How I Learned To Model Emotional Intelligence | Roger Einstoss (Dad of 2, Braintly)

[00:00:00] Roger Einstoss: We are both, uh, raising, the children together. So it's not that I'm helping you or you are helping me, we are both helping each other.
[00:00:09] Adam Fishman: Welcome to Startup Dad, the podcast where we dive deep into the lives of dads who are also leaders in the world of startups and business. I'm your host, Adam Fishman. My guest today is Roger ETOs. He's the Argentinian founder of Brantley, an engineering staffing firm that helps companies hire engineers in Latin America.
[00:00:30] Adam Fishman: He's also a husband and dad of two young kids. On today's episode, we talked about working as a team with your spouse. How to model emotional intelligence for your kids, what it means to spend quality time with them and what parenting is like in Argentina. Roger had great advice on what he'd tell the younger version of himself about parenting, and I got to ask him my son's favorite question.
[00:00:53] Adam Fishman: Do you know Lionel Messi? If you like what you hear, please subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast player, so you never miss a weekly episode. Welcome, Roger STOs to Startup Dad, Roger, it's a great pleasure to have you here today. Thanks for joining me.
[00:01:12] Roger Einstoss: Thank you so much for, for having me today.
[00:01:15] Adam Fishman: Okay, so people may notice that you have a slight accent. You are in fact, the first Argentinian that I've ever had on the show. though I know for sure that we have a few Argentinians who listen to this podcast. So tell me a little bit about your life growing up in Argentina.
[00:01:33] Roger Einstoss: I was born and raised in Argentina. I'm 36, so I am like a late eighties guy. I was raised in the nineties. I'm a software engineer. I lived my whole life here in Argentina and I started writing code when I was 15. very, very young. That was 20 years ago,
[00:01:53] Roger Einstoss: a couple of years later I started, going to the university, knowing that, uh, doing something with computers. Was something I really want to do. Uh, so I got my degree started my own company. Also started my, my own family. I met my wife, uh, 15 years ago, I think this year, 14 or 15 years ago. So we were young.
[00:02:16] Roger Einstoss: it's a long story.
[00:02:18] Adam Fishman: I live in the San Francisco Bay area, so that's sort of like what everybody does, you know? Or you think, that probably wasn't a well worn path or experience in Argentina or, or was it?
[00:02:31] Roger Einstoss: I think that it wasn't at the time I did it because I went to a technical school and I had to choose between different, like orientations. and I choose, informatics. So that's why I started calling when I was 15. It's very normal in San Francisco, in the Bay Area because everyone wants to write coal and, and build the next unicorn. but right now I think that it's more trendy being a developer. I
[00:02:57] Roger Einstoss: remember when I started coding, I used to be like the weird guy, the nerd, among my friends. it changed and it's also changing. Uh, now it's more and more, common for, for young, people to start coding or being involved in ai, computers, whatever.
[00:03:17] Adam Fishman: you're obviously an entrepreneur now. You started a company, which we'll talk about in a little bit, but did you have any inspiration in, in doing that Was anyone in your family entrepreneurial, a parent, friends, uncles, aunts, anything like that?
[00:03:29] Roger Einstoss: my grandfather and my dad, they used to run, an industry here in Argentina. They used to, uh, build, leather jackets.
[00:03:39] Roger Einstoss: It's something really, uh, common here in Argentina, just like the steak. it's not trendy anymore because of the nature thing and those things, but it used to be. 50 or four years ago, probably even more. so they used to be entrepreneurs, but when I grew up, my, dad closed that company, uh, because of the recession in Argentina and the macroeconomic, I. problems and he started working for other companies. So I would say that I am coming from an entrepreneur's family, but when I grew up, they, uh, like weren't entrepreneurs anymore.
[00:04:17] Roger Einstoss: on the other side. I remember a talk I had with my uncle when I was 20 or 21. he had a really successful, like professional career working for big companies here in Argentina and he was in, in his fifties at the time. And he told me, you have to build your own way. I'm in my fifties. Uh, I really enjoyed my career, but I regret not to start doing something. 20 years before or 30, without responsibilities, without having a family, without, having nothing to lose. So I took that, the advising account and started the company. So
[00:04:58] Adam Fishman: a good story. I always like to, to tell
[00:05:01] Adam Fishman: we'll credit your uncle for that inspiration. So, tell me a little bit about your family. You've got a couple kids and a wife but she works with a company in the United States, is that right?
[00:05:11] Roger Einstoss: that's right. I have two, uh, kids. the boy is called Omeo. It's Homer because we love the Simpsons, uh, in Argentina, the
[00:05:20] Roger Einstoss: Simpsons is a really, really big thing. Okay.
[00:05:22] Roger Einstoss: it started like a joke saying, uh, Homer home hover at, at the end of the day, we ended up like falling in love with a name.
