Front Row Dads with Jon Vroman

Do you have true companions in your life? And let's back up for a minute -- how do you define a true companion anyways? Is your wife a true companion? Returning to the show, my friend Dr. Kelly Flanagan and I are going to talk about how to build true companionship with the people who are most important to us. Before Kelly joined the Front Row Dads brotherhood, I knew him as a speaker, elite-level coach, and badass author of the book Loveable, which our guys raved about. In his new book, True Companions: A Book for Everyone About the Relationships That See Us Through, Kelly shows us what happens when we quit sabotaging intimacy by demanding unconditional love. Show Highlights The only perspective that can keep us focused on our true companions Why loneliness is the shadow side of your uniqueness The uncomfortableness of being alone The value of the Enneagram The process of building belonging Why lying and secrecy is a form of withdrawing from a relationship How to shift from defensiveness to empathy and compassion The 4 main words for love How we often use unconditional love to say "Lay off me!" The 5-session study guide to help you and your partner make the most of Dr. Kelly's new book PS: If you like this episode and you'd like a FREE copy of Kelly's book, True Companion, simply write an honest review of this podcast on iTunes, take a screenshot, and send it to jon@frontrowdads.com along with your address. I love to read your feedback, and I want to know what was of value to you! Big Questions Asked What is a true companion? How do we live with our true-self and our false-self? How does loneliness enrich companionship? How can we repurpose defensiveness to grow our relationships, instead of tearing them apart? Why do we lie to try to protect people? Why is it so hard to be okay with being wrong? Get the Full Show Notes Want access to the full show notes, including links to all resources mentioned during today's conversation? Visit FrontRowDads.com/260 Want to learn more about Front Row Dads? We are in the business of building better families. While most dads would say that family matters most, the challenge is they feel guilty knowing their careers get the best of them, and their family seems to get the rest of them. We help Dads become family men with businesses, not businessmen who have families, so they can thrive personally AND professionally. Subscribe to the Front Row Dad podcast to learn about fatherhood, marriage and how to level up your game at home, or if you're ready for the best coaching and true brothers to grow with, Join The Brotherhood! Are you getting all the shows? Subscribe today! Want to leave a review? THANK YOU! http://FrontRowDads.com/review

Are you running on the neuroscience of love and connection, or fear and reactivity? For many, fear and reactivity are driving your actions more than we realize. In this show, we're going to address how to fix this and lead from a centered and controlled energy. Mike Wagner has been on a path to evolve as a father. He's a member of the Front Row Dads Brotherhood, and is going to share his personal experiences taking a deep dive into his own emotions, and how they used to run his life, and how he shifted into the driver seat. A bit of context… Mike had trained to be a physical therapist, but felt like something was off. He then made a transition into real estate investing, with a focus on self-storage. His successes have allowed him to explore personal development, focus on his family, and explore the country. In short, he lives what he calls a life of awesomeness. He also recently worked extensively with Dr. Danny Friedland to better understand how top performers use mindfulness combined with neuroscience to turn their feelings of stress, burnout, and unhappiness into incredible leadership. In this show, we have an honest conversation about learning to love ourselves, working through the rough patches, and what we can do to ensure we're living in alignment with our deepest values. PS: In honor of Dr. Danny's life and his work, we're going to be giving away several copies of his book, Leading Well Within. To claim yours, simply leave me an honest review of the Front Row Dads podcast, mention either Mike Wagner or Dr. Danny, and take a screenshot. Send it to rachel@frontrowdads.com, and I'll personally send you a copy! Show Highlights How understanding the intersection of neuroscience and mindfulness makes us better leaders How to recover when you lose your $hit at home A step you can take right now to better understand what happens when you get triggered The connection of Maslow's hierarchy of needs and the evolved father How Mike structures his day for optimal performance How mindfulness allows us to redefine and reframe strife and pull out of a downward spiral Why focusing just on the money stops us from personal development Mike's personal story of how he freed up his time to focus on personal growth Big Questions Asked Are we running on the neurochemistry of love and creativity, or of fear and reactivity? What can we do to work through feelings of discontent or self-loathing? What is the value in thinking about death? What does It mean to be 'triggered' and how can we manage those emotions? Why does it sometimes feel like our life, no matter how awesome it is, is not good enough? What are we really asking for when we say we need someone to do something? How can we implement mindfulness into our daily practice? Get the Full Show Notes Want access to the full show notes, including links to all resources mentioned during today's conversation? Visit FrontRowDads.com/259 Want to learn more about Front Row Dads? We are in the business of building better families. While most dads would say that family matters most, the challenge is they feel guilty knowing their careers get the best of them, and their family seems to get the rest of them. We help Dads become family men with businesses, not businessmen who have families, so they can thrive personally AND professionally. Subscribe to the Front Row Dad podcast to learn about fatherhood, marriage and how to level up your game at home, or if you're ready for the best coaching and true brothers to grow with, Join The Brotherhood! Are you getting all the shows? Subscribe today! Want to leave a review? THANK YOU! http://FrontRowDads.com/review

