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

Merry Korn on Turning Professional Loss into Purpose-Driven Work

What happens when the job you thought would carry you to the finish line disappears overnight?Two months into what she believed would be her final role, Merry Korn was let go. She was a single parent with two teenagers, college tuition looming, and no clear path forward. The fear was real. The pressure was immediate. Staying in bed was not an option.What followed was not an overnight success story. It was a series of hard conversations, informational interviews, small courageous steps, and a refusal to surrender. From those early survival decisions, Merry went on to found and scale a for-profit social enterprise that employed more than 1,300 people across 30 states, prioritizing jobs for people with severe disabilities, disabled veterans, and individuals living in the most impoverished communities.Merry shares how to:Move forward when fear feels paralyzingUse informational interviews as a career and business growth strategyAlign work with purpose instead of contorting yourself to fit the wrong environmentBuild a mission-driven company that attracts high-quality talentCreate simple rituals that protect presence at homeLead with values when rebuilding after a professional setbackTurn survival mode into meaningful, scalable impactDig DeeperPearl Interactive NetworkBergen-BelsenSchindler's ListBarneyCrazy by Patsy ClineFollow MerryOn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/merrykornOn X: https://X.com/korn_merry45334On Instagram: https://instagram.com/mpearlkornOn Facebook: https://facebook.com/firedtoinspiredOn her website, Fired to Inspired: https://firedtoinspired.comFollow Gap to GigOn Instagram: instagram.com/gaptogigOn TikTok: tiktok.com/@gaptogigOn X: x.com/gaptogigOn YouTube: youtube.com/@gaptogig-gtgOn your podcast player of choice: https://rss.com/podcasts/gaptogig/Sign up for the Gap to Gig newsletter: gaptogig.comFollow MichaelOn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themichaeljacobs/

Tony Berardo on Redefining Success Around Time, Health, and Fatherhood

What happens when health scares, job loss, and family tragedy collide all at once?After having part of his lung removed, being laid off during the pandemic, and losing his father-in-law the same day he was discharged from the hospital, Tony Berardo was forced to confront a hard truth: work was taking up too much of the wrong space in his life.Instead of chasing security, status, and a bigger paycheck, Tony rebuilt his life around something far more valuable: time.Today, he’s the founder of Human Dad, a content creator, and an entrepreneur who prioritizes presence over prestige. He makes less money than he once did, but he has more clarity, more intention, and more time with his daughter.Tony shares how to:• Reevaluate success after health scares and job loss• Shift from “work-life balance” to protecting time as your most valuable asset• Build a side hustle before making the leap into entrepreneurship• Lower financial stress by living below your means• Model discipline, boundaries, and healthy habits for your kids• Choose presence over prestigeTony’s perspective is raw, direct, and deeply practical. For any dad questioning whether the grind is worth it, this conversation offers a clear reminder: your time is the real currency.Dig DeeperIVFGet Ready With MeRidiculousnessMoanaRegal CinemasPolly by NirvanaFollow TonyWebsiteHumanity and Hashtags PodcastInstagramYouTubeTikTokHuman DadFollow Gap to GigOn Instagram: instagram.com/gaptogigOn TikTok: tiktok.com/@gaptogigOn X: x.com/gaptogigOn YouTube: youtube.com/@gaptogig-gtgOn your podcast player of choice: https://rss.com/podcasts/gaptogig/Sign up for the Gap to Gig newsletter: gaptogig.comFollow MichaelOn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themichaeljacobs/

