part of a Pac-12 championship team and a Rose Bowl season. After seven years as a public educator watching young men arrive unprepared for the real world, he channeled that frustration into a mission: equipping fathers to become the trusted, respected leaders their kids are actually hungry for. His Amazon bestselling book Dads Who Lead launched September 26th, 2025, and it's already resonating deeply with fathers who want to lead with strength and integrity. This conversation starts where most parenting conversations are afraid to go. Thomas shares the raw story of his son Charles calling him at 14 to say he was done, the long road of rebuilding that relationship, and the specific leadership shifts that changed everything. From there, we get into the five attributes he outlines in Dads Who Lead — faith, ownership, respect, groundbreaking adventure, and expectation — and how they stack together to help dads go from being a manager to being a mentor their kids actually choose to lean into. If you've ever felt like you're losing your son or daughter and don't know what to do next, Thomas has lived that story and walked out the other side. And if your relationship with your teenager is already solid, this episode will sharpen the tools you're using and show you where the gaps might be. Whether you're trying to rebuild a relationship or strengthen one that's already good, this episode is for the dad who refuses to go to his grave wondering what went wrong.   Timeline Summary [1:02] Thomas welcomes the audience and Larry teases the June offer for Dad Edge Alliance members [3:15] Thomas shares how Charles at 14 called to say he was moving to his mom's across state — and what led up to that moment [5:23] The day Thomas couldn't find his son after wrestling practice and the call that changed everything [6:36] What it felt like to lose 14 years of relationship work in a single phone call — and the journey that followed [8:23] Thomas and his wife leave their home, jobs, and stability to move across state to pursue Charles before his freshman year [9:54] Larry previews the show's core topic: how to rebuild and build trust with teenagers, especially when the relationship has been fractured [13:10] The first step in rebuilding trust wasn't with Charles — it was rebuilding Thomas's belief in himself as a father [15:40] How Thomas used the concept of "highlight reels" to keep faith in Charles even when the evidence was going the wrong direction [21:34] The five attributes of leadership from Dads Who Lead: faith, ownership, respect, groundbreaking adventure, and expectation [24:25] Chip Kelly's single line on expectation that Thomas has never forgotten — and what it means for every parent who lets things slide [28:11] How Thomas shifted his "brand" from manager to mentor — and why your son has an emotional reaction the moment your name pops up on his phone [32:30] The two primary engines of respect: action respect and connection respect — and why one matters more to men and one matters more to women [38:46] Charles's response to the book being out in the world, and where he is now — working full-time and calling his dad 4 or 5 times a week [41:14] Why the 2027 father-son retreat is going to Normandy, France — and what Thomas wants dads and sons to take home from that week [43:24] How the retreat program works — who it's for, age requirements, and what physical experiences make it different from other men's events   Five Key Takeaways Before you can rebuild trust with your teenager, you have to rebuild trust in yourself. Thomas had to stop listening to the comforting voices telling him he'd done enough, anchor into his faith that he was called to be Charles's father for a reason, and believe Charles could become something great before Charles believed it himself. The brand you've built as a dad is the emotion your kid feels when your name hits their phone screen. You control that brand completely. If they've known you mainly as the person telling them what to do, switching to a mentor who's genuinely curious about their story is what shifts the brand — and softens the resistance when you do need to hold a standard. There are two ways kids earn respect: through action and through connection. Action respect comes from who you are and how you carry yourself. Connection respect comes from being the person who actually knows their story. The dad who does both is nearly impossible to replace — online or otherwise. Chip Kelly's line from Dads Who Lead is worth writing on a wall: if you accept it, expect it. Every time you let something slide without a conversation, you're voting for that behavior to continue. Setting expectations your teenager can buy into means they have to understand the why — and that only happens when the relationship is strong enough for them to care. Rites of passage aren't a tradition for tradition's sake — young men are starving for a moment where someone tells them who they are and gives them permission to step into it. If dads don't create that moment intentionally, the culture, social media, or a peer group will create it for them.   Links & Resources Dads Who Lead by Thomas Pfanner —  Free leadership style quiz for dads — https://dadswholead.com Father-son retreat experiences (domestic and Normandy 2027) — https://dadswholead.com/experience Questions for the Car (free PDF) — https://thedadedge.com/kidquestions Dad Edge Alliance Mastermind — https://thedadedge.com/join Podcast shownotes: http://thedadedge.com/1488   Closing Thomas's story with Charles is one of those episodes that reminds you why we do this work. He didn't coast when it got hard. He made the call, packed up his life, and went after his son — no guarantees, no safety net, just faith that his kid was worth it. If you know a dad who's in that painful season of feeling like he's losing his relationship with his teenager, share this episode with him today. It could be the turning point he didn't know he needed. And if this show has meant something to you, head over and leave a five-star review. It helps more dads find this message. Go out and live legendary.

