Gap to Gig – Working Dads' Guide to Fatherhood, Meaningful Work, & Finding Balance in Life

Working dads spend a lot of time planning for later. We work toward the next milestone, try to create more stability, and assume there will eventually be more room for the people and experiences that matter most. Allan Glanfield reached a point where he started questioning that assumption and asking what he might miss by waiting.Allan is an entrepreneur and father of two who decided to make a major change while his kids were still young. He and his family rented out their home, began traveling full-time, and built a version of daily life that gave them more time together while he continued growing Chuck, his family-friendly beef stick brand.Allan shares how to:Stop postponing the life you want to liveRecognize when ambition starts competing with the season you are inBuild work around family priorities instead of always doing the reverseProtect presence at home while still pursuing meaningful workAccept slower growth when the tradeoff gives you more time with your kidsInvolve your children in your work and expose them to new possibilitiesTake calculated risks instead of waiting for the perfect momentAllan offers a practical perspective on fatherhood, work life balance, parenting and ambition, meaningful work, and the choices working dads make about how they spend their limited time. His story is a reminder that someday can become an easy place to hide, and that some seasons are worth choosing while they are still here.Dig Deeper3PLPower RangersCanadian TireDon’t Stop Believin’Follow AllanOn his websiteOn InstagramFollow Gap to GigOn InstagramOn TikTokOn XOn YouTubeOn your podcast player of choiceSign up for the Gap to Gig newsletterFollow MichaelOn LinkedIn

For working dads, being present doesn't always require finding more time. Some of the best opportunities to create the kind of childhood your kids will look back on with gratitude are already built into the routines you share every day.Craig Parks is the founder of Parenting Harmony, a father of two, musician, educator, and longtime camp director who has spent more than 30 years working with children and families. His own experience as a dad, including raising a son on the autism spectrum, helped shape his approach to creating stronger relationships through intention, creativity, play, and presence.Craig shares how to:Turn ordinary routines into moments your kids are more likely to rememberDecide intentionally what kind of dad you want to beCreate rituals that build connection without adding more to your scheduleBecome more present during the everyday moments of parentingHelp your kids feel heard without having to agree with everything they sayRepair the relationship when you make mistakes as a parentBuild the trust that helps kids keep coming back to you as they growCraig offers a practical perspective on fatherhood, parenting, presence at home, work life balance, and the small choices that shape our relationships with our kids over time. The goal isn't perfect parenting. It's building enough connection, trust, and meaningful memories that your kids can look back on their childhood with gratitude, and you can look back knowing you were there for it.Dig DeeperWonder PetsStairway to HeavenCapoFollow CraigOn his websiteOn InstagramOn TikTokOn YouTubeGet the Parenting A to E From Stress to Smiles, Turning the Mundane into the Memorable courseFollow Gap to GigOn InstagramOn TikTokOn XOn YouTubeOn your podcast player of choiceSign up for the Gap to Gig newsletterFollow MichaelOn LinkedIn

For many working dads, becoming a father changes what matters long before their career catches up. Work that once felt meaningful or ambitious can start competing with the kind of parent, partner, and person they want to become.Dave Albrechta spent nearly a decade as a litigator, building the law practice he and his wife had envisioned after law school. The constant pressure of litigation, interrupted vacations, and the inability to fully leave work behind became harder to ignore after becoming a dad. Eventually, he realized his career was no longer aligned with the life or values he wanted to model for his kids.Dave shares how to:Recognize when your career no longer fits the life you want to buildNavigate a career transition without abandoning the skills and experience you already haveIdentify which parts of your work still feel meaningful and which need to changeCreate space to understand what you actually want before making a major moveAlign the values you model through parenting with the way you spend your working lifeMake career and family decisions alongside your partnerShow your kids that changing direction can be a sign of intention rather than failureDave offers a personal perspective on career transitions for fathers, meaningful work, work life balance, dad identity, and the challenge of creating greater alignment between what you value and how you actually spend your days.His story also makes an important distinction for many dads: changing your career doesn't necessarily mean starting over. Dave ultimately reshaped his legal career around mediation and healing rather than throwing away everything he had spent years learning.Dig DeeperLawyers as PeacemakersInspector GadgetFree Fallin’Follow DaveOn his websiteOn LInkedInCheck out his podcast, Lawyers as HealersFollow Gap to GigOn InstagramOn TikTokOn XOn YouTubeOn your podcast player of choiceSign up for the Gap to Gig newsletterFollow MichaelOn LinkedIn

For many busy working dads, life doesn't feel overwhelming because of one big problem. It feels overwhelming because of dozens of small frustrations that quietly pile up every day.Jacqui Myslinski has spent her career helping businesses create better systems, but the same principles she uses to simplify operations at work have transformed the way she and her family approach life at home. From reducing daily stress to setting clearer expectations with kids, Jacqui believes the right systems create more freedom.Jacqui shares how to:Identify the recurring frustrations that create unnecessary stressBuild simple systems that reduce mental load at home and make busy weeks feel more manageableSet clear expectations with kids instead of assuming they'll "just know"Create routines that encourage independence without overwhelming your familyReplace constant reactions with intentional habitsMake work life balance feel more manageable through small, consistent improvementsJacqui offers a practical perspective for busy working dads navigating fatherhood, work life balance, parenting, meaningful work, and the everyday realities of balancing family, career, and home.Dig DeeperNotionMario KartYes DayDomino’s Pizza 30 Minutes or LessRugratsSpidey and His Amazing FriendsJanis JoplinPiano ManFollow JacquiOn her websiteOn TikTokOn YouTubeOn LinkedInSign up for her masterclassFollow Gap to GigOn InstagramOn TikTokOn XOn YouTubeOn your podcast player of choiceSign up for the Gap to Gig newsletterFollow MichaelOn LinkedIn