Brad Leeman on Leading at Home Through Presence, Play, and Preparation

What does leadership look like when the mission is your family and the stakes are emotional, not tactical?Brad Leeman is a retired U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel, combat aviator, and F-35 test pilot who spent nearly two decades leading in environments where preparation, clarity, and execution were non-negotiable. After transitioning out of the military, Brad became an entrepreneur and founder of SwingSesh, a company built around a simple belief: parents should not be spectators in their kids’ lives.This conversation explores how elite performance principles translate and sometimes fail to translate into fatherhood. Brad shares why presence matters, how small daily rituals create connection, and why modeling behavior shapes a child’s inner voice far more than lectures ever could.Brad walks through how he and his wife intentionally design family rhythms, why play is a serious leadership skill, and how dads can rethink fitness, work, and ambition.Brad shares how to:Build daily rituals that anchor presence and connection with kidsUse play as a tool for bonding, modeling health, and emotional regulationShape a child’s inner monologue through actions, not instructionsRecognize when to lead and when to follow inside a partnershipRethink comfort, resilience, and decision making during hard seasonsDig DeeperF-35U.S. Marine CorpsBall State UniversityHarvard Graduate School of DesignHow to Build Extreme Willpower | David Goggins & Dr. Andrew HubermanHood’s GardensPicture by Sheryl Crow and Kid RockFollow BradOn his website: https://www.swingsesh.comOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teamswingsesh/On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SwingSesh/Follow Gap to GigOn Instagram: instagram.com/gaptogigOn TikTok: tiktok.com/@gaptogigOn X: x.com/gaptogigOn YouTube: youtube.com/@gaptogig-gtgOn your podcast player of choice: https://rss.com/podcasts/gaptogig/Sign up for the Gap to Gig newsletter: gaptogig.comFollow MichaelOn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themichaeljacobs/

Danny Brassell on Becoming a Better Communicator at Work and at Home

How do you communicate in a way that builds trust, connection, and confidence with your kids, your partner, and the people you work with every day?Danny Brassell has spent decades teaching, coaching, and speaking around the world about storytelling, reading, and communication. This conversation explores how communication is not about polish or performance, but about meeting people where they are and staying present in the moments that matter most.Danny shares how to: Use storytelling to build trust instead of trying to impressBecome a stronger communicator by focusing on failures, not just winsCreate daily habits that strengthen presence at homeHelp kids love reading without turning it into a battleModel curiosity, learning, and humility for your childrenDanny’s insights are practical, honest, and immediately usable for dads who want to communicate more clearly, lead more effectively, and show up better for the people who matter most.Dig DeeperDo What Matters MostBecoming Your BestThe Unselected Journals of Emma M. LyonReal Dads ReadTotal Recall: My Unbelievably True Life StoryFollow DannyOn his website: https://www.wellcraftedstoryworkshop.comOn X: https://www.x.com/DannyBrassellOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realDannyBrassellOn Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DannyBrassellOn YouTube: https://youtube.com/DannyBrassell On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/DannyBrassellGet your free well crafted story blueprint:  www.freestoryguide.comFollow Gap to GigOn Instagram: instagram.com/gaptogigOn TikTok: tiktok.com/@gaptogigOn X: x.com/gaptogigOn YouTube: youtube.com/@gaptogig-gtgOn your podcast player of choice: https://rss.com/podcasts/gaptogig/Sign up for the Gap to Gig newsletter: gaptogig.comFollow MichaelOn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themichaeljacobs/

Jon Merlin on Building Creative Work Without Sacrificing Family Time

Jon Merlin is a longtime designer who left agency life to start his own creative studio while raising two young daughters. Instead of letting work bleed into every hour, Jon drew a hard line around family time and rebuilt his business around clarity, intention, and values.This conversation explores what it really looks like to pursue entrepreneurship without losing presence at home, and how letting go of perfection can unlock both better work and better parenting.Jon shares how to: Protect daily family time without derailing client workSet non-negotiables in seasons where work pressure is realBuild a focused business by saying no to the wrong projectsNavigate the anxiety and ambiguity of starting something newReplace perfection with progress at work and at homeUse small moments with kids to stay connected during busy daysModel emotional regulation, repair, and growth for childrenChoose work that aligns with values, not just revenueReframe career gaps as runways instead of setbacksDefine success through legacy, not titles or outputJon’s perspective is thoughtful, grounded, and deeply practical for dads who want to build something meaningful without missing what matters most.Dig DeeperOne Club for Creatives (San Diego)Creative MorningsLava ChickenDookie by Green DayBasket Case by Green DayFollow JonWebsite: https://jonmerlin.com/On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonmerlin/Follow Gap to GigOn Instagram: instagram.com/gaptogigOn TikTok: tiktok.com/@gaptogigOn X: x.com/gaptogigOn YouTube: youtube.com/@gaptogig-gtgOn your podcast player of choice: https://rss.com/podcasts/gaptogig/Sign up for the Gap to Gig newsletter: gaptogig.comFollow MichaelOn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themichaeljacobs/