Two Dads in Tech

• The United States Has Never Really Been United

  Troy Munson – https://www.linkedin.com/in/troymunson and Daniel Berk – https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielberk return for one of the rawest Two Dads in Tech episodes yet. From the shock of watching traumatic world events unfold online, to the weight of polarization in America, to the very real personal cost of chasing success—this conversation pulls no punches. They dig into trauma, health, equity, time management, and even the eerie possibilities of digitizing human consciousness. Equal parts heavy, honest, and hopeful, it’s a look at fatherhood, tech, and mental health when the world feels upside down.— Show Notes: (0:00) Cold open: “I quit” and starting mid-conversation (0:22) Banter, birthdays, and shoutouts (1:50) Processing a heavy week in America (3:10) Polarization, faith, and feeling unsafe (5:01) Why this week “happened to me” vs. just the world (6:14) Accidentally watching traumatic videos online (7:23) Real-life trauma flashbacks and PTSD triggers (8:43) Collective group-mind reactions and viral responses (10:03) Polarization: saint or devil narratives (10:34) V for Vendetta, movements, and amplified voices (12:28) History lens: superpowers, cycles, and U.S. division (14:08) Why America has never been fully “united” (16:07) Are we a healthy country? Defining the terms (17:27) Humans are becoming less healthy, not more (19:06) Knowledge is power—and apathy (21:23) Inequity, access, and why Flint still matters (23:13) The personal cost of chasing success (25:12) Fatherhood pressure not to miss moments (26:12) Mental health sacrifices for startup grind (28:09) Why yoga, prayer, and “wasting time” are life hacks (29:31) Time management, Elon’s 5-minute rule, and wasted blocks (31:22) Why consistency beats bursts of productivity (32:23) Cryogenics, ethics, and digitizing consciousness (34:12) Coping vs. reality when recreating loved ones digitally (35:45) Movie recs: Goosebumps and Transcendence (36:02) Sponsor Momentous: protein, creatine, collagen peptides (37:07) Wrapping up: why this episode may have more nuggets than most— Links: • Daniel Berk's LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielberk • Troy Munson's LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/troymunson • Two Dads in Tech Newsletter – https://twodadsintech.com • Shop Two Dads in Tech – https://shop.twodadsintech.com • Listen on Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/30GQP8FPJoKpLGpYBahlFP • Listen on Apple – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/two-dads-in-tech/id1785662964 • Check out Dimmo – https://www.dimmo.ai

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• The Real Challenges of Being a Startup Founder

  Hit the big 4-0 of Two Dads in Tech. Ten months, 40 episodes, countless lessons—and now, some raw reflection. From protein-packed mornings and fitness shifts, to startup pivots, ego battles, and redefining what “success” really looks like, this one is equal parts candid founder therapy and dad-life download. Troy opens up on shutting down big ideas, shifting Demo from software to services, and why chasing balance matters more than chasing hype. Daniel presses on the real questions: where is the pod falling short, what keeps founders up at night, and how do you balance growth with family? Whether you’re a SaaS builder, services hustler, or parent trying to keep perspective, this milestone episode is packed with insight, laughs, and hard-earned truth.Show Notes:(0:00) Episode 40 milestone intro & community shoutout(2:00) Troy’s 200g protein smoothie hack & fitness rituals(4:10) Is comparison really the thief of joy?(6:00) Reflecting on 10 months and 40 episodes of podcasting(6:30) Where are we falling short? Guests, learning, and entertainment balance(7:20) The pivot at Demo: from “YouTube for software” to services model(11:20) 80 conversations, no product-market fit, and killing the idea(13:00) Is software still “sexy” or is it all about services now?(17:00) What energizes vs. what drains a founder(20:00) Ego, fear of failure, and struggling behind the scenes(21:30) Why billionaires regret missing family time—and how dads in tech stay present(24:00) Hard lessons in hiring, marketing, and setting KPIs(27:00) Busting myths about hustle culture vs. 9-to-5 balance(31:00) The reality of B2B marketplaces, procurement, and tech stacks(35:00) Becoming a reseller & services-first founder(38:00) Why services solve pain instantly compared to software(41:00) Lawn care wars, mowing misery & the “dad badge” of green grass(43:00) Troy’s shift from bodybuilding to Metabolic training & chasing longevity(46:00) Signing up for a half-marathon without training(47:30) Health risks, ignoring doctors, and embracing vulnerability(49:00) Wrapping 40 episodes—what’s next for Two Dads in TechLinks:• Daniel Berk’s LinkedIn –   / danielberk  • Troy Munson’s LinkedIn –   / troymunson  • Two Dads in Tech Newsletter – htt...

