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How Do You Balance Being a Dad and a CEO?
Navigating the dual roles of fatherhood and corporate leadership is no small feat, so we've gathered wisdom from 18 CEOs and founders to share their stories. From reflecting on work-life balance to working with your spouse for accountability, these top executives reveal how they manage to be present and supportive at home and while meeting responsibilities in the workplace.
Reflect on Work-Life Balance
In short, I didn't, and now I do. When my kids were small, I worked over 100 hours a week. I was in my mid-thirties and thought I needed to. Looking back, if I had my time again, I am not sure I had the experience, knowledge, or understanding to do it any differently. My wife "made" me go to sports days, school plays, and similar events. I am very thankful to her today and every day that she did—I am now in my early fifties.
My balance is good now and has been for about 10 years. A little too late for my small kids, but I am better for them now, when they are in their early twenties. Better for me. Better for everyone. So, what changed?
Partly, it was me "growing up." Experience is a great teacher. You realize what's important, what isn't, what can wait, what can't, and that in the hours 90-100, did I really achieve anything? Possibly not. The challenge with having no boss is you have no boss, no one to help curb what you do, tell you you're doing great, or you're working too hard. As a CEO, you have to be your own boss too.
One of the best things I did was make a decision. A decision about what hours I would work. My first transition from over 100 hours per week was to 6 a.m.-6 p.m., 5 days a week, and I said to myself, if you cannot make this business work in 60 hours per week, then maybe it will never work. Then, some years later, I chose to reduce those hours to 8 a.m.-6 p.m. for 5 days a week. This is what I do now. Make a choice of what hours you will work and stick to it.
Darren Smith, CEO, MBM
Find Your Moral and Spiritual Center
The responsibilities and commitments that go with being a father and a company CEO are very similar. They both require your 24/7 presence.
And neither can ever be considered just a job. They require the presence of your mind, heart, and soul at all times. They need to be cared for, nurtured, and treated with a great deal of sensitivity. As your children or company grows, they both go through times of difficulty, confusion, and a bit of chaos. At those times, as a father and a leader, you must find your moral and spiritual center to deal with the situations at hand and navigate out of those turbulent waters to calmer seas.
Implement Lessons from Family to Business
Finding a sustainable approach is key, and that looks different for everyone. For me, it's been about being able to take lessons from both your family life and business life, and using those realizations to help support each world. For instance, carving out time to empower your kids so the time that you do spend with them is of great quality, and understanding that the patience you have with your kids is a skill you'll need in business, or vice versa. For perspective, you have to ask yourself what your dad did when you were a kid that you remember and what did your dad do that probably didn't feel the best. I remember my dad being an even-keeled guy who was present and taught me things. I learned so many lessons from my father, lessons that would help me become a better father and a better business leader. My dad taught me the ability to fix just about anything and rarely ever yelled at me or gave me a hard time. Being a dad is about understanding frustration, something that also greatly helps an entrepreneur!
Balance comes from being able to take the lessons from one aspect of your life and being able to implement them into another.
So, if you have become a CEO, you most likely got there because you were not only good at thinking ahead but you were also good with understanding people. Your kids are just learning the ropes, and you have the ability to teach them everything that they need to know... Go easy on these newcomers because they are basically still in training. Once they graduate from training, if you arm them with your skills, they will be amazing—I think the same goes for CEOs leading the team to success!
Chris Roepe, Entrepreneur, Founder, Figgy Play
Embrace Remote Work for Flexibility
Balancing being a dad and a CEO is certainly a challenging but rewarding task. One of the best strategies that has worked for me is running a fully remote business. This setup allows me to be more present for my family while effectively managing my professional responsibilities. By embracing remote work and flexible scheduling, I can spend quality time with my children without compromising on my work commitments. I make it a point to schedule dedicated family time just as I would important business meetings, ensuring that I am fully present with my kids without distractions. Task delegation is also very important. I empower my remote team to handle various aspects of the business, allowing me to focus on high-priority matters and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Ultimately, the flexibility of a remote business has been key to successfully balancing both roles.
Sharon Koifman, Founder and Remote President at DistantJob, DistantJob
Prioritize Time with Time-Blocking
Being a dad and a CEO are both full-time jobs that require significant time and resources. Anyone who tells you that there is an easy way to manage the work-life balance has never actually done both at once (at least well). While it isn't easy, time-blocking or scheduling dedicated time for each 'job' can certainly help you stay devoted to what is important during that scheduled time. If you can manage your schedule to prioritize your time during certain hours of the day or days, you can better concentrate on the job at hand and be in the moment. Finally, if you have a spouse or partner who helps out, be sure to let them know how much they are appreciated.
Dana Menard, Founder and Lead Financial Planner, Twin Cities Wealth Strategies, Inc.
Downsize for Quality of Life
I founded the company in 1991, out of which grew the College Recruiter job search site. My wife and I had our kids in 1994, 1996, and 1999, so I became a dad at the same time as I was working very hard and very long hours to build the very small company into something that could do some good in the world while also providing a good living for our family.
