Front Row Dads - The Show For Dads Who Want To Level Up Their Dad Game

If you're a dad who's ever questioned your parenting style, wondered about rules, boundaries, or how much freedom to give your kids, you're going to find this conversation fascinating (and maybe a bit challenging). I sat down with Aaron Stupple, father of 5 and author of the controversial book The Sovereign Child. His radical approach to parenting—recently debated after his podcast with Tim Ferriss and Naval Ravikant—has sparked intense conversation in our own community. In this powerful interview, Aaron shares: Why conventional rules might actually hurt your child's development His framework for parenting without becoming your child's adversary How he handles controversial issues like screen time, sugar, and discipline The surprising reason your kids might not trust you (and how to fix it) This episode is sure to challenge your thinking and provide practical insights to help you become a more connected, conscious father. Ready to dive in?  ____________________________________

Most men have no idea they’re still trying to father a wounded boy inside themselves. In this episode, Dr. Bob Beare, PhD — licensed therapist, recovery leader, and founder of Deep Waters Recovery — returns to unpack what reparenting really means, and why so many high-performing men avoid the one thing that could finally bring peace. This isn’t theory. It’s raw truth. Bob walks us through the core practices that help men connect with the younger parts of themselves — the inner child who still carries unmet needs, suppressed grief, and the shame we were told to bury long ago. And he explains why ignoring this relationship keeps us stuck in cycles of reactivity, overwork, and emotional shutdown. We explore: What it actually means to reparent yourself — and how to start Why most men resist healing (even when they say they want it) How inner child work unlocks real emotional freedom — not just insight How unhealed men unconsciously raise kids to fix their own wounds Why grief and joy live in the sam

Over the past 9 years, we’ve sat down with hundreds of men—entrepreneurs, leaders, husbands, and fathers—to talk about what really matters. And after 500 raw, unfiltered conversations, one truth keeps rising to the top: Success means nothing if it costs you your family. In this special 500th episode, I sat down with two of the men who’ve been there since day one—Hal Elrod (The Miracle Morning) and Justin Donald (The Lifestyle Investor). They've helped shape this brotherhood from the very beginning. We didn’t talk about hacks or highlight reels. We talked about what this community has taught us after nearly a decade of doing the work: What happens when your wife looks you in the eye and tells you the truth you’ve been avoiding. What cancer, addiction, and burnout reveal about the life you say you want vs. the one you're actually living. What it really looks like to lead your family with integrity, presence, and love. This isn’t a greatest-hits recap. It’s a look under the hood. This is what we’ve le

“I’m a great dad… so why am I still losing it with my son?” In this powerful conversation, we unpack a question every high-performing man quietly wrestles with: Why do we keep repeating patterns we know aren’t serving us — as husbands, fathers, or leaders? This week I sat down with Dr. Bob Beare, PhD — licensed therapist, recovery leader, and founder of Deep Waters Recovery and The Creative Life Institute. Bob has spent over two decades helping men confront the emotional wounds they’ve spent a lifetime avoiding — trauma, shame, addiction, grief — and guiding them toward healing that actually lasts. Together we explore: Why your biggest parenting blowups have nothing to do with your kid How “doing the right thing” as a child can create a lifetime of pressure The dark side of positivity (and how it blocks real healing) How spiritual bypassing shows up in fatherhood and leadership Why healing your nervous system is the best thing you can do for your child How men can access deep emotional releas

What if the key to becoming a better man… was understanding women? In this powerful conversation, grief and transformation expert Joshua Wenner shares what years of men’s work couldn’t teach him — and what he only discovered after stepping into a space he never expected to lead: women’s healing. Joshua spent a decade helping men process grief, reclaim their power, and reconnect with purpose. But it was through coaching women, witnessing their wounds, and helping them heal their relationships with men that he gained a deeper understanding of what it means to be truly integrated as a man. In this episode, we talk about: The difference between men’s and women’s work — and why both matter How unhealed father wounds shape how women see men (and how men see themselves) The “Nice Guy vs Savage” trap and what real masculine power looks like How trust between men is broken — and how to rebuild it Why many successful men still feel alone, guarded, and disconnected What healthy partnership actually requ