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• From Facing Death to Building Multimillion Dollar Businesses

  Episode 39: Troy Munson – https://www.linkedin.com/in/troymunson – and Daniel Berk – https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielberk – sit down with Scott Leese – https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese – for one of the rawest and most vulnerable conversations yet. From surviving nine surgeries and an opioid addiction, to building billion-dollar startups and walking away from easy LinkedIn money, Scott opens up about resilience, authenticity, and the grind of sales. This episode dives into chronic pain, consulting truths, fatherhood fears, and why balance is harder—and more important—than ever. Equal parts battle story and blueprint, it’s a must-listen for anyone chasing success without losing themselves along the way.—Show Notes: (0:00) WWE-style intro for Scott Leese (2:24) Breaking down his consulting scope: sales, ops, recruiting, coaching (6:09) Authenticity on LinkedIn and walking away from thousands per post (9:38) Protecting reputation before money changes who you are (12:00) Scott’s hospital years: autoimmune disease, surgeries, and survival (14:27) Opioid addiction and going cold turkey at 27 (16:16) From near death to sales: why startups were his lifeline (20:29) PTSD, chronic pain, and the fear of leaving kids fatherless (22:10) Fatherhood, health scares, and changing priorities (25:13) Cold plunges, saunas, and 41 food allergies (27:00) Grounding rituals and staying even-keeled in business (33:17) Consulting truths: urgency, feedback, and big-market bets (39:01) The unicorn that gave him freedom to go solo (41:20) Lessons he wishes he’d learned earlier about aiming bigger (42:58) Feeling “almost accomplished” and launching a landscaping biz (44:33) The comparison trap, stoicism, and keeping perspective (46:16) Biggest advice: shrink the delta between idea and action (48:04) How much is a LinkedIn account really worth? (50:57) Instagram success: $300K in consulting from a new channel— Links: • Scott Leese’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese • Daniel Berk’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielberk • Troy Munson’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/troymunson • Two Dads in Tech Newsletter – https://twodadsintech.com • Shop Two Dads in Tech – https://shop.twodadsintech.com • Listen on Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/30GQP8FPJoKpLGpYBahlFP • Listen on Apple – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/two-dads-in-tech/id1785662964 • Check out Dimmo – https://www.dimmo.ai

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• How to Become Indistractable from Technology with Nir Eyal

