Joel Willis

1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,600 parenting, first of all, it's basically impossible, like raising humans into like happy adults. 2 00:00:07,600 --> 00:00:12,560 It's so hard and so difficult, but it's the most fulfilling thing in the world. So just that right 3 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:19,680 there, there's so much opportunity for hilarious content, but also just very like sentimental. 4 00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:25,680 Though at that point in my life, I'm being asked, I would have taken a job running a media brand 5 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:33,520 for all sorts of things. It wouldn't have had to be about being in debt. It could have been like a 6 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:38,960 meme brand about like basket weaving and I'd be all over it. It signed me up. I got lucky. 7 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:44,880 Every artist has his or her own creative process to help them hone their craft and execute their 8 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:49,680 vision. But nothing throws a wrench and a routine quite like having a baby. How to create 9 00:00:49,680 --> 00:00:53,920 a justice to still find that time and energy needed to dedicate to their work. How has 10 00:00:53,920 --> 00:01:00,080 becoming a father impacted their creative process and material they create? I'm Tyler Guilden. 11 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:05,600 I'm the writer, producer, director, and podcast host. Most importantly, I'm a father at two. 12 00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:12,000 A four-year-old boy and a three-year-old girl. Yep, there are 367 days apart. 13 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:16,240 Hopefully my guests can help me and possibly some my listeners, 14 00:01:16,240 --> 00:01:20,800 with some much needed guidance from their experience, juggling parenthood and being a creative. 15 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:24,240 This is father material. 16 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:31,920 Today's episode I was speaking with Joel Willis, father at two former editor and chief of the 17 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:36,320 dad, the very popular social media parenting brand. Also has a new book coming out called 18 00:01:36,320 --> 00:01:40,960 "Dadlaw" pretty much a master of all things parenting and content. I'm really excited about this 19 00:01:40,960 --> 00:01:45,600 conversation, so let's just jump right into it. Joel, how you doing? I'm going to show my face with 20 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:51,040 my blast of my snack here. What is that snack? Have you ever had little bites? 21 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:59,120 Have I ever had little bites? Who has not had little bites? My kids love them, but I end up eating 22 00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:06,160 more of them than they do. My only issue is there's five muffins in here. I need 15. Give me 23 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:13,040 large bites. I actually aren't there like four. I think there's five. I think five would be generous. 24 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:17,920 I'm pretty sure it's just four. Maybe it's five. Is it a four piece? We're a big deal. See 25 00:02:17,920 --> 00:02:24,080 there way. Not enough. There's not enough little bites. Did they used to be called mini muffins 26 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:28,400 or did I just make up the name mini muffins? I feel like growing up there were mini muffins and 27 00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:34,640 then they became little bites. I'm not sure if my wife sometimes will say on accidental say like 28 00:02:34,640 --> 00:02:39,760 tiny bites and my daughter and I think that's hilarious was come up with different words. 29 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:46,560 You know like the mini mull. Yeah, mini-skilled pastries. That's what's actually that's funny. 30 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:52,320 My wife this work said that's why it doesn't pay attention when she's making my kids breakfast 31 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:57,840 and just wants to shut them up so she just gives them things. This morning my son had woke me up at 32 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:01,440 I don't know. Five something and he he he he he he he he he he he he he what is bad he's four years 33 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:05,760 all these gone through the whole process he what is bad so I put it back and then I I put myself to 34 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:10,640 you know back to sleep I put myself to sleep then I went back to sleep also. So this morning for breakfast my 35 00:03:10,640 --> 00:03:16,720 wife took the shift first to give me a little bit more rest and then also I noticed that she gave my son 36 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:24,160 for breakfast little bites they had little bites and then a pop tart and then she was giving him 37 00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:28,960 a quassant and I said I was like how many calories you try to feed the skid and she's like 38 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:33,680 honestly I didn't even realize what I was I think she was just like you know my kids are four and three 39 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:38,080 and they're just like asking for things so she's just like okay please be quiet dad's not here 40 00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:43,680 I'm just dealing with it and I was like what are you feeding these children yeah that's just like a lot of 41 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:49,840 carboloads there's a lot of people living for a marathon or something over there she at least admitted she's 42 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:54,880 like I honestly was not paying attention I guess she just she forgot which kid was asking for what and 43 00:03:54,880 --> 00:03:59,440 didn't realize it was all the same child asking for all of that so yeah why the breakfast he had 44 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:07,280 yeah so how how old you have us on and a daughter also I