Startup Dad

Ben Norment is the Founder and CEO of Stork Exchange, a company helping parents access high quality baby gear at more affordable prices by working with retailers and manufacturers to resell returned products. He started building the company right as he and his wife, Cyndal, were expecting their first child.
He’s also a father of three, with kids ages five, four, and seven months. His parenting journey has included the chaos of launching a startup while becoming a dad, moving states, and navigating an incredibly difficult NICU experience with his second child. We discussed:
Starting a parenting company as a new dad: How Ben launched Stork Exchange while expecting his first child and became his own target customer.
Surviving a traumatic NICU experience: How Ben’s second son’s medical complications and hospital stay changed his view of parenting.
Keeping startup stress in perspective: Why performing CPR on his infant son made company problems feel more manageable.
Taking a team first approach at home: How Ben and his wife stay aligned, support each other, and avoid being pitted against each other.
Letting kids be bored: Why Ben believes boredom builds creativity, independence, and imagination.
Choosing analog parenting in a tech heavy world: Why Ben limits screens, avoids outsourcing parenting to AI, and wants childhood to stay hands-on.

Where to find Ben Norment
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-norment-83425b50/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stork_exchange

Where to find Adam Fishman
FishmanAF Newsletter: www.FishmanAFNewsletter.com 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupdadpod/ 
X: https://x.com/fishmanaf

In this episode, we cover:
(00:00) Welcoming Ben Norment, Founder/CEO of Stork Exchange
(02:57) How Stork Exchange helps parents save on baby gear
(06:04) Starting a company while expecting his first child
(10:19) Why nothing fully prepares you for dad life
(11:43) Surviving the NICU and infant CPR
(16:46) How trauma changed his view of parenting and startups
(20:44) Advice for founders starting families
(23:46) Why kids need to be bored
(25:39) Letting go of perfect parenting frameworks
(28:54) Why every parenting season eventually passes
(32:38) How Ben and Cindel tag team hard moments
(34:07) Building a unified front in marriage
(36:52) Why kids need to see parents as people
(39:06) Letting kids be kids instead of chasing achievement
(48:50) Lightning round: BabyBjörn, Toy Story, rocks, and minivans

Resources From This Episode:
Stork Exchange: https://storkexchange.co/ 
SNOO: https://www.happiestbaby.com/products/snoo-smart-bassinet 
BabyBjörn Bouncer: https://www.babybjorn.com/products/baby-bouncers/ 
UPPAbaby Vista V3: https://uppababy.com/strollers/full-size/vista-v3/ 
Doona: https://www.doona.com/car-seat-stroller/discover-doona 
Toy Story (Film): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114709/ 
Home Alone (Film): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099785/ 

—

Support Startup Dad
For sponsorship inquiries, email: podcast@fishmana.com
For Startup Dad Merch: www.startupdadshop.com

Darby Saxbe is a clinical psychologist, professor at USC, and one of the few researchers in the world studying how men’s brains change when they become fathers. She is also the author of Dad Brain: The New Science of Fatherhood and How It Shapes Men’s Lives, a book that explores the neuroscience, hormones, mental health, relationships, and social shifts that come with becoming a dad.
She’s also a mom of two teenagers and a returning guest on Startup Dad. We discussed:
Understanding how fatherhood changes the brain: Why Darby believes becoming a parent is a major window of brain plasticity, similar to adolescence.
Writing Dad Brain from both science and personal experience: How Darby’s own father, stepfather, husband, and kids shaped the story behind the book.
Rethinking testosterone and masculinity: Why testosterone often drops in new dads and how that can support bonding, patience, and caregiving.
Recognizing dad mental health risks: How depression and anxiety can show up differently in fathers and why dads are often invisible in postpartum care.
Building confidence through hands-on parenting: Why dads need reps, trust, and real responsibility instead of being treated like backup caregivers.
Making fatherhood more supported at work and at home: How better leave policies, dad communities, and cultural expectations can help men become more engaged parents.

Where to find Darby Saxbe
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darbysaxbe 
Website: https://www.darbysaxbe.com/
Natalgazing Substack: https://darbysaxbe.substack.com/
X: https://x.com/darbysaxbe

Where to find Adam Fishman
FishmanAF Newsletter: www.FishmanAFNewsletter.com 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupdadpod/ 
X: https://x.com/fishmanaf