Justin Goodbread is a serial entrepreneur, business coach, and host of the DecaMillionaire Decoded podcast who has built and sold multiple companies while raising three kids alongside his wife Emily in Tennessee. His father Alan, a Georgia Port Authority worker who homeschooled three children with Juilliard graduates and university professors on a lower-middle-class income, laid the foundation for everything Justin has become as a man, a husband, and a dad. This episode is a raw, honest look at how faith, family, and legacy intersect when life gets hard. Justin shares the stories behind losing his father suddenly at 61, nearly losing Emily during an 8-hour surgery with a 12% survival rate, and how both moments stripped away his obsession with building empires and replaced it with something that actually matters. If you're a dad who wants to leave your kids with more than money, this conversation will stay with you.   Timeline Summary [1:02] Host opens with a special June Alliance offer including a signed book, two courses, and 50 intimate conversation starters for couples [2:38] Guest Justin Goodbread is introduced and the two celebrate a recent episode swap on Justin's podcast [3:46] Justin describes his father Alan and the radical decision his parents made to break a cycle of dysfunction by raising their kids in faith and homeschooling them decades before it was common [7:39] Dad gives 15-year-old Justin an ultimatum: have a job by Friday or don't come home, with three strict rules that made it nearly impossible in their small Georgia town [9:53] Justin finds a stranger's overgrown yard, earns $40, and comes home to a father who reveals the lesson he'd orchestrated all along: at 15, you just outearned me [11:37] Two years after starting "Lawn Care by the Boys," Justin and his brother were earning more individually than their parents combined [12:33] After a final day hunting and a Taco Bell conversation about responsibility and legacy, Justin returns home to a call that his father had a massive heart attack that night [13:22] Justin describes a five-year crisis of faith following his father's sudden death at 61, and how grief forced him to rebuild everything from the ground up [24:01] Justin shares the family motto "No one outworks a Goodbread" and how his dad led with short, hard-to-forget phrases that became the family's operating system [29:18] Seven years of tribulation including multiple deaths, suicides among friends, and the stripping away of money and relationships down to just Justin, Emily, and a handful of close friends [31:39] Emily's surgery runs more than 8 hours when doctors said anything past 6 would mean trouble, and Justin sits alone in the hospital waiting room [33:06] Emily's first words coming out of anesthesia: "Justin, what's another million dollars going to do for us?" and how that question changed the direction of his entire life [39:44] The post-surgery shift: intentionality replaces ambition, marriage gets prioritized above all, and Justin and Emily travel to Costa Rica and Saint Lucia to invest in their relationship like never before [43:51] Justin uses the story of Jochebed and Moses to explain his parenting philosophy: mothers nurture in the early years, then fathers step in to disciple their kids into warriors [46:14] His 21-year-old daughter calls, ready to quit a hard nursing class. Justin says nothing. She already knows exactly what he'll say because she's been discipled. [53:43] Justin closes with Ephesians 6:13: "having done all, stand" — do your dead-level best, trust grace for the rest, and enter heaven exhausted   Five Key Takeaways Your kids are watching you model your marriage more than they are watching you parent them. Justin and Emily made it a point to date each other first, keep their marriage above everything else, and trust that their kids would follow what they saw. When Emily nearly died, their daughter was already grounded enough to say "don't worry, dad, we got this." A crisis of faith is not the end of faith. After his father died, Justin spent five years questioning everything he had been raised to believe. What came out on the other side was not a shallower faith but a more surrendered one — a willingness to stop fighting the path and trust the process even when it costs him. The goal is to enter heaven exhausted, not retired. Justin draws a direct line from his father's work ethic to his own rejection of the Western retirement model. Life built around impact, not income, is the shift that Emily's surgery forced him to make, and it became the most clarifying decision of his adult life. Discipleship is about covering your kids in dust. Justin references the Hebrew tradition of students being covered in the dust of their teacher as they walked behind them. The goal is not just to tell your kids what to believe but to walk faithfully enough in front of them that when it counts, they already know what to do. God gets no glory in quitting. Justin's father said it when the family was tempted to pull the kids from homeschooling. Justin's daughter said it back to him at 21, unprompted, when she was ready to drop a nursing class. The phrase became a family doctrine because it was lived out, not just spoken.   Links & Resources DecaMillionaire Decoded Podcast — http://justingoodbread.com/podcast Connect with Justin on Instagram — http://instagram.com/justingoodbread Join the Dad Edge Alliance — http://thedadedge.com/join 50 Intimate Kid Conversation Starters — http://thedadedge.com/kidquestions Show notes and full resources — http://thedadedge.com/1487   Closing Justin's story is not a highlight reel. It is a funeral, an 8-hour surgery, a crisis of faith, and a daughter who already knew what her dad was going to say before he said a word. If something in this episode hit you, send it to a man in your life who needs it. Rate and review the show so more dads can find it, and go out and live legendary.