Most men don’t realize they’re grieving. They just know they feel stuck… disconnected… angry… numb… exhausted. They’re overworking, avoiding, blowing up—or shutting down. But underneath the addiction, the burnout, the conflict… is unprocessed grief. In this raw and powerful conversation, grief expert Joshua Wenner unpacks the hidden losses that men carry—losses from childhood, unmet expectations, relationship ruptures, business failures, and the identity shifts that come with fatherhood and marriage. Joshua has spent over a decade studying grief, interviewing the top experts, and making a feature-length documentary on the subject. In this episode, he shares what he’s learned, including the tools that help men regulate their nervous systems, reconnect with their hearts, and finally move forward. If you’ve ever felt like something was off—but couldn’t name it—this episode is for you. You’ll walk away with practical tools to stabilize, feel, heal, and become more present for yourself and those you love. ________

This might be the best business interview I’ve done all year. It’s one every business owner should hear. In this episode, I sit down with Ryan Deiss—entrepreneur, investor, and founder of DigitalMarketer—who’s launched, scaled, and sold 17+ companies. He’s not speaking from theory. He’s speaking from experience—and sometimes, scar tissue. This isn’t just another systems conversation. It’s a full-on playbook for building a business that works without you. For founders who feel trapped in their own company… this one hits hard. Here’s what you’ll take away: Why growth can trap you—and how scale sets you free The “sticky note” method to exit roles without burning the business down How founders become bottlenecks—and why doing less is a leadership skill The scorecard and constraint system Ryan uses to spot bottlenecks before they break your team Why hiring great people won’t fix broken systems—and what to do instead How to integrate AI to elevate your team’s performance (without replacing them)

You can build the house, pay the bills, protect and provide—but if your wife doesn’t feel seen, and your kids don’t feel known, what are you really building? In this episode, Ryan Deiss opens up about the moment his marriage hit a wall… and the quiet heartbreak of realizing he had drifted from the people he loved most. It wasn’t burnout. It wasn’t failure. It was success without alignment—and the cost of being emotionally absent, even while physically present.   You’ll take away: What his wife said that shattered the illusion he was “doing it for the family” How disconnection with his kids crept in while he was busy being “responsible” The family-first calendar ritual that rebuilt trust and rhythm at home Why saying “yes” to golf with his son—and missing a deadline—was a turning point The question he asked his son before college—and the answer that brought him to tears Why presence—not perfection—is what restores closeness in marriage and fatherhood If you're trying to be more than just the guy who gets stu

You’ve built momentum before. You’ve held it all—business, family, vision. And you’ve probably felt that moment when the weight of it all starts pressing back. For Jenna and Brad Ballard, that moment wasn’t collapse. It was clarity—the kind that only comes when life demands something deeper than drive. As founders of ALA—Ascension Leadership Academy, they were guiding others through profound transformation, even as they navigated their own. Business growth, parenting two young boys, and a health crisis that shook their foundation—all at once. The mission never changed. The love never left. But the way they were holding it had to. This episode is about what happens when leaders choose evolution over endurance. When nervous system work becomes strategy. When joy, creativity, and emotional safety aren’t rewards for making it—they’re the reason you keep going. Brad built Fastlane Drive. Jenna answered the call to music. And together, they didn’t walk away from anything—they found a new way to carry all of it, wit

Different childhoods. Different wounds. One shared commitment: to raise boys who feel seen, safe, and strong. Some of us were raised on discipline. Others in silence. Some were praised only when we performed—others not at all. But no matter what we inherited, we all face the same question when we become fathers: Will I repeat what I came from, or will I build something new? In today’s episode, I sit down with Jenna and Brad Ballard—two parents building something they didn’t fully have growing up: a family grounded in presence, emotional safety, and truth.  Brad and Jenna are the co-founders of Ascension Leadership Academy (ALA), where they help people break through limiting beliefs and lead with emotional intelligence and purpose. Their upbringings were different—one shaped by performance and pressure, the other by steadiness and structure. But what unites them now is a shared commitment to raising sons who feel seen, celebrated, and secure. This isn’t a conversation about parenting hacks or surface-level ad

As a father and entrepreneur, you know what it feels like to carry the weight of providing, leading, and doing what’s right—even when it’s hard. But what happens when doing what’s right means walking away from money, approval, and comfort? In this powerful episode, I sit down with Mikki Willis—filmmaker, author, and creator of one of the most controversial and widely viewed independent films of our time. At the peak of his career, Mikki was faced with a choice: stay silent and keep everything... or speak his truth and risk it all. He chose soul over strategy. And it changed everything. In this episode, you’ll learn: What real strength looks like when everything’s on the line How to stay grounded when the world pulls at your center Why trusting your inner voice beats chasing outside approval The power of standing firm—even when you're standing alone A model for soul-led decision-making in moments of pressure If you’ve ever felt the cost of staying true to yourself as a man, a father, or a lead