believe right do I do my daughter's 13 45 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:16,640 and my son just turned 11 last Friday so you were you were definitely at a at a different stage 46 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:23,680 got the early teens the double digits I'm at my son is four my daughter's three so I'm definitely 47 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:29,520 a little bit behind I can't imagine how much I guess things have to be different as they get older I'm 48 00:04:29,520 --> 00:04:35,360 sure there's big difference between four and three and yeah you got 11 you got four and three that's the 49 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:42,480 best man so could all the cliches are true it's like cherish the moments all that crap it's so true 50 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:48,320 that's the best like babies people don't say this people are afraid to talk about this but babies are 51 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:54,000 terrible they just cry all the time and it's hard to really make that connection but once they start talking 52 00:04:54,000 --> 00:05:00,240 it's the best and it just keeps getting better keeps getting better yeah I think it keeps getting 53 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:08,320 but maybe it's plateauing now on the teenage years oh no oh yeah it's amazing though because yeah even 54 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:13,120 just in four years and three years there's already little things they did that I miss so I'd 55 00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:18,480 imagine by the time they're 14 and 11 there's so many of those innocent isms and whatnot that 56 00:05:18,480 --> 00:05:23,200 your kids did and now you're like oh now they're like I know Joe come my kids are like people now 57 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:27,920 but they're not people compared to your children who are literally people yeah I don't want to break 58 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:34,080 your heart or anything this early in the podcast but my daughter and I were like we're really close we're like 59 00:05:34,080 --> 00:05:39,040 good friends and love hanging out and stuff and now lately she doesn't want to hang out as much 60 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:48,160 like she'll go to a room or hang out with her friends more and oh it's the worst yeah my son is very very attached 61 00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:52,400 to me and yeah I can imagine that that must be tough when they get to that age and you're like 62 00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:57,280 I'm sure you still want to be all your daddy's girl but at the same time she's 14 and she has friends and 63 00:05:57,280 --> 00:06:03,760 you got to have to let her be so how do you how do you straddle that yeah yeah I mean it's tough you I mean my 64 00:06:03,760 --> 00:06:08,480 number one thing we're getting right into it this is this is the following here is get into what 65 00:06:08,480 --> 00:06:16,240 your kids are into so whatever it is they're into whatever stage however old they are what they're 66 00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:22,960 interests are try to get into that right my daughter was like three or four like yours she was real into 67 00:06:22,960 --> 00:06:30,640 my little pony so all of a sudden I had a favorite my little pony I did it was it was Flutter shy 68 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:40,720 do you miss Flutter shy did you do you good times you guys had I gotta do I get I get the fandom 69 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:46,640 around my little pony I understand it I can't mix with it it's my little pony still around because I 70 00:06:46,640 --> 00:06:52,480 only remember the growing up the the song is the song still the song you're like my little pony there's 71 00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:58,160 no friends like pony friends I remember those commercials all the time I think that song makes this it 72 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:03,760 sounds a little different than what you were just singing and why not hit a get on tune if you have 73 00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:12,160 or not hit my little pony evolved it's musical you know it's a bill of peace beyond me I'll just say this 74 00:07:12,160 --> 00:07:17,920 Tyler you might have been a little off key I think you could run this on YouTube and you won't get hit 75 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:24,480 with a DMCA copyright strike is what I'm saying it's not that spot on but it was pretty good is it 76 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:28,560 techno now what's the new version of the my little pony song it's probably they probably have 77 00:07:28,560 --> 00:07:34,880 a whole TV show now this probably a whole different world of it yeah augmented reality video game or something 78 00:07:34,880 --> 00:07:40,960 I don't know I don't mean I'm out of it I'm out of it now too so have you been someone always at your 79 00:07:40,960 --> 00:07:47,680 core was a creative and trying to create things I understand you were at GE for a while before you kind of 80 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:51,760 found the death so it spines me where these creative genes came from because a lot of the podcast is not just 81 00:07:51,760 --> 00:07:56,560 only on fatherhood but also that type of material you create and how you kind of balance the 82 00:07:56,560 --> 00:08:02,960 two worlds so where did this creative I guess urge come from sure I mean I think everybody has it to a certain 83 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:08,720 extent and that's definitely true for me I've always been like super nerdy about comedy just really 84 00:08:08,720 --> 00:08:16,400 love comedy entertainment all that stuff even though I'm very introverted at heart but in college and 85 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:20,800 in high school I never really gave a lot of thought like what I wanted to be when I when I grew up you know 86 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:25,920 it was like what's the safe path what where can I make a comfortable living and it's fine you know 87 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:34,960 and won't require