One of the hardest things I face as a father is watching my kids deflect responsibility and blame everyone else for their mistakes. A door slams in the car, and suddenly it's the wind's fault. A bad grade lands on the homework sheet, but somehow it's the teacher's fault. I know I'm not alone in this—it's one of the most common questions I get from our Dad Edge community. So I brought my brother Joe back to the Q&A to tackle it head-on, and I'm honestly still thinking about what he said. Joe has five kids of his own, including three daughters, so he's lived this battle in real-time. He's learned that what looks like defiance or dishonesty is often just a 12-year-old girl—or a 10-year-old boy—drowning in internal noise. There's social media, body image stuff, the need to be accepted, the pressure to be popular. As fathers, we can barely fathom the tornado of things swirling around in their heads. But when we understand that first, everything changes about how we respond. What struck me most was Joe's wisdom on adopted kids and their fear of failure. If your child came to you a different way—whether adopted or blended—there's an invisible layer of anxiety about worth and belonging. That's not an excuse for irresponsibility; it's context. And context changes how we coach. He walked me through how to use questions instead of accusations, how to celebrate integrity when we see it, and how to be careful with the words we speak because words become the narrative our kids believe about themselves. This Q&A is one you'll want to listen to twice. Once for the tactics on teaching ownership, and once to hear what Joe says about narratives and the power of telling your kids the truth about who they are. Because if we're building men—and that's what we do here—we have to give them a better story to believe about themselves.   Timeline Summary [0:02] Host introduces The Dad Edge mission: creating leaders of men, families, and communities [1:02] Welcome to June 2026 and the epic Q&A episode—plus announcement of exclusive Alliance giveaways this month [1:52] Four exclusive bonuses for joining the Alliance in June: signed copy of The Pursuit of Legendary Fatherhood, two courses ($500 value each), and 50 Intimate Conversation Starters [3:49] Joe joins and shares his excitement about these monthly Q&A conversations with the community [4:42] Sean submits the core question: His 12-year-old adopted daughter Angelina constantly blames others and won't take ownership for her actions [5:30] Joe responds: At 12, girls are in transition from childhood to womanhood with massive internal pressure around social media, body image, and acceptance [6:18] The key insight—girls can think about 5-6 things at once while most men focus on one track; understanding this is crucial [7:23] Covey's principle: Seek to understand before you seek to be understood; girls at 12 are anxious about their origin story and fear of failure [8:27] The adoption layer: Children who came to families differently often fear they'll be rejected again, which fuels the blame pattern [10:00] Use questions, not accusations: Instead of "Why did you slam the door?" try "Help me understand what happened"—questions keep the door open instead of triggering defensiveness [15:45] Teaching integrity and responsibility: Point out integrity every time you see it—in your child, in others, in everyday moments [38:36] Celebrate integrity immediately: "That showed so much integrity" builds the construct in your child's mind of what integrity actually looks like [39:43] The power of words: Life and death are in the tongue; be careful about criticism around performance because every child struggles with "not being good enough" [40:43] Give your kids a better narrative: The foundation for who they are as people is built on the words you speak and the truth you help them believe about themselves [43:52] Free resource: "Questions for the Car" PDF with 75 age-appropriate questions (5-8, 9-12, and teens) to build connection without the standard "how was school" questions [45:31] Reminder about Alliance June bonuses and gratitude for the community and reviews   Five Key Takeaways When your kid blames others, they're often drowning in internal noise. Before you react to the deflection, understand the 10 things happening inside their head—social pressure, body image, fear of rejection. Understanding first changes everything about how you coach. Instead of asking "Why did you do that?" use questions to understand. The word "why" triggers defensiveness immediately; "Help me understand what happened" keeps the conversation open and models curiosity