Ever feel like summer slips away without truly connecting with your family? In our latest Front Row Dads podcast, I'm joined by Ali Jafarian, our Chief Transformation Officer, to dive deep into the transformative events we've planned for you this summer. These aren’t just events—they're opportunities to redefine your legacy, strengthen your family bonds, and experience powerful brotherhood. Key Insights & Takeaways:  Rite of Passage at the Grand Canyon A life-changing experience crafted specifically for dads and their teens, designed to deepen trust and usher your child confidently toward adulthood.  Summer Summit in Keystone, Colorado The perfect mid-year reset to sharpen your family vision, reconnect deeply with like-minded fathers, and prepare intentionally for family adventures ahead. Colorado Adventure A rugged, soul-nourishing outdoor experience for a select group of dads ready to push their limits, explore profound brotherhood, and return home stronger than ever.  Why These Events Matte

In this short but powerful bonus clip, Mikki Willis shares an intimate moment with his father that changed everything between them. It’s a story about absence, acceptance, and the unexpected beauty of things unfolding exactly as they were meant to.

Ever feel like your past is too messy to be meaningful? Like the mistakes, the missed moments, the mess-ups with your kids or your wife… might be too much to make right? This episode flips that idea on its head.

You lead with intention in business, in life, and—most importantly—at home. But let’s be honest: Mother’s Day can sneak up on you. You want to honor your wife well, but you’re not always sure how to do it in a way that actually lands. That’s why we pulled together something different this year—a short video from a few Front Row Dads who opened up about what they’ve learned from celebrating their wives on Mother’s Day. These aren’t “tips.” They’re real stories. Real lessons. Real wisdom.

When your business feels like it’s crumbling, what do you do? Some men cling harder. Some walk away. But the rare few — they evolve. Today’s guest, Ryland Engelhart, is one of those rare few. He helped build Café Gratitude into a beloved brand, co-founded the global movement Kiss the Ground, produced award-winning films about regeneration, and is now helping create Sovereignty Ranch—a living, breathing example of legacy in action. But none of that happened without walking away from what no longer served him. And that's exactly what today’s conversation is about. If you’re standing at a crossroads in business, family, or purpose, this conversation will show you how to lead through it. In this episode, you’ll discover:

When you look back years from now, what will you have built? A business? A life? A family rooted in presence, love, and legacy? This episode is for fathers who know they’re building something deeper—and want the tools to lead it well. In today’s conversation, I sit down with Ryland Engelhart—a father, builder, and mission-driven leader who shows us what happens when a man chooses healing over hiding, and presence over perfection. You'll discover: → How a rooftop conversation with his dad shattered the belief he wasn’t enough → Why building a home with his father became an act of love, repair, and generational strength → The daily prayer and gratitude rituals that are shaping his sons for life → How a pivotal experience with psychedelics awakened his calling to protect the Earth → Why your presence—not your perfection—is what your kids need most → How fatherhood doesn’t end when your kids grow—it just evolves If you're not just building a career— But building a legacy your family can stand on... This conversat

Ever wonder what kind of leader you’d be when everything hits the fan? Not when things are smooth. But when your product fails. The internet comes for your company. And you’ve got 48 hours to decide who you really are. That’s exactly what happened to Jason Bronstad, CEO of MALK Organics—and what he did in that moment didn’t just save the business… It defined it. In this raw, honest, and wildly insightful episode, Jon sits down with Jason to unpack how a mission-driven company scaled from $12M to $100M, without losing its soul. Here’s what you’ll walk away with:

You ever feel like you’re crushing the deadlines, hitting the goals—but when it’s time to be fully present with your kids or your partner, you’re running on fumes? Jason Bronstad  knows that feeling well. In Part 2 of our conversation, he opens up about the version of himself that chased titles, numbed out with alcohol, and put presence on the backburner. But that’s not who he is anymore. Here’s what changed: ⚖️ He dropped 70 pounds

Are you creating REAL impact with your work?  Do you optimize for the things that really matter?  Are you ready to craft a powerful plan for your vision and legacy?   Here's a glimpse of Ryan Levesque, veteran VIP member of Front Row Dads, sharing his "past vs present" highlights and evolution into THE BUSINESS.   Join FRD ENGAGE to embark on a learning journey with Ryan and the FRD Brotherhood - a community of like-minded men committed to growth, leadership, and family-first success.   This unique and immersive experience launches in 2 weeks!  Lean in, show up and evolve.   **Early bird pricing ends this week - take ACTION**   Join Us: frontrowdads.com/engage   __________________________________   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 with families, so they can thrive personally AND professionally.   Sub