One of the hardest, yet best, decisions that my wife and I made together was shortly after our second child was born. We decided to downsize our business, move it into our home, and for her to quit her well-paying job so that she could be a stay-at-home mother. That decision was scary in some ways, as it meant that all of the responsibility for earning money fell onto me and the still pretty young business that I had founded and led. Yet, it also relieved a lot of stress, as I no longer had to worry about making payroll every two weeks, and it made our personal lives much easier. If my wife wanted to run to the grocery store while our kids were napping, she could, as I was at home and was available should they wake up before she returned.
At the end of the day, we worked hard and made a lot of sacrifices to allow me to balance being a father and a business owner. Too many think of "balance" in the sense of being highly successful at both. Fortunately, we understood that we could achieve balance and a much higher quality of life the opposite way: by being okay with not being highly successful at either. I gave up successes at work, and I was never the primary caregiver for our kids, other than when my wife was under the weather, traveling, etc.
Steven Rothberg, Founder and Chief Visionary Officer, College Recruiter
Fatherhood Over Entrepreneurship
My son was born on the day we were supposed to take our client's corporate jet to a meeting in Hartford, CT. Despite our largest client calling twice to confirm, I couldn't make the meeting, and we'd have to reschedule and fly commercial. I was at the birth of my son.
There is no balance. Giving up being a father to two amazing children for entrepreneurship wasn't an option.
Fatherhood is a once-in-a-lifetime event; entrepreneurship can happen many times with varied success—failure is optional. Failure in fatherhood is not optional.
Aaron Keller, CEO and Founder, Capsule
Set Firm Boundaries for Family
Balancing dad life and CEO duties? It's all about setting boundaries! I reserve evenings and weekends for family time—no work allowed unless it's an emergency. At work, I hustle to leave on time. It's like juggling, but with less clown makeup and more coffee!
Phil Laboon, CEO, Leadstacker
Be Intentional with Family Priorities
Being the CEO of a fully work-from-home company helps tremendously. My daughter is 16 now. When she was in elementary school, I would walk her to school and walk her home most days. I drive her to high school every morning now. I connect with her about her day when she gets home. I seldom work nights and weekends. I go to her soccer games, go for family walks with our dog, or bike rides with her. I coached her soccer and basketball teams when she was younger. In short, I think it's just about being intentional about your priorities.
Mark Emond, CEO, Demand Spring
Leave Devices Behind to Focus on Family
With all the ways we stay connected with work, it's easy to be pulled away from family, even while at home. When I get home from work, I try to be as present as possible for my family by leaving all of my devices in my truck. That way, in the short window between getting home and bedtime, I can focus on them. Work will still be there after they are asleep.
Matt Alvarez, Founder - CEO, GigWorx
Fully Immerse in Family Vacations
I have three children: a twin son and daughter, who are nine years old, and a ten-month-old daughter. Balancing the roles of dad and CEO is difficult, but it is possible with a supportive wife. Statistics show that many successful CEOs are family men, and I am no exception. Despite the difficulties in maintaining this balance, I am constantly trying to improve it. Right now, the kids often lack my time. However, my strategy is to fully immerse myself in time with the kids during active vacations.
Our time is vacation time. We do sports together and are fond of kitesurfing and hiking, and we like to go camping together. Before the war (we are from Ukraine), we also had a hobby - music. It brings the kids and me very close and is fulfilling. While on vacation, I try not to check my work email box to be fully present with my family. To be honest, it is hard to do when you have over 300 people on your payroll. It helps greatly to go where the internet connection is poor and keep your hands busy with a camera.
Sharing household duties with my wife also helps me spend more time with my family. I'm responsible for the infrastructure of the house: nailing something down, fixing a faucet, setting up the computer. Delegating some strategic issues at work also gives me more time to be a father.
The war in Ukraine separated me and my children for almost a year. When I joined them, we had a touching moment of our reunion captured. My wife and I kept it a secret that I would come from Ukraine to Scotland, where they had taken refuge at the time, fleeing the war. When my daughter came out of school, she could not believe her eyes, and my son asked me several times if we'd have to separate again. It was an unforgettable, touching moment that I return to whenever my hand reaches for a work email on vacation or a day off.
Maxim Ivanov, Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder, Aimprosoft
Incorporate Family in Work Travel
Being a CEO and a dad can be a balancing act, but it can also provide great opportunities. As CEO, I was able to take my daughter to visit some of our overseas offices and to see our work with coffee farmers firsthand. This helped expand her horizons, and she was thrilled when she got to meet a star of screen and stage who had been helping fund our work. At the same time, being a father helped me connect with staff all over the world, as there is so much that is universal about being a parent. I've always taken my work seriously, and I'm proud to see my daughter now doing the same thing in her first job out of college.