too much work right it led me to a tech career so I was a GE leading data science 88 00:08:34,960 --> 00:08:43,760 initiatives for jet engine engineering which creative fulfillment speaking is it's not for a high 89 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:50,640 on the charts it was cool people I worked with their cool work was interesting but towards the end 90 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:58,080 I felt like my soul was dying a little every day with the long commutes and then in this meetings 91 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:05,440 and I was climbing the corporate ladder and all that like I got to get out of here I put together 92 00:09:05,440 --> 00:09:11,680 what I call a five-year corporate escape plan with my wife and then like I like the sound of that 93 00:09:11,680 --> 00:09:18,480 yeah yeah it's like learn how to create content you know like get out there and basically just 94 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:26,880 start writing jokes on Twitter things like that eventually get published places with its longer form writing 95 00:09:26,880 --> 00:09:34,720 stuff like that I wrote a novel I did a children's book and all these things looking for that 96 00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:42,000 future path whatever it may be eventually I connected with Jill Smokler from Scary Mommy and I wrote 97 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:50,560 for Scary Mommy for two years and then when they're parent company on intended wanted to start a 98 00:09:50,560 --> 00:09:57,200 dad brand I was I was in the right place at the right time. Got it so essentially I guess you launched the 99 00:09:57,200 --> 00:10:02,800 dad with them that was a co-partner shift type of an idea it wasn't something you came to them with 100 00:10:02,800 --> 00:10:07,120 it was more of organically you were there writing some dad stuff they wanted to launch dad's you're the 101 00:10:07,120 --> 00:10:13,040 guy to do it yeah it was just so serendipitous it was perfect I was I was already you know doing things for 102 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:20,560 them you know like are you interested in possibly leading up a dad brand was it like yes of course at that 103 00:10:20,560 --> 00:10:27,840 time where I was in corporate life and stuff like this is an acceleration on that five-year plan and it's 104 00:10:27,840 --> 00:10:33,600 a dream job absolutely and then we got to be in that you know collaborative partnership type of 105 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:39,440 arrangement or we got to talk about what it could be ideally what it should look like what the team should 106 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:45,680 be like all of that stuff from from the start and then I got to join as essentially a salary to 107 00:10:45,680 --> 00:10:52,160 employee for a media company so it's kind of the best of both worlds in terms of you know working for 108 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:58,000 a company versus like you know starting or anything right well and I guess so where were you in terms of 109 00:10:58,560 --> 00:11:03,120 how how how when did you become a father I guess how long were you working at GE as a dad or 110 00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:09,760 guess you know how many years of fatherhood wisdom did you have that you were bringing that dad yeah yeah 111 00:11:09,760 --> 00:11:13,840 by that point I was or I was I was dead inside no I'm just kidding 112 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:21,520 the white my daughter's dad inside you were dad inside my hair was my hair was very gray already I'll say 113 00:11:21,520 --> 00:11:34,800 that my my daughter's born 2009 and I left to start the dad in 2017 yeah 17 my daughter was at eight 114 00:11:34,800 --> 00:11:39,520 my son was like five so I was well on the on the dad journey at that point for sure I was in the 115 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:43,760 thick of it yeah so how did you balance I think I've heard you say this before when you're 116 00:11:43,760 --> 00:11:47,360 interviewed you know you were a dad in your professional life and you know and your personal life you 117 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:52,640 you're getting to kind of do the same it both ways so I guess how did one impact the other obviously naturally 118 00:11:52,640 --> 00:11:58,240 you're pulling from your actual life as a dad to bring you know content but I guess yeah I guess how 119 00:11:58,240 --> 00:12:02,400 did you balance the two worlds of a at one point where is it ever like all right dad stopped 120 00:12:02,400 --> 00:12:08,880 mining us for content like how did you ever draw a line they were never like that they've never been 121 00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:16,880 like they're very outgoing hilarious kids so they're they're down for that sort of game for sure 122 00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:23,200 if they ever were like don't do that I would definitely not do that for sure but including them in 123 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:29,840 content aside I think the balance I really can't say enough for working from home honestly 124 00:12:29,840 --> 00:12:38,080 when I was at my last corporate job I was in one hour commute each way and I would I would drive 125 00:12:38,080 --> 00:12:43,440 to a parking lot get on the bus and take a bus downtown and go to a new work and then come back you know 126 00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:50,000 and then at night I was I was teaching at a university I was doing a parenting thing I was doing 127 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:57,680 scary mommy stuff like I was so busy that I didn't have a good work life balance and even though 128 00:12:57,680 --> 00:13:04,400 the dad was an intense amount of work I saved so much time by being able to work from home and 129 00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:10,000 simplify my commute my life that I was working harder than ever but getting to spend more time 130 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:14,800 with my family than ever too which is important because technically you can make the case that you're doing 131 00:13:14,800 --> 00:13:20,400 research that you're that is a part of your job at the dad is to be a dad as much as possible so 132 