instead of accusation. Point out integrity constantly—in your child, in strangers, in everyday moments. Integrity is an abstract word to a 10-year-old, so show them what it looks like. Celebrate it immediately. Build the mental model they'll use for the rest of their lives. The words you speak become the narrative your kids believe about themselves. Lies believed enslave a person; truth believed sets them free. Are you speaking words that will free your kids or words that will trap them? Build connection before you expect influence. Questions that create real dialogue—not "How was school?" but the kind that invites genuine conversation—are the bridge between you and your child's honesty.   Links & Resources The Dad Edge Podcast & Resources — https://thedadedge.com/1486 Join The Dad Edge Alliance — https://thedadedge.com/join Questions for the Car PDF (75 age-appropriate questions, ages 5-12 and teens) — https://thedadedge.com/kidquestions The Pursuit of Legendary Fatherhood book — https://thedadedge.com Creating More Patience in the Chaos course ($500 value, free in June) — https://thedadedge.com/join 50 Intimate Conversation Starters PDF (free resource for Alliance members) — https://thedadedge.com/join Closing If you're struggling with a kid who won't own their mistakes, this conversation is going to shift something in you. I know it did for me. Joe's insight about understanding the tornado of noise inside a preteen's head, and his challenge about the words we speak and the narrative we're building—that's the stuff that matters. That's legacy work. Join the Alliance in June if you want those resources, and don't miss the "Questions for the Car" PDF in the show notes. Your kids need questions that actually matter. Go out and live legendary.

Dominic Rubino is a business coach with over two decades of experience who built a Brian Tracy franchise from 6 locations to 240 worldwide, sold it, and never looked back. He hosts two highly niched podcasts, Profit Tool Belt and Cabinet Maker Profit System, where he helps small trade business owners get clear on time, team, money, and growth. What hit me hardest about this conversation was that Dominic had everything on paper. Two hundred and forty franchisees. International operations. A name in the industry. And then his nine-year-old son shrank at the dinner table, and Dominic made the decision right there. He sold the company. He showed up. And now his son is heading off to play NCAA lacrosse. This episode is about what it actually takes to build a business that serves your life — not the other way around. Dominic talks about delegation, systems, the cost of constant travel, and why the guys who can't stop working are often running from something. If you've ever felt like a prisoner to the income you built, this one's for you. If you're a father who owns a business or is grinding through a W-2 job that keeps pulling you away from the people you're doing it all for, this conversation will hit close to home. Dominic doesn't deal in theory. He's lived it, coached thousands through it, and he has the frameworks to prove it.   Timeline Summary [1:02] Dominic's last name gets butchered before the mic even starts rolling — and a quick side note about Dallas [1:54] Host sets up the dinner table moment — nine-year-old Joseph shrinks in his chair and changes everything [2:17] Dominic describes building a Brian Tracy franchise from 6 to 240 locations across the U.S., Brazil, and Europe [3:32] A surprise buyout offer comes in from franchisees — and Dominic says no [4:13] The real cost of constant travel: getting invited to the hotel concierge's birthday party [5:29] The moment it all shifted: Joseph drops his head at the dinner table and Dominic decides to sell [7:05] Dominic reflects on the things he missed — first steps, first swimming lessons — and what his kids saw him miss [9:16] Host shares his own version: his six-year-old son locked around his ankle on the floor, begging him not to leave again [13:03] Why Dominic stopped being afraid to reinvent himself — and the promise he made to never sacrifice his family again [20:08] Advice for W-2 guys feeling stuck: stop sending resumes into the void and go talk to a human being [25:17] "Cat's in the Cradle" — one song that answers this whole conversation, and a hospital story that hits like a gut punch [31:42] The less you work, the more you make: why Dominic hires great people and then hires them an assistant [36:15] A live breathing exercise on air — and what it should feel like to actually be on top of your business [43:23] A client sells his company for seven figures and