Fathering Excellence

Our guest for this episode Larry Meyers, father of Josh & Seth Meyers. Josh Meyers is an actor, writer, and comedian whose many credits include: That 70s Show, Red Oaks, The Awesomes, and MADtv. While on MADtv, Josh co-wrote and co-starred in one of the biggest viral hits of the entire series – a sketch called “A Football Thing.” Josh is also well known for his impressions, including Owen Wilson, Matthew McConaughey, & California Governor Gavin Newsom. Seth Meyers is an actor, writer, comedian, and talk show host. One of Seth’s first big breaks was Saturday Night Live, where he eventually became co-head writer and anchor on Weekend Update. His tenure on SNL was one of the longest in the history of the show. Subsequently, Seth became the host of Late Night with Seth Meyers where his A Closer Look segments have become viral sensations. In addition, Seth has won an Emmy Award for his writing, hosted various award shows (Emmy’s Golden Globes, ESPYs), and has his own Netflix stand-up comedy special: Lobby Baby (absolutely hysterical). Josh & Seth are fortunate to have Larry Meyers as their father. In this episode, Larry and I talk about the method Larry employed to get Seth to wear his orthodontic headgear, why Larry put two beds in each of his sons’ rooms, and a story about a rabbit named Petey. Enjoy the episode! Please consider taking a moment to provide a rating and review on Apple Podcasts - it truly helps the podcast. Here’s a brief YouTube tutorial: https://youtu.be/RWtAQ025zl4 Josh on the Web & Social Seth on the Web & Social Fathering Excellence

Our guests for this episode are Bill Cox and his daughter Jessica Cox. Jessica is a motivational speaker and life coach and is most well-known for being the first armless pilot in aviation history. That’s correct – despite being born with no arms, Jessica overcame a multitude of obstacles to become the first person with no arms to get her private pilot license. The power of Possible Thinking (check out her website: JessicaCox.com) We’re thankful to have both Bill and Jessica joining us on this episode, starting out with Jessica and then transitioning to Bill roughly halfway through. Included among the many topics we discuss are: Enjoy the episode! Please consider taking a moment to provide a rating and review on Apple Podcasts - it truly helps the podcast. Here’s a brief YouTube tutorial: https://youtu.be/RWtAQ025zl4 Jessica on the Web & Social Web: https://www.jessicacox.com/ Twitter: @jess_feet Facebook: @JCMSofficial Fathering Excellence Instagram: @FatheringExcellence Website: FatheringExcellence.com Email: Info@FatheringExcellence.com

Our guest for this episode is Stephan Hecox, father of YouTuber and actor, Ian Hecox. Ian, along with his friend Anthony, was the co-founder of the sketch comedy YouTube channel Smosh. Smosh is among the most successful channels in the history of YouTube. It launched less than a year after the debut of YouTube itself, it grew into a brand with associated channels, including: Smosh Pit, Smosh Games, and SmoshCast. Collectively, the Smosh brand has accumulated over 24 million subscribers and over 8 billion views. In addition to his massive success with Smosh, Ian also has many acting, writing, and producing credits to his name, including: Smosh the Movie, Ghost Mates, and the blockbuster Angry Birds movie where he was the voice for Bubbles. Ian’s father, Stephan, is a terrific guy. In this episode, Stephan and I cover a lot of ground, including: the value of reading to your kids, instilling a value of integrity, and how Stephan guided Ian during his first negotiation for a corporate sponsorship opportunity. Enjoy the episode! Please consider taking a moment to provide a rating and review on Apple Podcasts - it truly helps the podcast. Here’s a brief YouTube tutorial: https://youtu.be/RWtAQ025zl4 Ian on Social Media Smosh Website & Select YouTube Channels Fathering Excellence

Our guests for this episode are Boyd Gittins and his daughter Renee Gittins – the Executive Director of the International Game Developers Association (IGDA), an organization that supports and empower game developers around the world in achieving fulfilling and sustainable careers. In addition to leading the IGDA, Renee is also the CEO and Creative Director of her own indie game studio “Stumbling Cat” where she is leading her team in the creation of a new video game “Potions: A Curious Tale.” Renee is also a Forbes 30 under 30 honoree. We’re excited to be experimenting with a slightly different format in this episode by hosting both the father and his daughter. The episode starts with the conversation with Renee and then transitions to a conversation with her father, Boyd. Topics we discuss include: Enjoy the episode! Please consider taking a moment to provide a rating and review on Apple Podcasts - it truly helps the podcast. Here’s a brief YouTube tutorial: https://youtu.be/RWtAQ025zl4 Renee on Social Links to the IGDA Fathering Excellence