00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:24,560 therefore you shouldn't have to go to an office you have a good you have a good cell there that's right 133 00:13:24,560 --> 00:13:30,080 I need the fodder I need the father fodder for the for the memes if my kids aren't frustrating me then 134 00:13:30,080 --> 00:13:34,560 I don't have anything to joke about exactly you got to put you got to put that fuel in the tank so 135 00:13:34,560 --> 00:13:40,800 but what was it about being a dad like because in theory I guess if you had a creative gene in a bug to 136 00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:46,400 kind of get out of corporate world and go into some sort of content what was it about being a dad was just 137 00:13:46,400 --> 00:13:50,720 what you felt was the most organic to you because that's where you were in your life or you know what 138 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:56,240 what is it about fatherhood that strikes you as such a a unique place to build content from 139 00:13:56,880 --> 00:14:07,120 all man I think parenting first of all it's basically impossible like raising humans into like 140 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:13,280 happy adults like it's just it's it's so hard and so difficult but it's the most fulfilling thing in the world 141 00:14:13,280 --> 00:14:21,200 so just that right there there's so much an opportunity for for hilarious content but also just 142 00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:29,360 very like sentimental content as well like I truly believe that raising kids and parenting it's like it's the 143 00:14:29,360 --> 00:14:37,520 meaning of life for me it's not for me but for me even when I was like young 20s and I would 144 00:14:37,520 --> 00:14:41,200 make like a bucket list of things I want to do and like being a dad was always on there it's like yeah 145 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:48,480 I definitely you know want to do that so that was always there I think though at that point in my 146 00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:55,920 life I'm being asked I would have taken a job running a media brand for all sorts of things it wouldn't have 147 00:14:55,920 --> 00:15:05,040 had to be being a dad it could have been like a meme brand about like basket weaving and I'd be all over it 148 00:15:05,040 --> 00:15:10,720 sign me up so I got lucky it sounds exciting you know listen maybe you could make it happen 149 00:15:10,720 --> 00:15:15,920 this if you have enough enough comedic chops you could make that work I don't know if the basket 150 00:15:15,920 --> 00:15:20,800 would be as exciting as the dad but who knows if there's some weaver's out there no I think it worked out 151 00:15:20,800 --> 00:15:27,600 for the better for everyone that it that it that happened to be about being a dad it was it was fantastic 152 00:15:27,600 --> 00:15:32,640 yeah no I mean I couldn't have asked for a better fit and I've said it before but I'm just like 153 00:15:32,640 --> 00:15:39,680 so grateful for some spider and the leaders there to give me a shot at being able to have that job 154 00:15:39,680 --> 00:15:43,760 but also just like being that position to begin with was just very very lucky 155 00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:52,240 when you're hiring at the dad how important is it to hire other dads or parents I guess when you're building a 156 00:15:52,240 --> 00:15:58,400 team of content and also not every I'm sure there are many you know the dad is sound singular 157 00:15:58,400 --> 00:16:03,200 but there's many different experiences of being a dad so I'm just curious how you went about 158 00:16:03,200 --> 00:16:08,080 creating content or assembling a team to kind of put out these different you know voices out there 159 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:12,320 yeah the singularity of the was the brand name always bugged me a little bit 160 00:16:13,280 --> 00:16:18,800 that's tricky to navigate I always wanted to make sure when we post content we would say like we and we'd 161 00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:23,600 be very plural about it so that people recognize that it's a team and not an individual and also we would 162 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:29,520 say in our description like the dad is not a person it's a lifestyle things like that right so there's that 163 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:37,360 other than that I mean yeah that's an interesting question we I wouldn't care so much about 164 00:16:37,360 --> 00:16:42,720 if somebody was a dad or not personally like not not really at all it was more about the creative 165 00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:53,120 talent ability to create interesting and funny and good content and in fact our first hire deputy editor of 166 00:16:53,120 --> 00:17:02,480 the dad was a mom named Ali probest and she's just a creative powerhouse just like so good like 167 00:17:02,480 --> 00:17:09,840 an idea machine and it was it's way more important that she's just amazing creatively than then 168 00:17:09,840 --> 00:17:18,320 that she's you know male or or dad right so no that wasn't that wasn't really too much of a consideration 169 00:17:18,320 --> 00:17:25,120 there happens that experiences definitely helps so being a parent in general I think is definitely 170 00:17:25,120 --> 00:17:30,720 a bonus but even still I guess you can make the case that even if you just had a dad you know you're 171 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:35,520 not a parent but you had a dad you know it's that kind of multi-layer whether you're a dad you're 172 00:17:35,520 --> 00:17:40,400 married to a dad you had a dad you know there's there's different layers of that no it's funny you say 173 00:17:40,400 --> 00:17:46,400 that the we and those models because you know I was you know at a lead daily for for a long time and we had 174 00:17:46,400 --> 00:17:51,360 that same type of trick with like being like the voice of Jen Y and millennials but then like you know 175 00:17:51,360 --> 00:17:56,640 we didn't want to alien anyone else so we would say like it's a millennial mindset so it's not just 176 00:17:56,640 --> 00:18:02,640 millennials it's the mindset of the millennials and that was how we would expand to like Gen X and Z 177 00:18:02,640 --> 00:18:09,280 and etc. Yeah when you have an identity based brand it's a tricky tricky waterstown navigate 178 