Parenting is our Founder Superpower | Neil Vidyarthi & Lauren Dugan (Parents of 2, Feel Good Games)
Lauren Dugan and Neil Vidyarthi are the husband-and-wife co-founders of Feel Good Games, creators of Little Magic Stories, an AI storytelling platform designed to spark creativity and independence in kids. They’re also parents of two boys (ages 3 and 8), longtime partners in both life and work, and startup veterans bringing a playful, grounded perspective to the founder-parent journey.In this episode, Neil and Lauren talk about how parenting fuels their creativity, how they’ve evolved their marriage while running a company together, and why their son insists he’s the real CEO. We discussed:From bedtime stories to startup idea: How their son’s early-morning storytelling sessions inspired the vision for Little Magic Stories, and why they included him as “co-creators” from day one.Building a company with your spouse: What Neil and Lauren have learned about navigating startup stress, creative tension, and parenting chaos as co-founders and partners and the systems they use to stay grounded.Parenting with freedom and play: Why they embrace a “gardener not engineer” model of parenting, how they balance screen time and independence, and the moments that made them rethink control and creativity.The case for structured chaos: From timeboxing and project boards to flexible rituals and tag-team parenting, Neil and Lauren share the habits that help them stay focused while juggling business, marriage, and raising two kids.Redefining success as parent-founders: Why they believe having children has made them more ambitious, not less, and how they’ve reshaped their values around creativity, joy, and freedom.Where to find Lauren DuganLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurendugan/ X: https://x.com/lauren_dugan?lang=enhttps://www.instagram.com/laurencdugan/Where to find Neil VidyarthiLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilv/X: https://x.com/neilvidyarthiInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/neilv9999/Where to find Adam FishmanFishmanAF Newsletter: www.FishmanAFNewsletter.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/ Instagram: https://ww.instagram.com/startupdadpod/ In this episode, we cover:(00:00) Introducing Neil Vidyarthi and Lauren Dugan(02:56) The dynamics of working with family(05:29) Balancing work and family life(13:52) Inspiration behind Feel Good Games(18:30) Advice for founders and parents(33:30) Parenting challenges and social media(34:20) Ash's CEO video(36:09) Parenting philosophies and boundaries(39:20) Kids and technology(43:12) Creative uses of AI in parenting(44:50) Parenting mistakes and lessons(47:59) Connecting with Feel Good Games(49:43) Lightning round: routines, quirks, and family timeShow references:Yoto: https://eu.yotoplay.com/Wipes Warmer: https://urbanessentials.com.ph/products/prince-lionheart-ultimate-wipes-warmer-dispenserGreat Wolf Lodge: https://www.greatwolf.com/Super Mario Brothers: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6718170/My Neighbor Totoro: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096283/The Karate Kid: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087538/Beetlejuice: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094721/Todoist: https://www.todoist.com/Polygon: https://www.polygon.com/Avail: https://www.avail.co/landlords/featuresFeel Good Games: https://www.feelgoodgames.xyz/Little Magic Stories: https://www.littlemagicstories.com/Robert Wolfe’s Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bsi-iOjodMPokemon: https://www.pokemon.com/usPomodoro: https://pomofocus.io/Time Boxing: https://clockify.me/timeboxingThe Freedom App: https://freedom.to/Jay Vidyarthi - Reclaim Your Mind: https://www.jayvidyarthi.com/Game of Thrones: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0944947/Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/Reed Hastings: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reed_HastingsArachnaphobia: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099052/The Tao of Parenting The Ageless Wisdom of Taoism and the Art of Raising Children By Greta K. Nagel: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/331083/the-tao-of-parenting-by-greta-k-nagel/Cry Babies: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11067738/—For sponsorship inquiries email:
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