Our guest for this episode is Duane Bennet, father of the bestselling author Brit Bennett. Brit’s latest bestseller is a book called The Vanishing Half – a #1 New York Times Best Seller. In addition to being one of my favorite books, The Vanishing Half has also been named as a Best Book of 2020 by Time Magazine, NPR, Vanity Fair, and many others. After a bidding war that involved 17 media companies, HBO has optioned The Vanishing Half and plans to develop it a limited series (Brit will be Executive Producer!). Brit Bennett’s first book, The Mothers, was also a thought-provoking page-turner. In addition to being a bestseller, The Mothers has by optioned by Warner Brothers & Kerry Washington with the intent to produce a feature film. Brit and her sisters, Jynna & Brianna, are fortunate to have Duane as their father. Duane and his wife were always extraordinarily supportive of their girls and created an environment that helped all of them to realize their potential. In this episode, Duane and I talk about a variety of topics, including: how to foster closeness between siblings, instilling a love of learning, the role of a father (what it is & what it isn’t), and why being right is overrated. Enjoy the episode! Please consider taking a moment to provide a rating and review on Apple Podcasts - it truly helps the podcast. Here’s a brief YouTube tutorial: https://youtu.be/RWtAQ025zl4 Brit Bennett on the Web & Social Media Web: https://britbennett.com/ Instagram: @britrbennett Twitter: @britrbennett Facebook: @britbennettwrites Brit’s Books The Vanishing Half: www.amzn.com/0525536299 The Mothers: www.amzn.com/B01BD1SSO4 Fathering Excellence Instagram: @FatheringExcellence Website: FatheringExcellence.com Email: Info@FatheringExcellence.com

Our guest for this episode is Dennis Erokan, father of actress D’Arcy Carden, best known for her Emmy nominated role as Janet on the smash-hit television series, The Good Place – one of my favorite sitcoms. In addition to The Good Place, D’Arcy has appeared in many other TV shows and movies, including: Broad City, Bonding, Other People, and the HBO series Barry. She will also be co-starring in the upcoming comedy series “A League of Their Own” which is based on the 1992 classic film of the same name and will be available on Amazon. D’Arcy and her three siblings – Miranda, Laney, and Will – are fortunate to have Dennis as their father. Dennis is an incredible guy. He was the founder of several magazines, including the Bay Area Music magazine (aka BAM), and he is a dedicated family man and father. In this episode, Dennis and I cover a lot of ground, including: how to instill confidence in your children, how to talk to them when they fall short of reaching their goals, considerations for raising children who are interested in acting, and the importance of stretching the spaghetti. If you like the episode, please take a moment to provide a rating and a review. It truly helps the podcast. Here's how to rate & review a podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://youtu.be/RWtAQ025zl4 Enjoy! D’Arcy on Social Instagram: @darcycarden Twitter: @DarcyCarden Facebook: @DArcyCarden Fathering Excellence Instagram: @FatheringExcellence Website: FatheringExcellence.com Email: Info@FatheringExcellence.com Enjoy the episode!

Our guest for this episode is Mark Hevesh, father of Lily Hevesh, the #1 Domino Artist in the world. She’s done projects for TV, film, the music industry, brand partners, and corporate partners – including Jimmy Fallon, James Corden, Katy Perry, The Today Show, Disney-Pixar, several Fortunate 100 brands, and the 2016 hit movie Collateral Beauty. Lily holds the Guinness Book of World Record for most dominoes in a circle field and was a major contributor to the American Domino Record which included 250,000 dominoes. Her work has been viewed on social media over one billion times and she has over three million followers. If you haven’t seen Lily’s YouTube videos, you’re really missing something special – there is no equal to the domino creations that Lily makes. And, if you’re inspired to purchase a kit of high-quality toppling dominos you can buy a set that Lily just launched called “H5 Domino Creations.” Just visit her website at: www.Hevesh5.com/buydominoes. Lily and her siblings, Matthew & Elissa, are fortunate to have Mark Hevesh as their father. Mark is a wonderful guy and has been an important contributor to the success that Lily’s had with making a business out of her domino art. In this episode, Mark and I cover a variety of topics, including some of the background on how Lily’s Hevesh5 grew from a small YouTube channel into the well managed and growing business that it is today, why she maintained her anonymity, and the importance of learning from your kids. Enjoy the episode! How to rate & review a podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://youtu.be/RWtAQ025zl4 Lilly on the web YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/Hevesh5 Instagram: @Hevesh5 Website: www.hevesh5.com Link to buy a set of H5 Domino Creations: www.hevesh5.com/buydominoes Fathering Excellence Instagram: @FatheringExcellence Website: FatheringExcellence.com Email: Info@FatheringExcellence.com