00:18:09,280 --> 00:18:14,880 for sure but yeah you don't need to you don't need to be a dad to write for the dad you don't need to 179 00:18:14,880 --> 00:18:22,800 be a dad to follow the dad we all know some dads in our lives right and they're they're quirky you know 180 00:18:22,800 --> 00:18:28,880 they have dad jokes whatever whatever so yeah just having that awareness of what it's like is all 181 00:18:28,880 --> 00:18:33,600 what all that you need so when did the what did the dad really take off because I feel like there was a 182 00:18:33,600 --> 00:18:37,520 certain point where all of sudden it just got really big and I'm always following these different 183 00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:41,840 publishers just from being in the digital publisher space was there a certain point or a certain 184 00:18:41,840 --> 00:18:48,000 a certain meme or a certain video I mean I know you guys were doing some fantastic video work I actually 185 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:52,640 know some of the guys who were working on your team doing some video stuff so what was there any 186 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:57,360 certain piece of content that helped or a certain launch of anything that made it get bigger 187 00:18:57,360 --> 00:19:03,840 oh it's just kind of organic growth oh I think it it doesn't flows right I think it's like a little 188 00:19:03,840 --> 00:19:12,320 stair step approach the early days were intensely exciting in terms of growth because even every 189 00:19:12,320 --> 00:19:16,800 every week there was some kind of hit that took off and we'd see a big stair step and like oh I got 190 00:19:16,800 --> 00:19:27,040 just thrilling right we started a zero followers on Facebook we actually acquired a brand that I 191 00:19:27,040 --> 00:19:32,400 started called the GladStort on Instagram and Twitter so we didn't have to start from zero there which is 192 00:19:32,400 --> 00:19:40,080 helpful visitor tough fair tough platforms for that we did we did like an intern on company poll how many 193 00:19:40,080 --> 00:19:48,240 followers on Facebook would we have after two months we ended up and people were saying 10,000, 194 00:19:48,240 --> 00:19:55,600 20,000, 50,000 we ended up over a hundred thousand and two months which was just beyond my wildest 195 00:19:55,600 --> 00:20:02,560 expectations there were probably videos and memes during that time that contributed maybe more than others 196 00:20:02,560 --> 00:20:08,960 but I really feel like it was just more consistency you know post in every other hour 197 00:20:08,960 --> 00:20:16,640 every single day nonstop not missing a slot everyone of those pieces of content is a lot of 198 00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:23,200 very ticket and social algorithms sort of smelt trust me I know the world well I remember yeah I'd like 199 00:20:23,200 --> 00:20:28,320 yeah we first broke a million you know Facebook or we got a hundred thousand YouTube I mean it's cool 200 00:20:28,320 --> 00:20:32,800 when you're feeling like you're really building something and actually getting an audience and engaging 201 00:20:32,800 --> 00:20:38,240 with it and yeah you guys put out such you know it's relatable fun content and through this I was following 202 00:20:38,240 --> 00:20:43,520 you guys before I was a dad and I was still getting a kick out of it and then once I became a dad 203 00:20:43,520 --> 00:20:49,360 I was just like okay now I'm now I'm like really in this and invested so you know it's it's cool to 204 00:20:49,360 --> 00:20:56,720 connect because I've just been following for a while and now the dad likely all part of the same 205 00:20:56,720 --> 00:21:01,360 bustle digital studio universe as they've acquired everybody of whether you're the voice or the 206 00:21:01,360 --> 00:21:06,160 mindset of millennials or you're the you're the dad or you're anybody really you're just a human 207 00:21:06,160 --> 00:21:17,200 now that's where you live yeah digital web the elite dad the millennial mindset dad that speaks to me 208 00:21:17,200 --> 00:21:21,600 I mean that's where this podcast came from you know a lot of what I enjoy doing at elite daily 209 00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:26,880 was I was a millennial I was making content for the most part that I resonated with so it felt authentic 210 00:21:26,880 --> 00:21:31,120 and that's why I launched this podcast and I looked for other parenting endeavors some clients I 211 00:21:31,120 --> 00:21:36,400 worked with are you know brands who you know produce you know kids stuff because it feels the most genuine 212 00:21:36,400 --> 00:21:41,760 to me because it's what I'm experiencing and I feel like you a lot of comedy or you know just creative 213 00:21:41,760 --> 00:21:47,440 comes from your own experience so you know being a dad is definitely the largest looming thing in my 214 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:53,760 life right now that it doesn't appear to be going anywhere for some time yeah that's right yeah it brings 215 00:21:53,760 --> 00:21:58,880 up a lot of emotions so at the end of the day you want to be able to scroll through some of those 216 00:21:58,880 --> 00:22:04,480 through content that drives and makes you not feel like you're in this thing alone for sure for sure 217 00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:08,720 yeah and you mentioned video I did see that you talked to Rob King which is awesome 218 00:22:08,720 --> 00:22:16,080 based on that I spoke to Rob and and I know Ben Stumpf very I've know Ben for years we started 219 00:22:16,080 --> 00:22:21,920 like UCB you know class together years ago and I've been I've bugged him to do the dad content 220 00:22:21,920 --> 00:22:27,360 for like three four years now you know we have we have it across our project yet but I'm on his list 221 00:22:27,360 --> 00:22:31,920 somewhere but he did a bunch of stuff for me and I'll eat daily you know we've we've done a couple 222 00:22:31,920 --> 00:22:38,160 things together so he's great to yeah Ben's amazing Rob's amazing Nick Fabiano all great guys 223 00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:44,960 yeah the video studio for the dad was a force and just having that level of production quality 224 00:22:44,960 --> 00:22:53,280 from the very get go was like a huge amplifier too right see talk about specific pieces of content 225 00:22:53,280 --> 00:22:59,600 I mean there were definitely stars all over the place