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.

—

🕒 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

—

🔗 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.

—

🕒 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.

—

🕒 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

—

🔗 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

Troy Munson – https://www.linkedin.com/in/troymunson and Daniel Berk – https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielberk return with one of the most wide-ranging and thought-provoking episodes of Two Dads in Tech yet.

It starts with a hot take: ChatGPT may not live up to the hype. From there, the conversation expands into the evolving AI race, why tools like Gemini are quietly outperforming expectations, and how AI is reshaping creativity, design, data analysis, and content creation.

But this episode goes deeper.

The dads unpack the Dead Internet Theory, fake engagement, AI-generated comments, and why it’s becoming harder to tell what — and who — is real online. They talk openly about LinkedIn burnout, creator exhaustion, and the pressure to perform authenticity instead of living it.

Along the way, they explore:

Why brand power (Roomba, Band-Aid, Kleenex) outlives innovation

How AI is unlocking creativity for non-technical people

The difference between being busy and actually moving your life forward

Why most people build lives they can tolerate, not lives they want

The importance of journaling, habits, and mental health check-ins

Why asking friends “are you okay?” matters more than ever

This episode blends AI, philosophy, mental health, and modern life into a brutally honest conversation about where we’re headed — and how to stay human along the way.

—

🕒 Detailed Show Notes

(0:00) Hot take: ChatGPT may not live up to the hype
(1:00) Roomba, bankruptcy & brand saturation
(2:00) Competition kills novelty — AI parallels
(3:00) Gemini vs ChatGPT: real usage comparisons
(4:00) AI image & video generation gets scary good
(5:00) Using AI for thumbnails, design & creativity
(6:00) AI empowering non-technical creators
(8:30) The Dead Internet Theory explained
(10:00) Fake engagement, bots & AI comments
(12:00) Can social media survive authenticity fatigue?
(14:00) LinkedIn burnout & algorithm obsession
(16:00) Why real communities beat platforms
(19:30) Being busy vs making progress
(21:30) Building a life you tolerate vs a life you want
(23:00) Sponsor: Zapier & automations
(26:00) Brand names becoming everyday language
(28:30) TikTok tragedy & mental health reminders
(30:00) Men bottling emotions & journaling
(33:00) Habits vs your “true self”
(35:00) Fitting in vs being authentic
(38:30) Final reflections & community call-to-action

—

🔗 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

Troy Munson – https://www.linkedin.com/in/troymunson and Daniel Berk – https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielberk are back with one of the most thought-provoking episodes of Two Dads in Tech yet.

It starts with a simple question: if $30,000 hit your account right now and you had 24 hours to spend it—what would you actually do? But quickly, the conversation turns into something much bigger.

From widening driveways and buying Jeep Wranglers, to traveling across Europe, living in Spain, dreaming about Tokyo, and questioning what retirement really means, this episode dives deep into meaning, community, faith, and personal values.

The dads explore:

Why retirement isn’t about stopping work—but choosing meaningful work

Travel as a tool for perspective, not escape

Why real language learning only happens through discomfort

Meditation, prayer, and staying grounded in a hyper-connected world

Parenting without forcing beliefs—and allowing kids to choose their own path

Why assuming positive intent makes the world better (with boundaries)

The danger of avoiding life’s hardest questions

This is an episode about slowing down, thinking deeper, and choosing intentionality—in parenting, belief systems, and everyday life.

—

🕒 Detailed Show Notes

(0:00) Cold open and chaotic banter
(1:30) Widening driveways, home projects & the $30k problem
(3:00) The rule: 24 hours to spend $30,000
(4:00) Travel vs stuff—Europe is cheaper than you think
(6:00) Spain, Portugal, Italy & the digital nomad pipeline
(7:30) What “retirement before 40” actually means
(9:00) Building community instead of chasing money
(10:30) Living abroad vs owning property
(12:00) Cities with water, mountains & culture (Hong Kong, Seattle)
(14:00) Meditation, prayer & grounding practices
(16:00) Jeep Wranglers, community, and “Jeep ducking”
(20:00) Traveling with kids & why Tokyo feels different
(23:00) Language learning through immersion (China & Spain stories)
(26:00) Why Duolingo won’t make you fluent
(27:30) Raising kids with values—without forcing belief
(30:00) Studying religion, culture & philosophy
(32:00) Assuming positive intent (without being naïve)
(35:00) Why discomfort is necessary for meaning
(38:00) Avoiding life’s biggest questions
(41:00) Cliffhangers, philosophy & wrap-up

—

🔗 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

#twodadsintech #podcast #life #parenting #fatherhood #meaning #travel #faith #mindset #values #community #dads