The Dad Edge Podcast

In this powerful conversation, I sit down with Mat Lewczenko — entrepreneur, coach, and author of The Entrepreneur's Regret — to unpack what it feels like to be winning on paper while quietly losing at home. Mat shares his story of growing up as a Polish political refugee, building success through grit and discipline, and eventually finding himself at the top of his professional game… but emotionally empty, disconnected, and on the verge of self-sabotage.
 
We talk about the silent epidemic facing high-performing entrepreneurs — entrepreneurial drift — and what it takes to reclaim your nights, weekends, relationships, and sanity. This episode is a wake-up call for any man chasing more while feeling less.
 
 
Timeline Summary
[0:00] The concept of "Rock Top" — succeeding outwardly while unraveling inwardly
[1:41] Mat's family escaping Poland as political refugees before martial law
[3:02] Growing up in an immigrant household built on pride, discipline, and ownership
[10:10] Early lessons on earning what you want and respecting what you own
[17:47] The tension between giving kids a better life without raising them soft
[24:58] Mat's pivot from theater professor to real estate entrepreneur
[30:29] The breaking point — winning at work while losing at home
[31:31] The porch conversation where his wife said, "You don't get to do this"
[35:29] Realizing he couldn't even name his core values
[36:33] The North Star Values process and regaining alignment
[40:52] The three pillars — Leadership, Love, and Life
[41:30] Why being "all in" where you are eliminates guilt and fragmentation
[45:28] The danger of climbing the wrong mountain
[47:06] Why you must go back through the clouds to choose a new summit
[54:28] Small hinges swing big doors — 15 intentional minutes a day
[58:32] Presence over presents — how to win back connection at home
 
 
Five Key Takeaways
Rock Top is real — you can be crushing it professionally while quietly collapsing personally.
Clarity of core values simplifies decision-making and eliminates internal friction.
Entrepreneurial drift happens gradually, then suddenly — awareness must come before crisis.
Being fully present where you are removes guilt and fragmentation.
Small, consistent intentional actions create massive relational change.
 
 
Links & Resources
The Dad Edge Business Boardroom: https://thedadedge.com/mastermind
Mat Lewczenko on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mat-lewczenko/
Mat Lewczenko on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mat.lewczenko/?hl=en
Mat's Podcast (Buzzsprout): https://www.buzzsprout.com/1956169/episodes
Mat Lewczenko — Additional Resource: https://ifgrxppecbxjqjkoyvl7.app.clientclub.net/courses/offers/82985e7c-be3c-41c2-b004-8e703e688431?fbclid=IwRlRTSAP-xitleHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEe9kqpb3eiIFwdvocjWzIhjjxamujPzRooAIcu6RVT7W6_R-3B3c7XJyb5y5Q_aem_pxafoSiJqIhIG7u_vMzVeQ
Mat's Book – https://a.co/d/02QOVPcr
Episode Show Notes & Resources: https://thedadedge.com/1440
 
 
Closing Remark
 
If you're climbing fast but feeling empty at the top, this episode is your invitation to reassess the mountain you're on. You don't have to lose your family to win in business. If this conversation hit home, please rate, review, follow, and share the podcast. Let's build success that we don't regret.
 
From my heart to yours — go out and live legendary.

In this powerful and deeply personal conversation, I sit down with Thomas "TJ" Baird — a 32-year Army veteran with 20 deployments — to talk about the real battle that followed the battlefield. TJ shares what it was like growing up with a father who was frequently deployed, only to find himself repeating that same pattern with his own daughter.
 
But this isn't just a military story — it's a fatherhood story. It's about PTSD, pride, brotherhood, humility, and the moment a man decides he's done living in the dark. TJ opens up about the night he realized he needed help, the ultimatum that changed everything, and the internal war between staying stuck and choosing the path toward peace. If you've ever struggled in silence or felt the weight of your past shaping your present, this episode will hit home.
 
 
Timeline Summary
[0:00] The image that defines the episode — destruction on one side, sunrise on the other
[2:10] 32 years of service and 20 deployments across the globe
[9:20] Realizing he was becoming the father he once resented
[24:17] His daughter telling him at age six, "Dad, you're too scary"
[26:28] Writing Warrior Dad as a tribute to his daughter
[35:07] The battlefield moment — seeing war to the west and sunlight to the east
[42:12] Why most men stay stuck instead of choosing growth
[47:38] The turning point — giving himself permission to get help
[50:40] Walking into behavioral health as a senior enlisted leader
[52:06] Leading by example so younger soldiers wouldn't suffer in silence
 
 
Five Key Takeaways
You can unknowingly repeat the very patterns you once resented.
There is always a path toward peace — but you have to choose it.
Growth requires surrendering ego and asking for help.
Brotherhood and accountability accelerate healing.
Your family is waiting at the finish line — not your career.
 