For many of us, the money we make is directly related to the amount of time we put into something. When we are directly responsible for growing our businesses, writing books, or traveling to speaking events - to name just a few examples - we are putting time in to get money out. As we all know, this comes at a cost, and every hour we grind is an hour spent not focused on our families. My friend Justin Donald didn't just challenge this framework - he broke it, giving him the power to live the life he wants on his terms. Dubbed "The Warren Buffett of Lifestyle Investing" by Entrepreneur, he is a master of low-risk cash flow investments. 21 months before his 40th birthday, he drove enough passive income for him and his wife to both leave their jobs. In his new book, The Lifestyle Investor, he shares exactly how he negotiated deals with 100 companies and hit an eight-figure net worth while keeping his family at the center of everything. Today, Justin joins the podcast to talk about the meaning of money, share some of his biggest wins (and what he learned from some real failures), unique ways to invest, and what it truly means to achieve financial freedom. PS: If you loved this interview, Justin will be a keynote speaker at our upcoming Online Summit along with David Osborn, Adam Stock, and Will Duffy. Simply go to https://frontrowdads.com/summit/ to learn more and save your spot today! PPS: If you'd like a free copy of Justin's book, simply leave me an honest review of the Front Row Dads podcast and take a screenshot. Send it to rachel@frontrowdads.com, and I'll personally send you a copy! Gold Nuggets Justin's 10 commandments of investing Why you don't have to be at a certain level of financial success to become a lifestyle investor Why you don't always need to invest your own money to create cash flow and scale a business The value of taking someone's success and making it your own Why Justin opens his book with a story about losing a lot of money How to tell if a deal is a win-win The dangers of emotional investing The importance of health and community to living the life you want Big Questions Asked How do you balance needing to be all-in at times with honoring the lifestyle you want to live with your family? What happens when you separate your time from money? How do you live in congruence with what you're most passionate about? Where do you find unconventional investing opportunities? How did investing change in 2020? If you have $10,000 to invest right now, where should you put it? If you have $100,000 to invest right now, what should you do? How do you make sure that you're in true alignment with a financial advisor? Get the Full Show Notes Want access to the full show notes, including links to all resources mentioned during today's conversation? Visit FrontRowDads.com/258 Want to learn more about Front Row Dads? We are in the business of building better families. While most dads would say that family matters most, the challenge is they feel guilty knowing their careers get the best of them, and their family seems to get the rest of them. We help Dads become family men with businesses, not businessmen who have families, so they can thrive personally AND professionally. Subscribe to the Front Row Dad podcast to learn about fatherhood, marriage and how to level up your game at home, or if you're ready for the best coaching and true brothers to grow with, Join The Brotherhood! Are you getting all the shows? Subscribe today! Want to leave a review? THANK YOU! http://FrontRowDads.com/review