Our guest, David Fineman, is the father of three accomplished daughters: Leka, Chloe, & Emma Fineman. Leka Fineman is a CrossFit Champion and Fitness, Nutrition, and Lifestyle Coach. Her CrossFit accomplishments include, in her age group: Incredible, especially considering that Leka couldn’t do a single pull-up ~12 years ago Chloe is a comedian, actor, and impressionist most well-known for her role as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, where she is starting her second season on the show. Her impressions include Drew Barrymore, Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep, Timothée Chalamet, Britney Spears and many others. You can find many of her impersonations, clips from SNL performances, and other great content on her Instagram feed, @ChloeIsCrazy. Emma is an artist who does much of her painting is oil on canvas, but also works with other mediums such as charcoal and gold leaf. And, she’s done some photography and sculpting as well, including at the revered Porthmeor Studios in St. Ives. Her many exhibitions include Bloomberg New Contemporaries, the Federation of British Artists Futures show and two recent solo shows in London. Leka, Chloe, & Emma are fortunate to have David Fineman as their father. David and I had a wide-ranging and interesting conversation. In this episode, he shares some terrific stories, parenting advice, and philosophies on a variety of topics, including some acting advice that Steve Martin gave to Chloe when she was a teenager, the importance of being a person of your own self-invention, and the Japanese concept of Ikigai. Leka can be found at: lekafineman.com Chloe can be found at: nbc.com/saturday-night-live/credits/featured-player/chloe-fineman Emma can be found at: emmafineman.com

Our guest for this episode is Mr. Christopher Rogers, father of his namesake son: Christopher John Rogers, the accomplished Fashion Designer. Christopher John Roger’s designs have been worn by Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Lizzo, Cardi B., Zendaya, Tracee Ellis Ross, & Michelle Obama – to name just a few. He also recently won the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), American Emerging Designer of the Year Award. For those of you less familiar with the fashion scene, the CFDA Award is an enormous honor – it’s like winning an Oscar or a Grammy. Christopher John Rogers, and his sister Sariah, are fortunate to have Christopher as their father. In this episode, we talk about the importance of listening to your children, supporting them in the endeavors that they are passionate about, and encouraging them to finish what they start. Enjoy the episode! Instagram: christopherjohnrogers Store: https://www.net-a-porter.com/en-us/shop/designer/christopher-john-rogers Website: https://christopherjohnrogers.com/

Our guest for this episode is Pete Wentz, father of his namesake son: Pete Wentz, bassist & lyricist for the Grammy-nominated multiplatinum rock band Fall Out Boy. Their long list of hit songs include: Sugar, We're Goin Down, Dance, Dance, Thnks Fr Th Mmrs, Centuries, Uma Thurman, and a song that has a fatherhood theme to it, called She’s my Winona. They’ve won a list of awards too long to name, but among them are: Pete, and his siblings Hilary & Andrew, are fortunate to have Mr. Pete Wentz as their Father. Pete, the father, is a terrific guy. He’s a family man and a working man. Currently, he works at APCO Worldwide, a leading independent public relations firm that has a focus on public affairs and crisis communications. In this episode, we talk about a variety of topics, including managing tv screen time, providing kids with the latitude to be individuals & express their personalities, and we talked a bit about some of the distinguished friends and relatives of the Wentz family. Enjoy the episode! And, if you like it, please consider helping the podcast by leaving a rating and review! Pete & Fall Out Boy Instagram: @petewentz Twitter: @petewentz Fall Out Boy Website: https://falloutboy.com/ Fathering Excellence Instagram: @FatheringExcellence Twitter: @FatheringE Website: FatheringExcellence.com