 
Links & Resources
Dad Edge Alliance Preview Call (RSVP): http://thedadedge.com/preview
Episode Show Notes & Resources: https://thedadedge.com/1439
 
 
Closing Remark
If this conversation resonated with you — if you've been carrying something heavy in silence — let this be your sign to step toward the light. You don't have to do it alone. Please rate, review, follow, and share the podcast if this episode impacted you. From my heart to yours, go out and live legendary.

In this Q&A episode, Uncle Joe and I dive into one of the most common—and misunderstood—struggles in marriage: emotional connection. We respond to a powerful question from Alex, a husband who genuinely wants to show up better for his wife but feels stuck, unsure how to respond to her emotions, and frustrated that his efforts don't seem to land.
 
This conversation breaks down why men default to "fix-it mode," why that instinct actually creates disconnection, and how emotional safety—not solutions—is what most women are truly seeking. We unpack practical, real-world skills for listening, validating, and reconnecting with your wife, especially after years of habit and complacency. If your wife has ever said, "I don't feel connected to you," this episode will give you clarity, direction, and a better way forward.
 
 
Timeline Summary
[0:00] Introduction
[1:02] Opening conversation about Valentine's Day and intentional connection
[2:55] Alex's question about building emotional connection with his wife
[4:10] Hearing hard feedback: "I don't feel connected or loved"
[5:14] How long-term habits quietly shape marriage dynamics
[6:03] Why men feel uncomfortable with big emotions
[7:12] The difference between fixing problems and creating connection
[8:10] Why women share emotions—to feel seen, not saved
[9:00] Transactional conversations vs. emotional safety
[10:14] Joe explains why feedback is actually a gift
[10:59] Pebbles vs. boulders and minimizing your wife's feelings
[11:56] Why "it's not a big deal" damages trust
[12:17] Understanding how your wife feels loved
[13:19] Acts of service and practical ways to reduce her stress
[14:11] Real-life example of how small actions rebuild connection
[15:19] Curiosity as the foundation of emotional intimacy
[16:46] Leading with humility and listening through awkward silence
[17:31] Treating your wife like you did when you first dated
[19:02] Complacency as the silent killer of attraction
[20:13] Why long-term relationships require intentional effort
[21:09] Being challenged as an act of love
[22:11] Brotherhood, faith, and the mission of the Dad Edge Alliance
[23:08] Invitation to the Dad Edge Alliance preview call
[23:47] Closing encouragement and next steps
 
 
Five Key Takeaways
Emotional connection is built through presence, not problem-solving.
Fixing minimizes feelings—listening creates safety.
What feels small to you may feel huge to your wife.
Curiosity and humility rebuild intimacy faster than tactics.
Treating your wife like you did in the beginning keeps the relationship alive.
 
 
Links & Resources
Dad Edge Alliance Preview Call (RSVP): http://thedadedge.com/preview
Dad Edge Alliance (Marriage, Parenting, Health, Leadership): https://thedadedge.com/alliance
Episode Show Notes & Resources: https://thedadedge.com/1438
 
 
Closing Remark
If this episode gave you language or perspective you didn't have before, please rate, review, follow, and share the podcast. Emotional connection isn't about being perfect—it's about being present, curious, and consistent. From my heart to yours, go out and live legendary.

Some men are shaped by comfort. Others are forged in chaos. In this episode, I sit down with Kelly Siegel, founder of the Harder Than Life movement, to unpack what it actually takes to break generational cycles, rebuild trust with yourself, and lead your family with discipline and integrity—no matter where you came from.
 
Kelly shares his raw story of growing up in extreme abuse, addiction, and instability, and how sobriety, radical self-discipline, and daily non-negotiable routines completely transformed his life. We talk about nervous system healing, trusting yourself again, enforcing boundaries instead of talking about them, and what it looks like to be the father you never had. This conversation is intense, honest, and deeply hopeful for any man who refuses to let his past dictate his future.
 