[00:05:32] Roger Einstoss: So now he's Romero and every time I am in a square, in a open park and I yell at him saying, Romero, come here. I can't believe that we did it. so he's six years old and he's starting the primary school this year with all the challenges that kids have when they start primary school. And I also have a little daughter, uh, her name is Cala. She's two year and a half. She's at home right now because she has the flu. So today is a very special day. everyone who has children know that when you work from home, it's, it's perfect, but it's also challenging when some of the kids are in, in the house because of the flu or whatever. So today is one of those challenging days. And my wife, her name is Karina, it's Carrie in English. she's a lead recruiter, so she also works. in the industry or in the same industry or pretty industries. her company is based in New York.
[00:06:33] Roger Einstoss: I think New York or Miami, I don't remember now. but it's something normal for people in Argentina to work for the us.
[00:06:40] Adam Fishman: Now I wanted to ask you a little bit about Argentinian parenting styles. So I'm not from Argentina. I've never been, unfortunately I would love to go sometime. we had an au pair from Argentina at one point, which was fun. She was lovely. but given what you know about the United States and you visit here pretty regularly and you work with companies in the us, how would you describe or compare and contrast the parenting styles of Argentina?
[00:07:07] Adam Fishman: With those of the US.
[00:07:10] Roger Einstoss: I used to think that the styles were very different, but now I'm not sure. I think they are pretty similar, you know, that we are pretty close in terms of culture. I. Because we grew up, looking at the states, as an aspirational thing. And also 99% of the movies that come to Argentina are made in the us. So the only thing that I feel it's different is that you as a parents are always well prepared to, let the children go when they need to go to the university. it's very, very common in the US that when your kid, it is. 18, they move from one state to another, just to go to university.
[00:07:55] Roger Einstoss: And maybe you start, meeting them just once a year or twice a year. And that's something very, very hard for us in Argentina to understand because we have universities like in, in all the big cities just like you in the us. But you know that in US you have those exponentials universities that I know if you want to study, business, you want to go to Stanford.
[00:08:19] Roger Einstoss: So if you don't live in San Francisco, you will have to move there. so in Argentina it's difficult for us. When our kids, uh, turn 18 or or 20 to let them go, uh, because we feel that they're not prepared. If you had some kind of relationship with people from Latin America, we are like a very, very warm people. we also hug anyone. Maybe the first time we see each other. I will give you a kiss. And that's also a way to demonstrate that we are also the same way with our children. And it's very difficult for us to split.
[00:08:55] Roger Einstoss: But the rest of the things. I think that it's, it's, uh, worldwide.
[00:09:00] Adam Fishman: is it normal to live? Your family when you're in Argentina. By that I mean like your parents, your wife's parents. Like do you live close to each other or or are you several cities away? You do live close to each other.
[00:09:13] Roger Einstoss: Yes. But that's because in Argentina, all the important things happen around Buenos Aires. I.
[00:09:20] Roger Einstoss: And that's a, a big issue that we have. For instance, we have direct flights to the US from Enos Aires, like six, seven different cities. But if you live in, Cordova that it's one of the most important cities, after Enos Aires. And you wanna go to the States, you have to come to Buenos Aires first and then take a flight from Buenos Aires to the us.
[00:09:43] Roger Einstoss: that's only an example, but to show you that the important things are happening in Buenos Aires, and that's horrible because we have an amazing, country. We have amazing provinces and cities, all around Buenos Aires. but it's something that, that every government try to change, but they can't. I dunno why,
[00:10:04] Adam Fishman: one of the things that you mentioned about parenting, is that you, uh, and I would assume your wife see parenting as a team effort, I wish I could say that that is a hundred percent how people see it in the United States.
[00:10:17] Adam Fishman: Not necessarily. I don't wanna assume that a hundred percent of people in Argentina see it that same way. But tell me about how you and your wife operate like a team.
[00:10:25] Roger Einstoss: you know, that many times in traditional families, it's like the dad is helping, uh, the mom
[00:10:32] Roger Einstoss: we don't see it that way. We are both, uh, raising, the children together. So it's not that I'm helping you or you are helping me, we are both helping each other. And it's very useful for us, that we both work. We both work from home. So, for instance, right now my wife is with my daughter because she's feeling sick. but after this, podcast, I know that I will go to pick up my boy from school, because I know that she's not working right now. I'm working right now, so in two hours it's her turn and if the day was complicated because of the children and we need to work at night, we can do it. And that's why I'm also, building my own company because I want freedom. I want to have that freedom to say, okay, I'm really happy to go. Every day at 4:00 PM to pick up my, my children from school and see, their faces when they see me.
[00:11:30] Roger Einstoss: teamwork, it's about having a good balance. you know that most of the times, uh, kids always prefer mom over dad. It's something. Natural, I dunno why, but we try to split the responsibilities.