  Episode 38: Troy Munson – https://www.linkedin.com/in/troymunson – and Daniel Berk – https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielberk – sit down with Nir Eyal – https://www.linkedin.com/in/nireyal – for a deep dive into distraction, focus, and fatherhood. From the famous “superpower story” with his daughter, to why attention is the skill of the century, Nir unpacks how to control your time, your triggers, and your tech. The conversation covers parenting in the age of screens, the difference between use and abuse, and how AI might reshape learning and family life. Plus: reconciling Hooked and Indistractable, building better habits, and why being present is the ultimate superpower.— Show Notes: (0:00) Welcoming Nir Eyal, author of Hooked and Indistractable (1:15) The “superpower story” that changed how Nir views attention (3:55) Tech vs. parenting: when phones compete with kids (6:00) Why attention—not information—is the true skill of the century (10:20) Stories of millennial parenting and putting devices down (13:00) The 7-day digital disconnect challenge for families (14:20) Screen time vs. screen abuse: making the distinction (19:30) Internal triggers and why distraction starts within (27:30) How Nir uses AI for writing, notes, and parenting perspectives (30:00) The future of learning, AI, and education reform (36:00) Sponsor shoutout: Momentus supplements (36:30) Nir on handling distraction spirals in real time (45:20) Reconciling Hooked vs. Indistractable: use vs. misuse (48:45) Closing gratitude and where to find Nir online— Links: • Daniel Berk's LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielberk • Troy Munson's LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/troymunson • Nir Eyal's LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/nireyal • Two Dads in Tech Newsletter – https://twodadsintech.com • Shop Two Dads in Tech – https://shop.twodadsintech.com • Listen on Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/30GQP8FPJoKpLGpYBahlFP • Listen on Apple – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/two-dads-in-tech/id1785662964 • Check out Dimmo – https://www.dimmo.ai— Learn More About Nir: • Check out his book: http://geni.us/indistractable • Indistractable bonus content: http://www.nirandfar.com/indistractable/ • Indistractable summary article: https://www.nirandfar.com/skill-of-the-future/ • Timeboxing article: https://www.nirandfar.com/timeboxing/ • Values article: https://www.nirandfar.com/common-values/ • Free habit tracker tool: https://www.nirandfar.com/habit-tracker/ • Free schedule maker tool: https://www.nirandfar.com/schedule-maker/ • List of top articles: https://www.nirandfar.com/best-articles/

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• How AI is Going to Shape Tech, Parenting, and Friendships

  Episode 36: Troy Munson – https://www.linkedin.com/in/troymunson – and Daniel Berk – https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielberk – go raw and unfiltered on friends, faith, family, and tech. From why making “parent friends” feels like dating, to the loneliness vs. longevity debate of friendships, to whether kids today can still have a childhood without screens, this one swings from vulnerable to hilarious. They open up about religion, rebellion, legacy, and what it really means to live without tech (spoiler: it involves mowing lawns). Plus: Amish cabinets, TikTok golf kids, and whether leaving a ‘public legacy’ is actually overrated.— Show Notes: (0:00) Leaf blowers, protein shakes, and jumping straight in (2:00) Do friends actually make you happy—or can family be enough? (5:54) Deep friendships and the science of living longer (7:35) Parenting, daycare drop-offs, and the awkward art of making couple friends (10:58) Music in the park, golf buddies, and social media friend hacks (12:58) Facebook groups and finding lifelong “Sean and Ashton” friends (14:01) Nostalgia for playing outside vs. today’s tech-saturated childhoods (16:20) Tech exhaustion and apps that lock you out for sanity (22:07) Growing up religious, rebellion, and modern faith perceptions (25:30) Come-to-Jesus moments and rebuilding from a troubled past (28:11) Judgment, stereotypes, and walking on eggshells in 2025 (29:24) Could you survive—or earn a living—without technology? (33:36) Disconnect challenges, Amish stories, and “modern Amish” cabinets (34:46) Legacy talk: family impact vs. chasing public recognition (38:44) Commodities, Keith Lee, boat families, and the cost of freedom (42:10) “Tech Bros Network” ideas and doubling the pod cadence (44:08) Guests vs. no guests, views, and the behind-the-scenes of Two Dads in Tech (45:29) Sponsorships, newsletters, and a direct call to listeners— Links: • Daniel Berk's LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielberk • Troy Munson's LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/troymunson • Two Dads in Tech Newsletter – https://twodadsintech.com • Shop Two Dads in Tech – https://shop.twodadsintech.com • Listen on Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/30GQP8FPJoKpLGpYBahlFP • Listen on Apple – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/two-dads-in-tech/id1785662964 • Check out Dimmo – https://www.dimmo.ai

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