his wife asks one question: "Does this mean you can finally do donuts with dad?" [47:12] How Dominic helps trade business owners in the $1–3M range get clear on time, team, money, and growth [50:07] How to find Dominic — two podcasts, a TEDx talk, and a college wrestler who is definitely not him   Five Key Takeaways The moment that changes you doesn't announce itself. For Dominic, it was a nine-year-old boy silently shrinking at the dinner table. You don't always know what your kids see you miss, but they're watching — and so are you, somewhere deep down. Reinventing yourself isn't the scary part. The scarier thing is spending another decade in golden handcuffs, telling yourself you're doing it for the family while the family waits at the door. Stop lying to yourself about being trapped. You're not. Finding a job is a job. Don't send your resume into the LinkedIn black hole. Figure out which companies and which people you actually want to work for and go talk to them. Every business owner out there is looking for someone committed enough to show up before they're asked. Hire great people, then hire them an assistant. If your best people are spending their time on tasks that a $20/hour assistant could handle, you're paying premium wages for checkbox work. Build small teams, assign assistants early, and let them do more than you ever could alone. A business only gets clear when everything in your head gets out of it. Strategic planning is really just moving the chaos from your mind onto paper. Once it's on paper, it becomes the boss. Then you work backwards from that to figure out what has to happen this quarter, this week, and today.   Links & Resources Profit Tool Belt Podcast — search "Profit Tool Belt" on any podcast platform Cabinet Maker Profit System Podcast — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cabinet-maker-profit-system-podcast/id1353937790 Dominic Rubino TEDx Talk: Family Inc — search "Dominic Rubino TEDx" on YouTube The Dad Edge Alliance — http://thedadedge.com/join Episode show notes and links — http://thedadedge.com/1483   Closing If Dominic's dinner table story hit you somewhere you weren't expecting, trust that feeling. That's the thing trying to get your attention. Whether you're building a business, grinding a W-2, or somewhere in the messy middle of trying to make a change, the time to put the wheels in motion is not someday — it's now. Share this episode with a business-owner dad in your life who needs to hear it. And if it moved you, take two minutes to leave a review and follow the show so we can keep bringing you conversations like this one. Go out and live legendary.

Father Stephen Gadberry is a Catholic priest ordained in 2016 after a path that took him from a small family farm in the Arkansas Delta through the United States Air Force, a deployment to Iraq, and all the way to Rome to study philosophy and theology. He competed on American Ninja Warrior in 2018 and 2020, has worked alongside Bishop Robert Barron and Word on Fire, and currently serves at Saint Theresa Catholic Church and School in Little Rock, Arkansas. In this conversation, Father Stephen opens up about losing his father and twelve-year-old sister in a car accident when he was just eight years old, how that tragedy shaped his understanding of duty and sacrifice, and what it felt like to receive his calling in the middle of a deployment in central Iraq. He is a hunter, archer, CrossFit athlete, knife maker, and musician who speaks about masculinity, suffering, and faith in a way that cuts through all the noise. We also get into forgiveness in a way I have never heard anyone break it down before. Father Stephen uses the image of a plant to walk through the entire process of healing a broken relationship, from cultivating the soil, to planting the seed, to watching for weeds, to understanding why we pull back just when things start to feel close. It is pastoral counsel and practical wisdom at the same time. This one hit me differently, guys. I am not kidding when I say I felt the weight of this conversation in my chest. If you have ever carried loss, wrestled with abandonment, or wondered how a man of deep faith actually lives out forgiveness in real time, this episode is for you.   