 
Timeline Summary
[0:00] Why excuses keep men stuck and how discipline breaks the cycle
[1:39] Introducing Kelly Siegel and the Harder Than Life movement
[2:22] Growing up in extreme chaos, abuse, and addiction
[2:50] Turning trauma into fuel instead of identity
[5:21] Seven years of sobriety and the decision that changed everything
[7:31] Handling judgment, criticism, and online hate without losing integrity
[8:55] Keeping your word to yourself when no one is watching
[10:10] Childhood abuse and how it dysregulates the nervous system
[12:03] Why sobriety unlocked clarity, discipline, and purpose
[14:48] Cutting off toxic family relationships to protect healing
[18:52] Forgiveness as freedom—not reconciliation
[19:48] EMDR, hypnotherapy, and deep therapeutic work
[22:03] Kelly's exact daily routine and why structure creates safety
[24:26] Learning to love yourself when you never experienced it growing up
[26:04] Cooking breakfast daily and building connection with his daughter
[27:53] Asking better questions to deepen parent-child connection
[29:38] Trusting yourself as the foundation of confidence
[33:04] Boundaries vs. standards—and the power of enforcement
[35:36] Why hard challenges build unshakeable self-trust
[40:33] Breaking generational cycles and raising a confident daughter
[45:44] Finding the gifts inside even the most painful childhoods
[50:31] Why you don't owe access to people who hurt you
[54:03] Strong fathers as the solution to cultural chaos
[57:29] Healing yourself to heal the world
 
 
Five Key Takeaways
Discipline creates freedom, especially for men who grew up in chaos. 
Trust is built by keeping promises to yourself, not by motivation or hype. 
Boundaries only work when they're enforced, not just talked about. 
Healing your nervous system changes how you lead, parent, and love. 
You can break generational cycles, even if no one modeled it for you. 
 
 
Links & Resources
Kelly Siegel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelly.siegel.71/
Kelly Siegel on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialkellysiegel
Kelly Siegel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-siegel-0146a3/
Harder Than Life Podcast: https://www.harderthanlife.com/podcasts/
Episode Show Notes & Resources: https://thedadedge.com/1437
 
 
Closing Remark
 
If this episode challenged you to stop making excuses and start keeping promises to yourself, please rate, review, follow, and share the podcast. Your past does not define you—but your daily discipline will. From my heart to yours, go out and live legendary.

Most men and women enter marriage wildly untrained—and then wonder why connection, intimacy, and trust slowly erode over time. In this powerful and deeply thought-provoking conversation, I sit down with January Donovan, founder of the Woman School and Wholeness Coaching School, to explore why information alone will never change a marriage—and why training is the missing ingredient for lasting connection.
 
January shares her personal story of trauma, mentorship, and formation, and explains how emotional command, discipline, tonality, and boundaries shape the way men and women show up in relationships. We talk about why modern culture resists discipline, how "freedom" without formation leads to loneliness, and why both men and women must train intentionally if they want marriages that actually get better over time. This episode will challenge the way you think about growth, leadership, and what it really means to live fully alive.
 
 
Timeline Summary
[0:00] Why most people feel unprepared for marriage and parenting
[2:06] Introducing January Donovan and her work training women globally
[3:02] Why information alone never leads to real change
[4:10] January's origin story and the wounds that led her to this work
[6:12] The power of mentorship and intentional formation
[8:33] Growing up with deep insecurity and identity wounds
[10:17] Unprocessed trauma, abortion, and living in quiet desperation
[11:52] How disciplined training reshaped January's life
[13:18] Why women resist the word "discipline"
[14:50] Formation vs. freedom and the danger of untrained choice
[16:07] Emotional command and generational anxiety
[17:37] Why marriage requires the same training as any profession
[19:35] Decision-making, tonality, and communication gaps
[21:12] Why motherhood feels overwhelming without training
[22:02] Studying your spouse as a form of love
[23:12] Larry reflects on minimal marriage prep vs. decades of marriage
[25:10] Why people resist investing in growth
[27:06] Distraction, shallow desires, and information overload
[28:35] Re-educating sexuality and restoring healthy masculinity and femininity
[32:30] Dad Edge Alliance preview call invitation
[36:14] Why training together is the future for men and women
[40:18] Micro-skills that shape daily life and marriage
[43:07] Tonality and how women can build or break men emotionally
[47:02] Proactivity, masculinity, and relational safety
[49:25] Gossip, integrity, and protecting your spouse's reputation
[53:20] Excellence, interior freedom, and choosing your highest good
[59:02] Casting a long-term vision for marriage and legacy
 
 
Five Key Takeaways
Marriage doesn't fail because people don't care—it fails because they were never trained.
Information without formation leads to frustration, not transformation.
Discipline and emotional command create freedom, not restriction.
Tonality, presence, and self-regulation shape attraction and safety in marriage.
Men and women must train together if they want relationships that thrive long-term.
 
 
Links & Resources
Dad Edge Alliance Preview Call: https://thedadedge.com/preview
January Donovan Website: https://januarydonovan.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/january.donovan_/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JanuaryDonovan
Episode Show Notes & Resources: https://thedadedge.com/1436
 
 
Closing Remark
If this episode challenged how you think about marriage, growth, or leadership, please rate, review, follow, and share the podcast. Beautiful lives don't happen by accident—they're trained for. From my heart to yours, go out and live legendary.