Two Dads in Tech

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
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🔗 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

Troy Munson and Daniel Berk close out the year with one of the most honest and wide-ranging episodes of Two Dads in Tech yet.
What starts as chaotic humor, Mad Libs, AI-generated chaos, and dad jokes, quickly turns into a serious conversation about technology addiction, the metaverse, robots in our homes, and how much of life we’re quietly giving away to comfort.
In this episode, they talk about:
Why technology consumes more of our lives than we realize
How the metaverse and virtual worlds are closer than we think
Robots living inside homes, and the privacy implications
Elon Musk, extreme wealth, and the Mars debate
Global warming, flooding cities, and living with environmental reality
Social media dependence and why walking away isn’t that simple
What they want to leave behind in 2025
Choosing discomfort, intentional living, and real experiences over convenience
Vision boards, bucket lists, and redefining success as parents
This is a reflective, end-of-year episode about slowing down, asking better questions, and being more intentional with technology, time, and life — one conversation at a time.
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🕒 Detailed Show Notes
(0:00) Mad Libs chaos & AI-generated nonsense
(2:30) Humor, absurdity & why play matters
(5:00) Kids, parenting stories & real-life chaos
(8:30) The metaverse and online-only relationships
(10:00) Why we’re closer to virtual worlds than we think
(12:30) Robots inside homes & privacy concerns
(14:30) Elon Musk, wealth & colonizing Mars
(16:00) Sponsor: Zapier & automations
(19:30) Extreme wealth vs real-world problems
(20:00) Global warming & flooding cities like Charleston
(22:40) “What are you leaving behind in 2025?”
(25:00) The comfort trap & technology addiction
(27:30) Choosing discomfort intentionally
(28:30) Solo hikes, disconnecting & mental clarity
(30:00) Vision boards & redefining success
(32:30) Why vulnerable episodes resonate most
(34:40) Making the world slightly better, one episode at a time
(35:00) Merry Christmas & year-end wrap-up
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🔗 Links
• Get started with Zapier now: https://bit.ly/4ooQhlb
• Daniel Berk –   / danielberk 
• Troy Munson –   / troymunson 
• Two Dads in Tech Newsletter –

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.
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🕒 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
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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