Timeline Summary [1:02] Father Stephen and the host kick off by acknowledging this is take two, after a tech failure ended the first recording [1:55] Father Stephen explains his two appearances on American Ninja Warrior in 2018 and 2020 and what he was really trying to do with the cameras [4:20] The meaning behind the priest collar explained: white for speaking truth, black for death to self [6:07] Why traditions are not a threat to faith and how they are already woven into every man's life whether he realizes it or not [7:16] How the American Ninja Warrior exposure broke down barriers and gave people an entry point to seek pastoral help with marriages and personal struggles [13:25] Host introduces Father Stephen's background: raised on an Arkansas farm, lost his father and older sister at age eight in a car accident, later served in the Air Force and deployed to Iraq [17:22] Father Stephen describes the accident on May 5th, 1994, the deaths of his father and twelve-year-old sister, and how a young boy without comprehension of the full weight woke up every day and simply got it done [23:11] Two weeks after the accident, his mother discovered she was pregnant with twins, and the family's response to impossible circumstances [28:18] The Christmas delivery story: neighbors who brought gifts for the family after the accident and did it with enough grace and class that no one's dignity was taken [33:14] Father Stephen recalls warming up the minivan for his mother on cold Arkansas mornings as a child, and why the small act reveals a lifelong orientation toward serving others before himself [37:10] The story of how the calling to priesthood emerged during military service in Iraq, including a stranger at Mass who said, "You're thinking about being a priest, aren't you?" [43:30] How Father Stephen submitted his early separation paperwork from the Air Force and received approval in under two weeks, something that ordinarily takes months [46:30] The host shares his own story of his biological father leaving twice and reconnecting at age thirty, and asks Father Stephen about what it means to forgive at 98% but still carry that last 2% [52:07] The plant image of forgiveness: cultivating the soil, planting the seed, watching for weeds, and understanding that pulling things up too soon or too often kills what is trying to grow [1:00:54] Father Stephen helps the host understand the subconscious pull-back pattern that shows up in relationships after early abandonment and how to reframe those defense mechanisms rather than fight them [1:07:13] Closing thoughts and the little way of Saint Thérèse: do small things with big love, over and over   Five Key Takeaways Losing his father and sister at age eight did not break Father Stephen. It built in him a sense of duty and commitment so deep that he woke up every morning as a boy simply asking what needed to be done, and that orientation toward others before self became the foundation of everything he does as a priest. Sharing your humanity, not just your credentials, is what gives people permission to bring you their real problems. Father Stephen's Ninja Warrior appearances did not grow his ministry by making him impressive. They grew it by making him approachable. Forgiveness is not a moment. It is a plant. You cultivate the soil, you plant the seed at the right time in the right way, and then you let it sit. Going back every day to dig it up and see if it grew will kill it. The healing comes from doing the work and then having the patience to let it take root. Keeping a small part of unforgiveness is not a failure. It is memory. It is what tells you how to water the plant going forward, what burned it before, and what it needs to stay alive now. Forgetting is not the goal. Learning is. The soul remembers what hurt it, and sometimes that shows up as pulling back right when something good is getting close. That is not sabotage. That is an old defense mechanism doing its job. The work is to recognize it, name it, and gently push its limits rather than either surrendering to it or shaming yourself for it.   Links & Resources Follow Father Stephen on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/fatherstephenjgadberry Saint Theresa Catholic Church — https://www.sttheresalittlerock.org This Episode's Show Page — https://thedadedge.com/1484 Join the Dad Edge — https://thedadedge.com/join The Men's Forge — https://themensforge.com   Closing Father Stephen gave us something rare in this conversation: the kind of honesty that only comes from a man who has sat with real pain long enough to have something true to say about it. If the plant image of forgiveness resonated with you the way it hit me, share this episode with a man in your life who is carrying something heavy and does not have the language for it yet. And if you got something out of this one, please take a minute to leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. It helps more dads and more men find this show. Go out and live legendary.