For high achieving Dads, it's far too common to get sucked into cycles of success. When we're addicted to being busy, it's easy to let ourselves think that we just need to write one more book or do one more round of speaking events – and providing for our families becomes our excuse to keep going. So, how do we get the job done AND show up for our families? Earlier this year, Brock Blake had to answer this question for himself like never before. After COVID-19 hit, his company Lendio became a massively valuable resource for small business owners, many of whom couldn't get access to PPP loans through their banks. This required Brock to pull 20-hour days for six straight weeks and proved to be ten times harder than anything else he'd ever done in his career. As Brock put it, "We changed our mission from fueling the American dream to saving the American dream." But how did he manage all of this, without sacrificing his family in the process? Today, Brock joins the podcast to talk about his journey, and to bust the myth that it's impossible to build a great business, while also having a great relationship with your wife and kids! Gold Nuggets The value of missionary work. The influence a Dad's behavior has on their kids. What a religious upbringing can teach you about life and business. How Brock scaled his company and onboarded hundreds of employees, while maintaining balance at home. How to navigate the stress and strain of long workdays. Brock's 3-part playbook for being a Dad that wins in business AND life. The importance of being present at work and at home. Ways to involve your kids in your business. Big Questions Asked What does the Blake family name mean to you? In what ways do our fathers influence us? Why should we expose our kids to discomfort at early ages? What did you learn from growing up as a Mormon? Tell us about the genesis story of Lendio and how that ties in to your mission trip to Uruguay? Why is the busy season so addictive? Is it possible to be both a great Dad AND a great businessman? What does your morning routine look like? How can we get better sleep, more often? Why is one-on-one time with our kids so important? When you look at what happened in 2020 as a dad and as a business owner, what's one thing you would like to make an improvement in when it comes to your family life? Get the Full Show Notes Want access to the full show notes, including links to all resources mentioned during today's conversation? Visit FrontRowDads.com/257 Want to learn more about Front Row Dads? We are in the business of building better families. While most dads would say that family matters most, the challenge is they feel guilty knowing their careers get the best of them, and their family seems to get the rest of them. We help Dads become family men with businesses, not businessmen who have families, so they can thrive personally AND professionally. Subscribe to the Front Row Dad podcast to learn about fatherhood, marriage and how to level up your game at home, or if you're ready for the best coaching and true brothers to grow with, Join The Brotherhood! Are you getting all the shows? Subscribe today! Want to leave a review? THANK YOU! http://FrontRowDads.com/review

Very few kids understand money, investing, charitable giving, or financial literacy by the time they finish high school. As parents, a lot of us learned about money the hard way, through struggles and tough decisions, but our experiences don't always make it easier to teach our kids how to make great financial decisions. When COVID-19 brought in-person schooling to a crashing halt, family wealth manager Adam Stock decided to be part of the solution. Rather than complain about how lousy online education was, he created Money Mondays. Over a series of Zoom calls for kids aged 10-15, he and a number of incredible guests gave presentations on a wide range of financial concepts, including the value of saving, investments, charitable giving, and much more. Today, Adam and I are talking about how formal education fails so many kids when it comes to finances, the issues parents face when we talk about money with our kids, and the power of charitable giving. We also introduce the best of Money Mondays, a condensed, 3-week series of one-hour classes Adam will be hosting in January. If you have kids ages 10-15 who you think would be a great fit for this, please text WEALTH to (512) 379-6952, or email rachel@frontrowdads.com to find out how you can enroll today. Gold Nuggets How and why Adam started teaching a group of kids about money when COVID hit. Important topics to focus on when teaching your kids about money. Teaching kids that making money and becoming successful doesn't happen overnight. Teaching kids about philanthropy. Why money equals responsibility. Adam's family rituals around charitable giving and gratitude. Find out how your kid can participate in Money Monday's this January! How to make a donation in your kids' name this holiday season in an impactful way. Big Questions Asked What is Money Monday? Why doesn't school teach our kids about money? What financial topics are important for our kids to learn? How can talking about money help us understand what our kids value and believe in? If your kid had a briefcase full of money, what cause would they give it to? Don't miss the exercise Adam gave to a group of kids that gets them thinking about charitable giving. Should you give money to panhandlers? Adam's answer may surprise you! Will your kids have the same value around money as you do? Get the Full Show Notes Want access to the full show notes, including links to all resources mentioned during today's conversation? Visit FrontRowDads.com/256 Want to learn more about Front Row Dads? We are in the business of building better families. While most dads would say that family matters most, the challenge is they feel guilty knowing their careers get the best of them, and their family seems to get the rest of them. We help Dads become family men with businesses, not businessmen who have families, so they can thrive personally AND professionally. Subscribe to the Front Row Dad podcast to learn about fatherhood, marriage and how to level up your game at home, or if you're ready for the best coaching and true brothers to grow with, Join The Brotherhood! Are you getting all the shows? Subscribe today! Want to leave a review? THANK YOU! http://FrontRowDads.com/review

