Emotional intelligence, navigating race and fatherhood in the UK | Ben Williams (father of 2, advisor at PLGeek.com)
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...
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:
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
National Childbirth Trust (NCT)
Playmobile Large Princess Castle
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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/