that took off but one of the first like mega 226 00:22:59,600 --> 00:23:04,720 ones that got us like in the news and stuff was out of the video studio and it was a fucking break 227 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:11,120 if you remember that one you had to believe that I don't know no yeah I remember I remember that one 228 00:23:11,120 --> 00:23:18,560 I was a good you know I guess satirical type of spot so I do remember that and yeah I mean I feel like 229 00:23:18,560 --> 00:23:24,640 you know a lot of great content has come out of the dad so I've ever appreciated following so tell me now 230 00:23:24,640 --> 00:23:31,520 about dad law as you build off of more dad content so tell me about the book what about dad law 231 00:23:31,520 --> 00:23:37,360 dad law yeah so this I it's a little bit of a longer story than you may expect but I want to tell 232 00:23:37,360 --> 00:23:45,120 it all a few years into the dad um Ali wanted to depy editor the dad she wanted to write a book 233 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:54,000 she had this amazing idea for a book very involved in in content driven and amazing the leadership 234 00:23:54,000 --> 00:24:01,600 at the time the company said that seems like a lot let's try something smaller and easier and so 235 00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:08,640 we created basically a book of memes called the dad book myself published it we created a daily calendar 236 00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:16,480 dadism which did extremely well all these things it really well so we wrote another book called the dad law 237 00:24:16,480 --> 00:24:24,160 and self published it and now even though I'm no longer with the dad this book is being published 238 00:24:24,160 --> 00:24:32,160 this year and now it's called dad law so it's just dad law and it's basically a reimagining of 239 00:24:32,160 --> 00:24:37,680 that book with the traditional publisher and we are super excited about it so are you 240 00:24:37,680 --> 00:24:45,120 a writer on it a co-writer on it I guess who is this book coming out from the dad it's also what's the 241 00:24:45,120 --> 00:24:51,360 I guess who who is the author what is the origin of this dad so here here you go I don't know if you 242 00:24:51,360 --> 00:24:56,560 publish video from these things but here here's the here's the dad here is I'm gonna say 243 00:24:56,560 --> 00:25:02,320 "Dud Dad Law" this is dad law written by Ali Probst and Joel Willis so we are the authors 244 00:25:02,320 --> 00:25:08,480 on this thing it's also affiliated with the dad of course and it's published by a chronicle 245 00:25:08,480 --> 00:25:15,200 chronicle books and so inside it what is it what is the context of it it's it's filled with 246 00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:20,560 anecdotes it's filled with memes it's filled with laws what is the you know what is the context 247 00:25:20,560 --> 00:25:25,680 the idea is when you become a dad and apparently there are certain things that you just 248 00:25:25,680 --> 00:25:31,840 catch yourself doing like immediately and I would take it a step further and say you have to 249 00:25:31,840 --> 00:25:38,480 do those things those are the dad law those things you have to do like and it's just a collection of those 250 00:25:38,480 --> 00:25:47,840 things separated by different topics so dad vice and cliches is section X well the first one up 251 00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:55,200 section X article nine a dad more or minus family if it ain't broke don't fix it 252 00:25:58,480 --> 00:26:05,680 that's it's it's hundreds or thousands of those sorts of things and if you're eating like me you 253 00:26:05,680 --> 00:26:10,400 probably think you're so I probably don't do that many cliches that things but if you flip through 254 00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:17,120 it's like oh my god I do all of this and that's it yeah every dad is different but I'm sure there's 255 00:26:17,120 --> 00:26:22,240 that there's some underlying themes that probably mostly all of us or anybody yeah you know you have 256 00:26:22,240 --> 00:26:25,680 kids and also you just to everyone says I don't want to turn into my own father but then like 257 00:26:25,680 --> 00:26:31,520 somehow you just turn into your own dad it's like those progressive commercials that are actually pretty funny 258 00:26:31,520 --> 00:26:36,320 of like we can't you know we can't help you from turning into your parent those are like kind of 259 00:26:36,320 --> 00:26:41,760 give me a left so let's play actually speaking of dad isums and things let's do a quick game of 260 00:26:41,760 --> 00:26:49,680 dad lives you down for some dad lives I love it I love it I guess do this so give me let me get to adjectives 261 00:26:51,920 --> 00:26:57,200 oh my god I gotta I gotta reframe my state of mind for this I haven't heard you do this before what 262 00:26:57,200 --> 00:27:02,880 what are we looking for here are they very dad related adjectives or just be anything okay 263 00:27:02,880 --> 00:27:16,960 hilarious and smelly I mean if you if you play adlips with like my kids or any kid really I think 264 00:27:16,960 --> 00:27:24,000 that like all the answers are like fart but poop and stuff right and they do work and usually they do work 265 00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:30,400 you know but the makers of you know I'm a bad man to know that I keep that in mind give me a 266 00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:44,800 adverb um hastily all right let me get a number I gotta go three on this I gotta go number three 267 00:27:44,800 --> 00:27:52,480 let me get another adjective smart let me get an emotion 268 00:27:55,280 --> 00:28:10,960 devastated let me get a song lyric that's long lyric okay um haters gonna hate I'm going to see 269 00:28:10,960 --> 00:28:16,560 Taylor Swift with my daughter this summer and I'm so excited we're gonna we're gonna dress up 270 00:28:16,560 --> 00:28:23,760 from with our favorite Taylor Swift album like inspired by our favorite Taylor Swift album it's 271 00:28:23,760 --> 00:28:30,880 gonna be incredible she is she is Swifty oh yeah I mean me too well you said you gotta get to you said 272 00:28:30,880 --> 00:28:38,000 it get into what your kids are into so you are now rocking Taylor Swift I like it 100% you know I'm 273 00:28:38,000 --> 00:28:45,440 ever more I love ever more now she is a braid in the back of my flannel shirt and I told