William Warshauer, President & CEO, TechnoServe
Plan and Communicate for Balance
Balancing the roles of a father of two and a co-founder/CMO is definitely challenging but also rewarding. The key aspects are scheduling and planning. In a fast-paced environment like my company, I am involved in various meetings, reporting, and execution tasks. Planning ahead and developing routines, along with having a reliable team that supports me, is crucial for managing day-to-day work.
As a father of a 2-year-old and a 4-year-old, I strive to keep them involved in my work life. Not only do I get to teach them about what I do, but I also create great memories with them. They love our products and enjoy interacting with my team and even our clients. I feel this involvement is beneficial as it teaches them about responsibilities, how adults live, and gives them an understanding of what I do when I'm not with them.
However, the most important aspect of balancing life and work is communication. Sharing challenges, concerns, and feelings is vital for me. There isn't a single perfect guide on maintaining a healthy lifestyle in a fast-paced environment, so I rely on myself and the people around me to make it work.
Gabriel Llaurado, Co-founder, CMO, Meat N' Bone
Set Boundaries and Delegate Tasks
I have two kids, and they are older now, but balancing family life with business leadership over the years wasn't easy at all.
The thing most people misunderstand is that achieving harmony between home and business doesn't just happen. It's a conscious decision that you have to make daily and requires setting boundaries. When I'm with my family, I make an effort to be fully present. You have to put away the phone and focus on the here and now.
Delegating tasks to middle management and employees is important too. As a CEO, I have to trust my team to handle things when I'm not available. That's why, at Brosix, we've built a team that operates on personal accountability. We've created a workplace environment where people feel empowered to make decisions and take ownership of their work. It's all built on a foundation of trust, so I can calmly step back and focus on my family when needed.
Running a business and being a parent can be exhausting, so I make time for shared hobbies and activities. When I'm feeling mentally and physically healthy, I'm better able to show up for both my family and my team.
Stefan Chekanov, CEO, Brosix
Prioritize with Forced Constraints
Being a dad of three kids under 3.5 and a CEO of a growth-stage startup can seem like a hard task, but having kids has actually made me work much smarter. Before kids, I would take every meeting and work 60-80 hours a day. Now, I have to stay below 60 hours a week, and ideally below 50 hours a week, which has forced me to prioritize things more. All the important work still gets done, but a lot of the extra 'busy' work goes away, and I feel more refreshed at work. So, forced constraints and 80/20-level thinking can increase overall productivity, but it requires saying 'no' to many things.
Tero Isokauppila, Founder and CEO, Four Sigmatic
Create Quality Moments with Family
Balancing the roles of being a dad and a CEO is undoubtedly one of the most challenging yet rewarding aspects of my life. As a father of two beautiful daughters, aged five and two, I've learned that the key to achieving this balance lies in being fully present in both roles, albeit in different ways.
One strategy that has been particularly effective for me is setting clear boundaries and dedicated time for family. I make it a point to have undisturbed family time in the mornings and evenings. This means no phone calls, no emails, just pure, uninterrupted moments with my daughters. These times are sacred, filled with laughter, bedtime stories, and even the simplest of activities like drawing or playing in the garden. These moments remind me why I work so hard and keep me grounded.
On the flip side, during work hours, I am fully committed to my responsibilities as a CEO. I delegate effectively and trust my team, which allows me to focus on strategic decisions without being overwhelmed by every detail. This trust in my team is crucial, as it not only empowers them but also ensures that I can step away without the business falling apart.
Ultimately, the blend of structured work time and cherished family moments creates a harmony that fuels my passion both as a father and a leader. It's about quality over quantity, making sure that when I am with my daughters, they have my undivided attention, and when I am at work, I am fully engaged in driving the company forward. This balance, while delicate, is the cornerstone of my approach to life, providing me with purpose and joy in both realms.
Shehar Yar, CEO, Software House
Join Peer Groups for Mental Clarity
After years of wearing both a Dad and a CEO hat, I've learned that the art of balancing the two is one of the hardest challenges of my life. I have an issue at work that, if not addressed, is going to cause financial pain, and when I'm with my family, it's all I can think about. I was not really present every time these fires would come up, but when things are peachy, I'm back to being a great husband and father. What helped me the most was joining a peer group of entrepreneurs, which I meet with a few times a month to share and discuss my biggest challenges. Somehow, by discussing these problems out loud instead of in my head, I was able to regain the mental clarity I needed to spend meaningful time with my family.
Robert De Los Santos, CEO, Sky High Party Rentals
Work with Spouse for Accountability
Work with your spouse to be a better dad. My wife has helped me to have accountability for the time I can be back each day. Get up as early as you need, but come home at 4 or 5. Have dinner with your family. Your business will never be more important than your family (even if your passion for your business comes from wanting the best for your family).
It's a false choice to say you have to make a choice between focusing on your business and family, but you will have to cut out other stuff. Workouts, guys' nights, hobbies—none of those will come above serving my faith, family, and team, and customers.