Troy Munson – https://www.linkedin.com/in/troymunson and Daniel Berk – https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielberk sit down with Aaron Hodes, sales leader, father of two, and lifelong Chicagoan, for one of the most vulnerable and emotionally honest episodes of Two Dads in Tech to date.

Aaron opens up about becoming a dad, the loss of independence, and the moment he had a panic attack at work that forced him to confront stress, anxiety, and identity for the first time in his life.

This episode dives deep into:

The identity shift that comes with fatherhood

Why the transition from one kid to two feels overwhelming

The invisible mental load carried by parents

Therapy, panic attacks, and anxiety in high-pressure careers

Tying self-worth to job performance — and breaking that cycle

Loneliness while working remotely and the need for community

Maintaining friendships as life stages change

Aging parents, grief, and realizing they’re not invincible

Gratitude, reflection, and loving people while you still can

This conversation is raw, reflective, and deeply relatable — especially for dads, professionals, and anyone quietly carrying more than they let on.

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🕒 Detailed Show Notes

(0:00) Cold open & behind-the-scenes chaos
(1:00) Introducing Aaron Hodes
(2:45) Family background, marriage & becoming a dad
(3:40) Identity loss and independence after kids
(4:30) The unseen labor of parenting
(5:10) Going from one kid to two — “zone defense to man-to-man”
(6:20) Scheduling life around children
(7:00) Gratitude for family support systems
(8:30) Fitness, routines & mental health anchors
(9:45) Loneliness while working remotely
(10:30) Finding community as a dad in sales
(11:45) Back injury after second child & mental overload
(12:50) Carrying responsibility for work, kids, and marriage
(14:00) Friendships changing with life stages
(16:00) Being intentional with time and relationships
(18:00) Therapy, CBT & separating self-worth from work
(20:30) The panic attack at work — what it felt like
(22:30) Anxiety hitting for the first time as an adult
(24:00) Aging parents & realizing they’re not invincible
(26:30) Grief, grandparents, and unconditional love
(29:00) Gratitude as a daily practice
(31:00) Loving people loudly and without hesitation
(33:00) Final reflections & where to find Aaron

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🔗 Links

• Aaron Hodes – https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronhodes/

• Daniel Berk – https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielberk

• Troy Munson – https://www.linkedin.com/in/troymunson

• Two Dads in Tech – https://twodadsintech.com

• Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/30GQP8FPJoKpLGpYBahlFP

• Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/two-dads-in-tech/id1785662964

Troy Munson – https://www.linkedin.com/in/troymunson and Daniel Berk – https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielberk are joined by Brendan Hufford, founder of Growth Sprints, B2B SaaS content strategist, and father of four boys, for one of the most grounded and honest conversations yet on Two Dads in Tech.

This episode isn’t about hacks or software, it’s about doing the work that actually matters.

Brendan shares what it’s really like to build a successful company after leaving teaching, while raising four boys, showing up as a husband, and confronting the constant feeling of falling short, in fitness, family, faith, and focus.

They dive deep into:

Why marriage and parenting require intentional effort, not autopilot

How kids mirror your habits faster than your advice

The guilt-driven fuel many high performers run on, and why it breaks down

Learning to work on your marriage instead of just existing inside it

Morning routines, chaos, and leading a household of boys

Therapy, self-awareness, and unlearning unhealthy motivation

Faith as something woven into life, not forced or performative

What Brendan refuses to repeat from his own upbringing

The single piece of advice every dad and husband needs to hear

This is a conversation about presence over perfection, effort over optics, and why the hardest work in life usually happens after business hours.