her I want 274 00:28:45,440 --> 00:28:51,040 to wear a braid to the concert like just like that she doesn't want she doesn't want me to do that 275 00:28:51,040 --> 00:29:00,400 so take care of you me a body part oh I gotta go but we're gone but I like it all right give me a period of time 276 00:29:00,400 --> 00:29:12,720 um we'll say the late 1900s I guess I guess not a time period I guess I length of time a length of time 277 00:29:14,320 --> 00:29:24,400 but that works Taylor um we'll say a century that what you mean century perfect perfect 278 00:29:24,400 --> 00:29:35,680 uh let's get me a uh favorite internet meme um I'll go with the uh this is fine dog 279 00:29:37,200 --> 00:29:49,040 you know I mean one in the fire yep and I get me one more uh and be off of the verb um well we 280 00:29:49,040 --> 00:29:55,920 here we'll go for it we'll do for it I'm gonna keep it soft and more it all right let's run this one back 281 00:29:55,920 --> 00:30:02,640 as a hilarious father of two smelly kids I can easily say that being a dad is the number three 282 00:30:02,640 --> 00:30:08,160 smartest thing I ever happened to me when we first found out we were gonna be parents my first reaction was 283 00:30:08,160 --> 00:30:13,760 pure devastation as I shouted haters gonna hate at the top of my butt as I knew my life would be 284 00:30:13,760 --> 00:30:20,080 changed for a century being a father's a lot like this is fine dog every day I just want to fart with joy 285 00:30:20,080 --> 00:30:27,760 wow that's it's her now better than I expected that was that was one of the best ones I think that 286 00:30:27,760 --> 00:30:35,040 really uh that hit it that hit nicely that was that was art that was art that you know that is how 287 00:30:35,040 --> 00:30:39,920 arts made why do artists spend all the time working out things when they could just do something as simple 288 00:30:39,920 --> 00:30:44,320 as that just add a little I think that's what they're doing I think Taylor Swift songs are just 289 00:30:44,320 --> 00:30:50,080 dad lives just a series of ad lives that was amazing thank you so let's yeah no that was great let's 290 00:30:50,080 --> 00:30:54,560 see a couple of rapid father questions all right so these are some would you rather which rather 291 00:30:54,560 --> 00:31:02,960 changed dirty diapers are a symbol kids toys oh man I don't mind either of those things just I guess a 292 00:31:02,960 --> 00:31:10,800 symbol kids toys yeah be in charge of the morning routine or the bedtime routine bedtime for sure 293 00:31:10,800 --> 00:31:15,840 not a morning person be in charge of cutting toenails or attending pediatrician appointments 294 00:31:18,720 --> 00:31:24,240 I don't mind you that this thing's the toenails good it's less time would you rather your kid wake up two 295 00:31:24,240 --> 00:31:32,000 hours earlier or stay up two hours past bedtime two hours past bedtime for sure yeah easy 296 00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:36,320 would you rather get a call to come to your kid school because they poop themselves or because they 297 00:31:36,320 --> 00:31:46,000 cursed out their teacher I got 11 and 13 year olds they poop themselves oh lord we've got a problem 298 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:52,320 I cursed out of the teacher and stuff like this point so I guess well this one's not real well I 299 00:31:52,320 --> 00:31:56,160 guess you kind of said it at the beginning but what's your what's your kid's favorite food to eat or take 300 00:31:56,160 --> 00:32:04,400 off their plate that yeah you wouldn't probably eat if you never kids how would you yeah little bites 301 00:32:04,400 --> 00:32:11,520 little bites are up there I would say my daughter loves mac and cheese though I probably wouldn't 302 00:32:11,520 --> 00:32:17,920 need as much mac and cheese if it weren't for that so we're mac and cheese yes what's your biggest 303 00:32:17,920 --> 00:32:23,440 dadism which that you would that you could proclaim from the dad law from the book what's your 304 00:32:23,440 --> 00:32:29,200 biggest dadism something you can't constantly give you crap for I'm certain that it is in 305 00:32:29,200 --> 00:32:34,880 year and it may and I think it's something that I came up with so it's not like a cliche thing but 306 00:32:34,880 --> 00:32:38,720 you know you correct me if I'm wrong but I say it is all the time there'll be like we're such 307 00:32:38,720 --> 00:32:44,640 and such in the houses of mass and I say the first step to finding something is to start cleaning up 308 00:32:44,640 --> 00:32:52,080 I say that all the time and now I just go first step to finding something and they know the rest 309 00:32:52,080 --> 00:32:59,600 I'm certain it's in there just because it's something I say all the time but I don't know that that's 310 00:32:59,600 --> 00:33:06,720 necessarily like a cliche what's your favorite dad joke you have just like a terrible dad joke 311 00:33:06,720 --> 00:33:11,280 that always makes you laugh and similar to that your kids would be like okay great you know another one of 312 00:33:11,280 --> 00:33:20,240 those dad jokes there's so many things about the dad that is a lie when it comes to me like I don't 313 00:33:20,240 --> 00:33:25,520 I don't tell anybody if this isn't being reported but I don't I don't like grilling 314 00:33:25,520 --> 00:33:33,520 I'd rather cook on a cast iron skillet and have all of my kitchen I see a lot of content from the 315 00:33:33,520 --> 00:33:38,880 dad about manning the grill and being on that barbecue don't tell anybody I don't I don't know 316 00:33:38,880 --> 00:33:52,720 cargo shorts I have the white new balance but only for video shoots and so I don't think that I 317 00:33:52,720 --> 00:33:58,800 tell too many dad jokes like the cheesy kind I don't think I do I started to like ironically 318 00:33:58,800 --> 00:34:05,680 and it kind of stuck a little bit I think that's how they get you which is another dadism but I do 319 00:34:05,680 --> 00:34:11,920 get asked this a lot so I do have one handy and ready to go let's count you're handy one give me 320 00:34:11,920 --> 00:34:19,680 your hand it's is more of a story really but last night I rearranged the labels on my wife's 321 00:34:19,680 --> 00:34:27,760 spices and the spice cabinet and she hasn't found out yet but the time is cumin 322 00:34:27,920 --> 00:34:39,360 I like it I like it I like it but I said that one on the radio and I just made it my daughter 323 00:34:39,360 --> 00:34:45,840 earring it and she rolls her eyes so