Jon Fogel is a parenting expert, pastor, published author, and PhD candidate who runs Whole Parent and Whole Parent Academy, a resource built around the psychology of parenting and discipline. He is the author of the bestselling book Punishment Free Parenting and a brand new children's book, Set My Feelings Free, which sold out nationwide before its second printing. He is a husband, father of four kids ranging from 18 months to nine years old, and somehow found time to install a toilet while his wife was in labor. Jon has been a guest on The Dad Edge podcast twice before, and every single time he shows up, he leaves the room differently than he found it. This episode is a live Q&A inside the Alliance, and the questions the guys brought were real. Getting a spouse on the same page. The pendulum swing between authoritarian and checked-out. A five-year-old who looks you dead in the eye before he does the wrong thing on purpose. And the hard one: what happens when your son won't respond to you the way he responds to his mom. Jon's framework is grounded in brain science and developmental psychology, and the thing that keeps hitting you as you listen is how much of what we were taught about discipline actually works against us. The reason kids shut down when we raise our voices is the same reason our partners shut down when we raise our voices. The reason kids push boundaries is not defiance. It's development. The reason your son runs to mom and not to you is not a reflection of your worth as a father. It's evolution. If you're a dad who's been doing the work but still feels like something is off in how your kids or your partner respond to you, this episode is going to give you clarity in places you didn't expect to find it.   Timeline Summary [1:01] Host introduces Jon Fogel for his third appearance, covering his role as a parenting expert, author, PhD candidate, and founder of Whole Parent Academy [2:05] Jon describes his book Punishment Free Parenting, its bestseller status, and explains that 99% of the book is about what to do instead of punishing [3:42] Jon's newest children's book Set My Feelings Free is sold out nationwide, with a second printing arriving May 20th [4:02] First question from Rich: how to get a spouse on the same page when parenting backgrounds and styles are very different [5:29] Jon explains why you should never try to correct a partner's parenting in the moment, and why the same brain science that applies to kids applies to adults [8:11] Jon introduces the H.E.A.R. framework from Harvard for conflict resolution: Hedge, Emphasize agreement, Acknowledge perspective, Reframe to the positive [10:55] Jon walks through each step of H.E.A.R. practically, showing how removing defensiveness creates space for the other person to move without feeling wrong [14:07] Jon adds a bonus tactic: developing a safe word with your partner as a mutual tap-out when someone is getting too heated to parent effectively [17:56] Second question from Chris: the pendulum swing between strict and disengaged, and why so many parents default to one or the other [19:16] Jon reframes the boundary concept using the backyard fence metaphor: boundaries are not restrictions, they are the only structure that gives a child real freedom [27:17] Third question: a five-year-old who deliberately pushes boundaries and throws food. Jon explains the difference between punishments, natural consequences, and logical consequences [30:50] Jon explains that boundary-pushing at five is a developmental need, not defiance, and offers a practical redirection strategy using a popcorn bowl at dinner [35:15] Anonymous question: son responds to mom and shuts down with dad. Jon addresses attachment hierarchy, enmeshment concerns, and why parents should largely stop parenting together [40:10] Jon explains the science of attachment hierarchy and how kids are hardwired to default to one parent under threat. He clarifies that being second in the hierarchy does not mean you are failing [44:46] Jon shares resources: Punishment Free Parenting, the children's book Set My Feelings Free, The Whole Parent Podcast, and an in-person event in Chicago on May 21st   Five Key Takeaways The worst time to correct your partner's parenting is in the moment it's happening. The same science that tells us not to discipline a dysregulated child applies directly to adults. Wait for calm, get curious about the trigger, and then use the H.E.A.R. framework to address it without creating more defensiveness than you started with. Boundaries are not restrictions. They are the structure that gives your child real freedom. A kid without clear boundaries does not feel free. They feel unsafe. The backyard fence metaphor Jon uses is worth sitting with: your job is to build the fence in the right place, not to police what happens inside it. A five-year-old who looks you in the eye before doing something he knows you don't want is not being defiant. He is developing. At that age, differentiation is a biological need, and the act of doing something dad doesn't want is how he practices becoming his own person. Understanding that changes how you respond. If your son responds better to his mom than to you, that is not an indictment of who you are as a father. Attachment hierarchy is hardwired and evolutionary. The solution is not to compete with mom in the room. It is to build a relationship with your son when she is not there. Kids who do not have their need for autonomy met will meet that need in ways you will not like. Whether it is food at the dinner table, video games at 13, or behavior that seems to come out of nowhere, the question worth asking is: where else in his day does he get to make his own choices?   Links & Resources Punishment Free Parenting by Jon Fogel — https://a.co/d/0hdOkJZl Set My Feelings Free (children's book) — second printing available May 20th In-person Chicago event with Jon Fogel and Eli Harwood — May 21st, downtown Chicago How to Deal With Your Shirt So Your Kids Don't Have to by Eli Harwood The Alliance — http://thedadedge.com/soulmates The Men's Forge — http://themensforge.com/ Shownotes: http://thedadedge.com/1485   Closing The question about attachment hierarchy near the end of this one is going to stay with me for a while. The image of your kid running toward one parent without thinking, faster than conscious thought, because their brain is trying to survive a threat — and knowing that which parent they run to has nothing to do with how hard you've worked or how much you love them — that's both humbling and freeing at the same time. Jon said it plainly: being in second place means you're in first place when the other person isn't there. Do the work. Show up. Take the alone time with your kids and build what only you can build with them. Go out and live legendary.