Our guest, E.J. Glaser, is the father of Nikki and Lauren Glaser. Nikki is a highly accomplished comedian, whose stand-up career as led to appearances on all the major late-night shows including Fallon, Kimmel, Conan, Seth Myers. Nikki has been on two seasons of Last Comic Standing, Dancing with the Stars, hosted her own TV shows on MTV, and is currently the host of Blind Date on Bravo TV. She has appeared in several Netflix specials and has participated in the roasts of some of the biggest names in entertainment, including: Alec Baldwin, Rob Lowe, & Bruce Willis. In addition to all of that, Nikki also hosts her own highly rated hit podcast, called “You Up, with Nikki Glaser”. Nikki and her sister Lauren are both fortunate to have EJ Glaser as their father. In this episode, EJ and I discuss a wide variety of topics, including: work-life balance, “Action Saturdays”, and what not to say to your adolescent daughter. We also touch on the topic of eating disorders in the episode. If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, a great place to learn more and get help is the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA). www.nationaleatingdisorders.org Book referenced by E.J.: On Becoming a Person, by Carl R. Rogers You can find Nikki on: Her website: https://nikkiglaser.com/ Instagram & Twitter: @NikkiGlaser You can find Fathering Excellence on: The website: www.FatheringExcellence.com Instagram: @FatheringExcellence Twitter: @FatheringE

Our guest, Bob Schubert, is the father of accomplished sculptor, Spencer Schubert. Spencer has dedicated his life to perfecting the art of capturing the likeness of people in his sculptures. At the start of each project, Spencer researches the subject’s story and their personality, and then impresses that into the clay which ultimately serves as the basis for the bronze mold. The list of Spencer’s works is long, but to name just a few, they include: The William Webb sculpture is prominently displayed at the Webb Institute College of Engineering in Glenn Cove, New York. You can find photos of some of Spencer's sculptures and busts on the episode page at FatheringExcellence.com, which also includes a full transcript of the episode. Spencer and his siblings Kim, Bethany, & Fletch are fortunate to have Bob as their father. He’s a terrific guy and he shares some great stories and parenting insights in this episode of Fathering Excellence. Spencer’s Studio Website: https://www.esschubert.com/ Video about Spencer and his studio (includes footage of the William Webb sculpture installation): https://youtu.be/0tqkSmyPGh8

Our guest, Ron Reynolds, is the father of nine children – including Dan Reynolds, Imagine Dragons frontman and co-founder. The many hit songs from Imagine Dragons include Believer, Thunder, Whatever it Takes, RadioActive, Demons, It’s Time, On Top of the World, & Natural. Their many awards and honors include a Grammy win, several Grammy nominations, three American Music Awards, and ten Billboard Music Awards. Ron’s other children, seven other boys and a girl, are all impressively accomplished individuals in their own right – including another Grammy winner. It was truly was a pleasure talking with Ron. In this episode Ron talks about his principles, his approach to parenting a large family, the importance of service, and how he’s supported his children’s choices – even where there’s been an element of risk involved. His children are fortunate to have Ron as their father, and Ron is fortunate to have married a brilliant woman who was an incredible mother for their nine kids. Imagine Dragons website: https://www.imaginedragonsmusic.com/ LoveLoud website: https://loveloudfest.com/

Our guest, Tom Condie, is the father of USA Olympic Team climber, Kyra Condie. Kyra has an aggressive and quick climbing style that has contributed to her success. She’s won 1st place and placed in the top 10 at many rock climbing competitions – too many to list here, but they include: However, Kyra had to overcome a major obstacle to achieve her climbing goals. At the age of 13, she was diagnosed with idiopathic scoliosis – a severe spinal curvature that required major surgery, involving the fusion of about 10 vertebrae. Kyra dedicated herself to her recovery with the same intensity that she climbs with and, just two years later in 2012, she won the Youth Bouldering Nationals in Colorado Springs. Kyra's older brother, Xander, is a teacher. He is working tirelessly to serve his students during these unprecedented times of remote and hybrid learning. Tom Condie is a dedicated father. Viewing fatherhood as his most important responsibility, he made the choice to work part-time so that he could invest more time in raising his family. In this episode, Tom discusses that decision, shares some terrific parenting advice & stories, and talks about how he applied some wisdom from Harry Truman in raising his two amazing children. Kyra Website, Social Media, & Videos Website: kyracondie.com Social Videos https://youtu.be/ufc-AYArSOkhttps://vimeo.com/287545002https://youtu.be/I3e50R_GpIY Fathering Excellence on the web & social