What are you doing to create structure and stay productive as you navigate the chaos of your life, both at home and at work? How do you take a stand when you need to, have tough conversations, and take big risks to truly understand everything that's out there? If you're looking for answers to questions like these, today's conversation - one of my favorites I've had all year - is for you. I'm speaking with my friend Ben Crawford - someone with a truly deep understanding of how to challenge perspectives and push for more. He ran ultramarathons with his young kids, lived intentionally for a year with no rules, and hiked the Appalachian Trail with his wife and their six children - something he wrote about in his newest book, 2,000 Miles Together. Even if you're not quite ready to commit to an odyssey like Ben's, if you want to know what you and your family are truly capable of, this episode is for you. We explore what it means to achieve your family's full potential, the importance of questioning the status quo, and how to stop your ego from defining who you are. Gold Nuggets How to bring the same intentionality and sense of purpose you apply to your work life to your family. What makes writing a book feel so different from writing on social media. How to show your kids that there's more to life than being praised. Why waiting for a dollar amount to prioritize something means you're never going to make that change. How pattern interrupts and dramatic contrasts erase entitlement - and what happened when Ben and his wife hiked the Appalachian Trail. Big Questions Asked Why is it so easy for us to put our home life on autopilot? How do our beliefs reinforce themselves over time, and how do they limit us? What do awards mean, and how should we handle awards when it comes to our kids? How do you get your kids to appreciate what you have in life and adopt a mindset of gratitude, regardless of how you're doing financially? How do we value time over money in both theory and practice? Why does asking someone "What do you need?" actually put more of a burden on that person - and how can we take action instead? How does saying "I love you" become a form of gaslighting in relationships? What can you do this week - not two decades from now - to prioritize your relationships or make your life better? Get the Full Show Notes Want access to the full show notes, including links to all resources mentioned during today's conversation? Visit FrontRowDads.com/255 Want to learn more about Front Row Dads? We are in the business of building better families. While most dads would say that family matters most, the challenge is they feel guilty knowing their careers get the best of them, and their family seems to get the rest of them. We help Dads become family men with businesses, not businessmen who have families, so they can thrive personally AND professionally. Subscribe to the Front Row Dad podcast to learn about fatherhood, marriage and how to level up your game at home, or if you're ready for the best coaching and true brothers to grow with, Join The Brotherhood! Are you getting all the shows? Subscribe today! Want to leave a review? THANK YOU! http://FrontRowDads.com/review

This year, practically everyone experienced some form of failure. A lot of things that didn't work, didn't take hold, or set us back as we navigated extraordinary challenges in our personal health, our marriages, and our ability to parent. But why fixate on that? Why not explore what did work? Today, Front Row Dad members Mike Higgins, John Kane and I are getting together for an honest conversation about our biggest wins. With the intention of helping you win at home, at work, and in the areas of life most important to you, we're digging in on what worked in our community, how our pillars evolved, how our teammates and friends show up for us, and the powerful decisions we were able to make in 2020. Gold Nuggets The importance of building teams where people are complementary and able to support each other. How to define your values and get clarity about what you do and don't want. How to tighten bonds and strengthen connection as you build and grow groups. How to adapt your operations in the face of challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic. Big Questions Asked How do challenges help us stay accountable and make breakthrough achievements? What can we do to show gratitude and reward people? When is it time to make adjustments in your world or end relationships that don't serve us? How do we make the transfer of wisdom more available within groups? How can we (and our pillars) evolve as the world evolves? Get the Full Show Notes Want access to the full show notes, including links to all resources mentioned during today's conversation? Visit FrontRowDads.com/254 Want to learn more about Front Row Dads? We are in the business of building better families. While most dads would say that family matters most, the challenge is they feel guilty knowing their careers get the best of them, and their family seems to get the rest of them. We help Dads become family men with businesses, not businessmen who have families, so they can thrive personally AND professionally. Subscribe to the Front Row Dad podcast to learn about fatherhood, marriage and how to level up your game at home, or if you're ready for the best coaching and true brothers to grow with, Join The Brotherhood! Are you getting all the shows? Subscribe today! Want to leave a review? THANK YOU! http://FrontRowDads.com/review