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🕒 Detailed Show Notes

(0:00) New direction for Two Dads in Tech & focusing on human impact
(1:15) Listener feedback: why stories matter more than software
(2:00) Introducing Brendan Hufford (Growth Sprints, father of four)
(3:00) Sports banter & Caleb Williams discussion
(4:10) “How did you get here?” — life, family, business
(7:30) Moving to Chicago & early career decisions
(10:00) From teaching to B2B SaaS content strategy
(12:30) Knowledge sharing vs selling online
(16:45) Morning routines in a house with four boys
(18:30) Kids mirroring habits (nail-biting story)
(22:40) Marriage as work — not autopilot
(23:30) Why most couples stop actively working on their marriage
(27:30) Making more money but still feeling behind
(31:00) Guilt as fuel — and why it’s dangerous long term
(33:00) Therapy, introspection, and healthier motivation
(36:00) Faith woven into life, not imposed
(43:45) What not to repeat from your upbringing
(47:00) Advice for dads and husbands
(50:30) Journaling, reflection, and self-awareness
(52:00) Where to find Brendan & final reflections

—

🔗 Links

• Brendan Hufford – https://brendanhufford.com

• Daniel Berk – https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielberk

• Troy Munson – https://www.linkedin.com/in/troymunson

• Two Dads in Tech – https://twodadsintech.com

• Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/30GQP8FPJoKpLGpYBahlFP

• Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/two-dads-in-tech/id1785662964

#twodadsintech #fatherhood #marriage #parenting #podcast #dads #family #relationships #growth #mindset #business #life

Troy Munson – https://www.linkedin.com/in/troymunson and Daniel Berk – https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielberk ring in the New Year with one of the most honest and reflective episodes of Two Dads in Tech yet.

After 56 straight weeks of publishing, the dads look back on what consistency actually costs—and what it gives back. From parenting seasons and marriage growth to audience-building, faith, and choosing joy in the middle of stress, this episode captures what it really looks like to build something slowly and intentionally.

They talk openly about:

Why consistency matters more than talent

The episode that changed how they think about parenting and technology

Letting go of perfection and just showing up

Faith as a lived value, not a talking point

Parenting seasons, patience, and learning to truly support your partner

What happens when your kids reflect your behavior back to you

Why audience-building compounds faster than almost anything else

How Two Dads in Tech quietly became a real business

Stress vs joy—and learning which one deserves your attention

This is a year-end / New Year’s episode about momentum, reflection, and staying the course—even when you don’t fully know where it’s leading.

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🕒 Detailed Show Notes

(0:00) New Year’s Eve energy & 365 days passing
(1:00) December birthdays & parenting realities
(2:20) Holidays, exhaustion & returning to work
(3:50) Doing a year-in-review for Two Dads in Tech
(4:20) The most impactful episode of the year (Nir Eyal)
(5:30) Parenting vs technology & practical boundaries
(7:00) Saying the hard things—and when a story needs its own episode
(8:30) Sharing personal history & speaking openly
(10:00) Faith as a lived part of life
(11:20) Gratitude for the podcast team & operational consistency
(13:00) When the podcast felt like a chore—and why that’s normal
(14:30) Discovering the episodes that truly energize them
(15:30) Why consistency comes before clarity
(16:30) Parenting seasons & giving your partner freedom back
(18:00) Kids being sick & patience as a daily practice
(20:00) A child calling out unhealthy communication
(22:00) Marriage, respect & modeling behavior for kids
(24:30) Being more present—phones down, attention up
(26:00) Owning parenting responsibilities with confidence
(27:30) Where they fall short as dads & partners
(29:00) Simple at-home dates & quality time
(31:00) Professional wins & audience leverage
(32:30) Building real revenue from community
(34:30) Stress vs joy—and choosing perspective
(36:00) Gratitude, reflection & Happy New Year

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🔗 Links

• Daniel Berk – https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielberk

• Troy Munson – https://www.linkedin.com/in/troymunson

• Two Dads in Tech Newsletter – https://twodadsintech.com

• Shop Two Dads in Tech – https://shop.twodadsintech.com

• Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/30GQP8FPJoKpLGpYBahlFP

• Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/two-dads-in-tech/id1785662964