In this episode, we cover:
(00:00) Welcoming Darby Saxbe, Author and Professor at University of Southern California
(02:19) Celebrating the launch of Dad Brain
(05:17) How Darby’s dad shaped the book
(11:19) Writing about stepfathers, grief, and family complexity
(13:52) Why parenthood rewires the adult brain
(18:17) The U-shaped curve of dad brain changes
(22:07) Why fatherhood is both costly and rewarding
(30:04) What testosterone changes reveal about fatherhood
(38:50) Why the manosphere gets masculinity wrong
(43:56) Rethinking oxytocin, cortisol, and hormone myths
(47:14) Why dads’ postpartum depression gets missed
(51:26) Why the NICU can feel like a no man’s land
(53:48) Why the dad bod is real
(57:10) Why bedtime dads help the whole family sleep
(01:00:36) How rough and tumble play helps kids grow
(01:02:48) Why dad brain belongs at work
(01:14:43) Why paternity leave needs a better design
(01:23:48) Lightning round: sea horses, Homer Simpson, sushi, and tiny cars
Resources From This Episode:
Pre-order Darby’s Book, Dad Brain: https://bookshop.org/p/books/dad-brain-the-new-science-of-fatherhood-and-how-it-shapes-men-s-lives-darby-saxbe-phd/0dec68c3d890e5a7 
Darby’s Substack, Natal Gazing: https://darbysaxbe.substack.com/ 
Darby’s previous episode on Startup Dad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBvgqimMv6E
What’s On Her Mind by Allison Daminger: https://www.allisondaminger.com/book 
Father Nature by James Rilling: https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262048934/father-nature/ 

—
Support Startup Dad
For sponsorship inquiries, email: podcast@fishmana.com
For Startup Dad Merch: www.startupdadshop.com

Walter Velazquez Taboada is a consultant and former operations leader at Winning by Design, where he helps executive teams navigate complex decisions and organizational change. Originally from Cuba, Walter has lived across Spain, Mexico, and China, bringing a global perspective to both work and family life.

He’s also a father of two, navigating parenting with an 8-year-old daughter and a seven-month-old son while balancing differing parenting styles, cultural perspectives, and the realities of modern technology. We discussed:
Parenting without a playbook: Why Walter and his wife skipped the parenting books and learned by adapting in real time instead of following rigid frameworks.
Having kids eight years apart: How becoming a dad again later in life completely changed Walter’s perspective on stress, presence, and enjoying the newborn stage.
Letting kids find their own path: Why Walter believes children aren’t blank canvases and how he tries to guide his daughter without forcing his own ambitions onto her.
Using FBI negotiation tactics in parenting: How Chris Voss’ “Black Swan” framework helped Walter uncover what his daughter was really feeling.
Navigating parenting disagreements with your partner: How Walter and his wife work through different views on screen time, hygiene, and risk tolerance.
Helping kids navigate technology and AI: Why Walter is delaying full internet access and thinking carefully about screens, AI, and digital habits.
Where to find Walter Velazquez Taboada
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/walter-velazquez-taboada-87244529 
Where to find Adam Fishman
FishmanAF Newsletter: www.FishmanAFNewsletter.com 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupdadpod/ 
X: https://x.com/fishmanaf
In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) Welcoming Walter Velazquez Taboada, Architect at Winning by Design
(02:32) The Disney rollercoaster story that traumatized his daughter
(04:56) Growing up across Cuba, Spain, and Mexico
(07:32) Starting a family young and figuring it out as they went
(08:33) Having kids eight years apart changes everything
(13:44) Parenting without a playbook or parenting books
(17:31) Screen time, hygiene, and parenting disagreements
(19:43) Why Walter doesn’t believe in a perfectly unified parenting front
(22:53) The crocodile soccer ball rescue mission
(27:50) Why kids mirror everything their parents do
(30:28) Letting kids find their own path in life
(35:55) Using FBI negotiation tactics to understand his daughter
(41:42) How fatherhood changed Walter’s leadership style
(46:30) Helping kids navigate screens, AI, and the digital world
(53:55) Lightning round: diaper genies, minivans, and terrifying Halloween costumes
Resources From This Episode:

Winning by Design: https://winningbydesign.com/ 
Never Split the Difference (Book by Chris Voss): https://a.co/d/0hv2cKv1 
Diaper Genie: https://diapergenie.com/ 
Inside Out (Film): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2096673/ 
Alien: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078748/ 
Charlie And The Chocolate Factory (Book): https://a.co/d/0iZ25Y78 
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) (Film): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067992/ 
Charlie And The Chocolate Factory (2005) (Film): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0367594/ 
Wonka (2023) (Film): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6166392/ 
Electric Screwdriver: https://a.co/d/0881w1k7 

—

Support Startup Dad

For sponsorship inquiries, email: podcast@fishmana.com
For Startup Dad Merch: www.startupdadshop.com