Today is our preview clip of the week, which is basically a short 10 min clip that we pulled from the full length interview. If you like what you hear in this bite sized segment, you may want to check out our full length episodes which release on Wednesday's! For more information, visit FrontRowDads.com Want to learn more about Front Row Dads? We are in the business of building better families. While most dads would say that family matters most, the challenge is they feel guilty knowing their careers get the best of them, and their family seems to get the rest of them. We help Dads become family men with businesses, not businessmen who have families, so they can thrive personally AND professionally. Subscribe to the Front Row Dad podcast to learn about fatherhood, marriage and how to level up your game at home, or if you're ready for the best coaching and true brothers to grow with, Join The Brotherhood! Are you getting all the shows? Subscribe today! Want to leave a review? THANK YOU! http://FrontRowDads.com/review

With all that's going on in the world and the challenges we're facing as husbands, parents, and entrepreneurs, how do we make the time this year to meaningfully celebrate? How do we make sure that what we're doing positively impacts ourselves, our families, and our communities? How do we make sure that when we have conversations with people, we're really listening to what they have to say? If you've got a lot on your mind and tough challenges to face, either at home or at work (or both!) this year, today's conversation with Stan Pearson is for you. We're exploring how to navigate a world full of more challenges (and information) than ever before, how to have impactful conversations during tough times, and how to not just be grateful, but to grow throughout them. Gold Nuggets Why being "out of control" can look so different for so many people - and how we can effectively cope with these feelings. Why it's so important to be able to choose empathy over ego. How meeting people in the middle allows us to rise together. How to talk to your family about diversity. Big Questions Asked How does personal development help us evolve as men over time? Why is emotional intelligence and learning to manage our internal condition so important? How do you stay empathetic when addressing conflict or simply while having important conversations with people in your life? What are the important questions we need to be asking when it comes to diversity in 2020? What does brotherhood mean right now? Get the Full Show Notes Want access to the full show notes, including links to all resources mentioned during today's conversation? Visit FrontRowDads.com/252 Want to learn more about Front Row Dads? We are in the business of building better families. While most dads would say that family matters most, the challenge is they feel guilty knowing their careers get the best of them, and their family seems to get the rest of them. We help Dads become family men with businesses, not businessmen who have families, so they can thrive personally AND professionally. Subscribe to the Front Row Dad podcast to learn about fatherhood, marriage and how to level up your game at home, or if you're ready for the best coaching and true brothers to grow with, Join The Brotherhood! Are you getting all the shows? Subscribe today! Want to leave a review? THANK YOU! http://FrontRowDads.com/review

Today is our preview clip of the week, which is basically a short 10 min clip that we pulled from the full length interview. If you like what you hear in this bite sized segment, you may want to check out the full length episode on Wednesday at FrontRowDads.com/252 About Today's Guest Stan Pearson II, is an Award Winning Bi-lingual Speaker, Motivational Comedian, Author & Consultant. Stan earned a Bachelor's Degree in Spanish from Missouri Western State University while minoring in Business. After working for Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Stan started his career in higher education by flourishing as the Associate Director of Student Activities at Texas A & M International University. It was there, where Stan founded Dusty Camp, the New Student Orientation Program still in existence nearly 15 years later. He advised, delivered leadership and helped build the campus activities board, greek life, student government association and much more. It was also at TAMIU where Stan Pearson II, earned his Master's Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Management. After earning his Master's Degree Stan worked for a consulting firm as he started his speaking company, Breathe Diversity. Why Breathe Diversity? Because there are two things that you cannot live without. You cannot live without breathing and you certainly cannot live without diversity. Stan has created one of the most creative, thought-provoking and inclusive messages in the country. He loves his family, loves salsa dancing and loves helping ignite change in the lives and organizations of his clients. Emotional Intelligence, leadership and diversity are at the very forefront of creating success. Stan is amazing at helping people CREATE that success! Access the Full Interview Want access to the full interview, including links to all resources mentioned during the conversation? Visit FrontRowDads.com/252 Want to learn more about Front Row Dads? We are in the business of building better families. While most dads would say that family matters most, the challenge is they feel guilty knowing their careers get the best of them, and their family seems to get the rest of them. We help Dads become family men with businesses, not businessmen who have families, so they can thrive personally AND professionally. Subscribe to the Front Row Dad podcast to learn about fatherhood, marriage and how to level up your game at home, or if you're ready for the best coaching and true brothers to grow with, Join The Brotherhood! Are you getting all the shows? Subscribe today! Want to leave a review? THANK YOU! http://FrontRowDads.com/review