her genomes falls asleep oh that's that but that's what dad 324 00:34:45,840 --> 00:34:49,760 jokes do what's nice like my kids are at an age now we're like dad jokes are great it's 325 00:34:49,760 --> 00:34:54,400 any jokes great I mean like my kids think I'm the funniest greatest thing in the world so I'm just 326 00:34:54,400 --> 00:34:59,200 gonna keep I'm gonna keep reaping the benefits of that until they get to the point where they're like go away dad 327 00:34:59,200 --> 00:35:03,760 only my wife and also rise right now that's I'm at the point where like my wife just rolls her eyes but the 328 00:35:03,760 --> 00:35:08,960 kids just love it and that's what I see it's the kids energy that's the audience I'm trying to please 329 00:35:08,960 --> 00:35:12,800 never my wife I don't please my wife never my wife that's right they're feeding them bear they're 330 00:35:12,800 --> 00:35:16,400 feeding them bear with the laughter and you're gonna keep that you're gonna keep ample fine 331 00:35:16,400 --> 00:35:20,960 that until it comes back to bite on when they uh when they don't they don't care for it anymore 332 00:35:21,680 --> 00:35:27,600 it will come so what's up and you learned from your first kid that helped you with your second 333 00:35:27,600 --> 00:35:37,280 kid something that you went to known had you not had a first child oh um I feel like it's a little 334 00:35:37,280 --> 00:35:44,960 more universal but like I feel like with your first one you're very concerned about everything maybe 335 00:35:44,960 --> 00:35:54,800 little overbearing in particular about things which is good it shows that you care um I think I think you 336 00:35:54,800 --> 00:35:59,520 can overdo it I think having a little bit of a they'll figure it out on their own kind of mentality is 337 00:35:59,520 --> 00:36:07,680 definitely helpful and I think that only comes with the second the second child what gives you the most 338 00:36:07,680 --> 00:36:15,360 pride as a father oh my gosh there's so many things if it's taken me a while to answer it's just because 339 00:36:15,360 --> 00:36:22,480 there's there's a lot my kids are are amazing they're the best just so so funny and intelligent I 340 00:36:22,480 --> 00:36:30,080 guess I would say this like I feel very proud when they can do things completely without me 341 00:36:31,120 --> 00:36:37,280 I guess they don't need my help and they can go off and do something maybe they have a problem and they 342 00:36:37,280 --> 00:36:42,640 just figure it out on their own and they have that confidence to be able to think like I can figure this 343 00:36:42,640 --> 00:36:49,200 out and then they do and then they they've accomplished it because that's what parenting is all about it's like 344 00:36:49,200 --> 00:36:56,800 raising your kids to get to the point where they don't need you at all just as terrible 345 00:36:56,800 --> 00:37:01,680 like just trying to face you try to face yourself out that's all you're trying to do is make yourself 346 00:37:01,680 --> 00:37:06,640 less needed yeah yeah I'm gonna be obsolete so when they when they do that I'm like yes I'm doing 347 00:37:06,640 --> 00:37:14,480 my job that's great and any advice for new dads or you know expecting dads of things that maybe you 348 00:37:14,480 --> 00:37:19,600 botched out the gate something that you maybe did that you're like well maybe back in time 349 00:37:19,600 --> 00:37:24,400 my maybe shouldn't have done that or just a learning experience that you could help one new dad 350 00:37:24,400 --> 00:37:30,480 maybe avoid I think the nature of that like what do you what do you regret question it can tend to 351 00:37:30,480 --> 00:37:35,120 instill some fear and new dads like there's going to be all these things that I need to be careful not to 352 00:37:35,120 --> 00:37:40,400 do or all regret it or whatever so I want to answer it that way I'll just say this just try your best 353 00:37:40,400 --> 00:37:45,440 like just show up do your thing don't worry about it you're gonna mess some stuff out probably 354 00:37:45,440 --> 00:37:52,560 definitely you will so instead my advice will be this take lots of pictures and videos 355 00:37:54,000 --> 00:38:01,600 social media gets a bad racket rightfully so for a lot of reasons sometimes I'm like why am I 356 00:38:01,600 --> 00:38:07,120 posting on social media all the time why am I doing this what's the point but then I get hit with like 357 00:38:07,120 --> 00:38:12,960 memories like 10 years ago you know such and such and I'm like I yes this is why 358 00:38:12,960 --> 00:38:18,560 so take take this photos and videos you will definitely regret that if you don't so then you have 359 00:38:18,560 --> 00:38:25,200 all that stuff look back on all right I love it and leave me off with your definition of a good father what's 360 00:38:25,200 --> 00:38:38,560 the definition in your mind of a good dad is a good dad is someone who tries is you know does 361 00:38:38,560 --> 00:38:45,680 their best that's it I mean being involved like a dad is involved good dad is involved in tries 362 00:38:45,680 --> 00:38:54,960 involved tries and eats tiny bites whenever whenever he has the chance the microscopic bites 363 00:38:54,960 --> 00:39:08,000 the very very teeny nipples I think they're teeny nipples I like it contact the nvesto marketing people 364 00:39:08,000 --> 00:39:13,120 I don't know thank you so much for hopping on yeah love it thanks for having me 365 00:39:13,120 --> 00:39:18,400 my thanks to Joel for taking the time to hop on the podcast was really good to connect with him he's 366 00:39:18,400 --> 00:39:24,480 obviously somebody who's been able to harness being a father into producing content more than most 367 00:39:24,480 --> 00:39:29,280 people I know so he's done a really great job at that and really great guy and yeah looking forward to 368 00:39:29,280 --> 00:39:34,800 checking out dad law if you want to follow him on social you could check him out at the Joel Willis that's 369 00:39:34,800 --> 00:39:42,400 the Joel J.L. Willis W. I. L. L. I. S. on Twitter Instagram and please subscribe to the podcast like 370 00:39:42,400 --> 00:39:46,400 review share with your friends always appreciate the support since we spoke so much about little bites 371 00:39:46,400 --> 00:39:51,600 I think I'm going to go have some chocolate chip little bites take a bag for my kids I'm Tyler Gillman 372 00:39:51,600 --> 00:39:53,360 this is father material 373 00:39:54,800 --> 00:40:05,680 father material that my daddy I work my daddy he and I can do it by you.