Nate Quigley is the co-founder of Chatbooks, the photo book company that helps families preserve their memories from Instagram photos. He started the company after a wave of nostalgia hit as his oldest child approached leaving home, only to spend years building a product nobody wanted. Then his wife Vanessa stepped in, suggested they simply print Instagram, and became the accidental co-founder who helped turn the company around.
He’s also a father of seven, a grandfather of two, and officially the first Startup Dad guest to also be a Startup Granddad. Nate brings a rare perspective on what it means to build a company while raising a big family and then watching those kids grow into adults with lives of their own. He shares how parenting has taught him to release control, stay curious, and create family rituals that give kids a place to come back to. We discussed:
Co-founding with your spouse: How Vanessa’s intervention saved Chatbooks and what it’s been like building a company together for more than a decade.
Treating the company like a family farm: Farm families don't talk about work-life balance because work and life are the same thing.
Parenting seven very different kids: How Nate’s approach changed from child one to child seven and why one parenting playbook never works for every child.
Learning to let go: Why Nate believes the hardest parts of parenting and leadership come from guiding people without trying to control every outcome.
Creating family rituals that stick: The traditions that helped Nate keep a household of nine connected.
Helping kids navigate technology: How Nate thinks about phones, social media, AI, and using tools that create better conversations instead of just tighter controls.

Where to find Nate Quigley
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natequigley/ 

Where to find Adam Fishman
FishmanAF Newsletter: www.FishmanAFNewsletter.com 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupdadpod/ 
X: https://x.com/fishmanaf

In this episode, we cover:
(00:00) Welcoming Nate Quigley, Co-Founder and CEO of Chatbooks
(02:23) Raising seven kids and becoming an empty nester
(04:13) How Vanessa became the accidental co-founder
(05:39) The simple pivot that saved Chatbooks
(10:05) Treating the startup like the family farm
(12:47) How parenting changed from kid one to kid seven
(14:39) Learning to let go as a dad and leader
(17:36) Birding, curiosity, and observing your kids
(21:51) Advice for founders who want to become dads
(25:06) Family night and the Quigley Creed
(28:50) Creating family rituals that actually stick
(30:53) The 15-year-old adventure tradition
(32:53) Why letting kids grow up is so hard
(37:01) Parenting through phones, social media, and screen time
(48:15) Lightning round: fly fishing, minivans, and dishwasher rules
Resources From This Episode:
Chatbooks: https://chatbooks.com/ 
Chatbooks’ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chatbooks/ 
Bark: https://www.bark.us/ 
Analog: https://goanalog.co/ 
Brick: https://getbrick.com/   
A River Runs Through It (Film): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105265/

—
Support Startup Dad
For sponsorship inquiries, email: podcast@fishmana.com
For Startup Dad Merch: www.startupdadshop.com

Gabe Larsen is the CRO of Atonom, an AI company building always-on AI agents. He has spent his career leading go-to-market teams at high-growth companies, including Kustomer, Meta, and InsideSales.com.

He’s also a father of five boys, ranging from six months to 14 years old, along with his wife Carolyn. In this conversation, Gabe shares why he believes fatherhood doesn’t slow down ambition, it sharpens it. We talked about how raising kids has made him more focused, more empathetic, and more direct as a leader, and why the same skills that matter at home -  prioritization, hard conversations, and presence - show up every day at work. We discussed:
Fatherhood as leadership training: Why Gabe believes becoming a Dad can make you more focused, empathetic, and effective at work.
Kids expose wasted motion fast: How parenting forced Gabe to cut through busy work and get clearer about what actually matters.
Building a family operating system: The family mission, values, and quarterly goals Gabe uses to help his five boys grow.
Monthly one-on-ones with each son: Why Gabe creates structured time for hard conversations, check-ins, and connections.
Work-life integration: How Gabe thinks about ambition, presence, travel, marriage, and making the moments at home count.
Raising AI-native kids: Why Gabe is cautious about phones and social media, but wants his kids to learn how to use AI productively.

Where to find Gabe Larsen
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabelarsen/ 

Where to find Adam Fishman
FishmanAF Newsletter: www.FishmanAFNewsletter.com 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupdadpod/ 
X: https://x.com/fishmanaf

In this episode, we cover:
(00:00) Welcoming Gabe Larsen, CRO of Atonom
(02:37) Why kids can make you a better leader
(03:48) How family sharpens ambition and focus
(04:57) The brief, mission, debrief rhythm
(06:23) Why kids expose wasted motion fast
(07:43) Building a family mission and quarterly goals
(10:29) Having hard conversations at home and at work
(14:17) How fatherhood shifted Gabe’s emotional center
(16:53) Letting go of balance and finding integration
(19:54) Gabe’s advice for founder parents
(22:17) How Gabe and Carolyn made a career shift work
(28:04) Marriage, pressure, and playing to your strengths
(31:30) Choosing presence when your phone pulls you away
(43:07) Lightning round with binkies, dad robes, Dora, and minivans
Resources From This Episode:
Atonom: https://atonom.ai/ 
Dora The Explorer (TV Series): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0235917/ 
The Karate Kid (Film): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087538/
Back To The Future (Film): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088763/ 
Remember The Titans (Film): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0210945/ 

—

Support Startup Dad
For sponsorship inquiries, email: podcast@fishmana.com
For Startup Dad Merch: www.startupdadshop.com