Our guest, Wayne Maines, is the father of Nicole Maines - actress on The CW Network series, Supergirl, where she portrays the superhero Dreamer (Nia Nal). Nicole has also appeared in Royal Pains, D.C.’s Legends of Tomorrow, and starred in the comedy horror film, Bit. Wayne is also the father of Jonas Maines, who has some acting skills of his own, including several stage credits. Wayne is a terrific guy and he has lots of terrific parenting advice to share in this episode. In addition, Wayne talks about the unique situation that led him and his family to the Maine State Supreme Court, and how – through this journey – he grew as a person and a father. To view some family photos, visit the episode page on FatheringExcellence.com Nicole on Instagram: instagram.com/nicoleamaines/ Nicole on Twitter: twitter.com/NicoleAMaines Nicole on Cameo: cameo.com/nicoleamaines Jonas on Twitter: twitter.com/truejonasmaines Fathering Excellence on Instagram: @FatheringExcellence Fathering Excellence on Facebook: Facebook.com/FatheringExcellence Fathering Excellence on Twitter: @FatheringE

Our guest, Bert Carson, is the father of Alyssa Carson who plans to be one of the first people to travel to Mars. NASA intends to go there in the 2030's and, when they do, Alyssa plans to be on-board. Going to Mars became Alyssa’s dream before the age of 3 (before most kids know that Mars is a planet). She’s now 19 years old and has accomplished more toward achieving her goal than many people accomplish in a lifetime. Find below an abridged list. Bert talks about the value of talking about your goals with other people (which led to several mentor connections), the importance of follow-through in parenting, and the joys & challenges of having a daughter who plans to, someday, live millions of miles away. A few of Alyssa's accomplishments include... Alyssa Carson Related Links Fathering Excellence on the web & social:

Our guest, Darrell Mattison, is the father of running back Alexander Mattison, who plays football for the Minnesota Vikings. In addition to a strong start in his first season with the Vikings – averaging over 4.6 yards per carry and scoring his first NFL touchdown – Alexander is also known for having been a student athlete. In high school, he excelled in both the classroom and on the field – graduating with a 4.7 GPA and running 2,000 yards in both his Junior and Senior years. At Boise State, he received the Mountain West Scholar-Athlete Award and had >2,800 rushing yards in his junior year. Alexander’s father, Darrell, is a great man. He’s a veteran, a cancer survivor, and an AMAZING father to his three sons. Darrell talks about why he made academic excellence the top priority and how he led by example when it came to the classroom. He also talks about how he supported his son’s passion to play football, the support provided by family & friends, and race relations. Alexander Mattison 2019 Season Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwToGpJUbwc Alexander Mattison Vikings Profile: https://www.vikings.com/team/players-roster/alexander-mattison/

Our guest, William Rinaudo Phillips (Bill), is the Father of entrepreneur Keller Rinaudo who is the CEO & Co-Founder of an innovative company called Zipline. Zipline uses autonomous drones to deliver medical products to some of the most difficult places to reach on the planet. They’ve made >40,000 deliveries, many of which were in life-saving situations. Zipline began operations in Rwanda and has since expanded to other countries (including, as of this year, the USA). Bill is an encouraging father. He encouraged his two kids to try new things, to think independently, and to take smart risks. Bill delves into these topics and several others on this episode of Fathering Excellence. Zipline video (scroll down): https://flyzipline.com/how-it-works/ Keller Rinaudo Zipline TED Talk: https://youtu.be/73rUjrow5pI

Fathers of accomplished people provide insights on how to raise kids in a manner that equips and empowers them to achieve their goals in life. These are the fathers of people who have gone on to accomplish great things across a variety of pursuits, including athletics, business, acting, science, technology, music & much more. The fathers of these amazing people share stories and practical advice and on occasion (with the benefit of hindsight) thoughts about what they would have done differently. Subscribe now so you won’t miss an episode. The podcast starts on July 30th with new episodes out every other Tuesday.