Startup Dad

Ben Wiliams is a product and engineering executive and was most recently the VP Product at Snyk; an $8B developer tools company. He is currently a Product and Growth advisor and owner of PLGeek.com as well as The Product Led Geek Newsletter. Ben is a...

Show Notes

Ben Wiliams is a product and engineering executive and was most recently the VP Product at Snyk; an $8B developer tools company. He is currently a Product and Growth advisor and owner of PLGeek.com as well as The Product Led Geek Newsletter. Ben is a husband and father of two kids and my first international interview (he hails from the UK).


In this episode we discuss:


  • The importance of therapy in a successful career and marriage and how it's stigmatized in the UK

  • His early exposures to racism and his upbringing in a mixed race family in the UK

  • Meeting your wife on a dating app

  • The challenges and joys of being a Dad

  • Growing up in a strict household

  • How a career never prepares you for the rollercoaster of fatherhood

  • Sacrifices you make to be more present

  • How life is different for parents in the UK than the States

  • Building a robust support network

  • Hilarious stories about "birthing class."

  • Rapid Fire - UK edition


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Where to find Ben Williams


- Twitter (aka X): https://twitter.com/semanticben


- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/semanticben/


- Product Led Geek Newsletter: https://www.plg.news/


 


Where to find Adam Fishman


- Newsletter: https://www.fishmanafnewsletter.com


- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/


- Twitter (aka X): https://twitter.com/fishmanaf


- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupdadpod/


- Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fishmanaf


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In this episode, we cover:


[2:06] Welcome


[2:47] Professional background


[4:55] Career prepped for parenting?


[5:17] Childhood family environment/racism


[10:06] Partner/kids


[13:15] Earliest memory of being a dad?


[14:20] UK prep for baby


[18:06] Making sacrifices


[22:26] Risk awareness


[23:17] UK/USA parenting/mental health


[26:23] Emotional intelligence


[29:29] How do kids get along?


[31:28] Support structures


[33:36] Parenting frameworks


[36:32] Partner disagreement


[39:31] Mistake as a father?


[40:46] Comfort zone in parenting


[41:15] Work/home balance


[47:22] Talking to kids about racism


[49:20] Rapid fire round


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Show references:


The University of Manchester


Snyk


CloudBees


PLGEEK


Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)


Brickies


National Childbirth Trust (NCT)


In vitro fertilization (IVF)


Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ)


Fresh Food Feeder


Playmobile Large Princess Castle


IBM


Fujitsu


Acorn Electron


Sinclair ZX Spectrum


BBC Micro


VW ID. Buzz


Pong/Asteroids


Bob Marley


Peppa Pig


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Production support for Startup Dad is provided by Tommy Harron at http://www.armaziproductions.com/


Episode art designed by Matt Sutherland at https://www.mspnw.com/


 



This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit startupdadpod.substack.com

What is Startup Dad?

Adam Fishman (author of a top business newsletter on Substack with 11K+ subscribers) interviews executives, entrepreneurs, and company leaders in technology companies who are also fathers. They discuss the tough aspects of work, parenting, family, the mistakes made and lessons learned along the way. All episodes at www.startupdadpod.com.