[00:11:45] Roger Einstoss: I know if I will take, omero to, uh, swimming classes, you will take him to basketball classes. and that's how we, uh, organize everything.
[00:11:55] Roger Einstoss: And a little tip every Sunday we take like five minutes to, check each other's calendar to say, okay, this week I will need you to pick up the kids on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. also, you know that I go to the US five, six times a year and I know that it's also hard for her because she stays here with the kids, uh, maybe a week, two weeks. Uh, so I know that when I come back. I will have all the work that I have done because I was traveling, and also I need more time for helping her.
[00:12:30] Roger Einstoss: it's a balance.
[00:12:31] Adam Fishman: Yeah, I do like that perspective that you, that you started off, with that you see it, maybe even differently than a lot of people see it in the, in the States, which is this idea of like, I. There's a difference between help and equal participation, sort of being on that team and everyone has a role to play.
[00:12:50] Adam Fishman: you're not doing. You partner a favor by spending time with the kids, you're, doing it. 'cause that's what's expected and that's what everyone does. you also have a perspective and you hinted at this, that it's really important for both parents to work, which is a perspective that not everyone holds.
[00:13:07] Adam Fishman: definitely not in the United States, and not in a lot of countries, but, that perspective is not driven by money or equality. or sort of Well, I work so you should work and we, 'cause we're all contributing. Why do you think it's important, for both parents to work? What, what is important about that?
[00:13:25] Roger Einstoss: it put both of us at the same level in terms of, uh, responsibilities and dedication. I heard many times from other entrepreneurs in Argentina, in Argentina. Coming back to your first point, it depends a lot if both are working or not on the, the economical level. For poor people or middle class, they must work both of them because otherwise they can't leave in the high class. of the times, moms don't work, because they take care of children. But I think that that creates, unbalance of power.
[00:14:04] Roger Einstoss: Because I've been talking about this with many entrepreneurs. most of the times, uh, they think, okay, I can go, five times a week to have dinner with my friends because I'm the one who, who has a job.
[00:14:19] Roger Einstoss: and her job is to be with the kids, that it's a job.
[00:14:22] Adam Fishman: Mm-hmm.
[00:14:23] Roger Einstoss: the worst case scenario, I've heard, uh, people, uh, paying, their wives just because it's a job and it's obviously a job and it's a lot of effort being with a kid at home the whole day. But I think that if you don't have certain balance in terms of, not only money. More than money, like responsibilities. it's difficult to maintain that, that balance. Balance.
[00:14:51] Roger Einstoss: It's the probably the most powerful, uh, word for this, for the show.
[00:14:58] Adam Fishman: I see that and it's about, sort of each parent being on equal footing, uh, with each other and being able to say, you know, we're both, we're both responsible for the family, we're both responsible for working. It's just, I. What we do as a, as a team.
[00:15:13] Adam Fishman: You mentioned, uh, at the beginning, that a lot of folks in Argentina and, and in your household, you both work with companies in the United States. and you said that that's pretty common. why is that common in, in Argentina?
[00:15:26] Roger Einstoss: Well, there are two main reasons. The first one is that when you. Grow up, most of them middle class and high class, uh, parents send their kids to bilingual schools because we know that if we want to create a company or if we want to work for a big company, we must learn English. And that's why most of us, uh, started learning, learning English, when, we were, I know, five or six years old, for instance, my, my children, they, they both go to a bilingual school. Bilingual school didn't exist in my times. I started learning, learning English when I was probably 12 or 15. but right now it's pretty common and. It's because of, uh, the size of the market.
[00:16:13] Roger Einstoss: I think if you want to create a big company and you want to scale, Argentina is a great market, but it's not the states.
[00:16:21] Adam Fishman: Mm.
[00:16:21] Roger Einstoss: you need to go outside Argentina to keep growing and building your, your company. that's one of the reasons. And the other one, it's because of the macroeconomic, uh, problems that we faced. Uh, along the time, imagine that now it's getting better. About two years ago, we had more than 300% of inflation in a year. my parents-in-law, they bought a house, like a one bedroom house 10 years ago, and they paid 1 million pesos. And last year I bought a mattress and I paid 1 million pesos.
[00:16:58] Roger Einstoss: that's the amazing, uh, power of inflation. In 10 years with the same amount of pesos, they bought an entire house, an apartment, and I bought a mattress. So
[00:17:13] Adam Fishman: Wow.
[00:17:14] Roger Einstoss: in terms of this, most of the people want to have their salary in US dollars. But if you want to have your salary in US dollars, you have to work for the US or you have to work for a company like cas that work with clients in the us.
[00:17:27] Roger Einstoss: So You need English. So that's why I think most of the people always is willing to, uh, go abroad. also argentian people is, is most of the, of the population is very, very open and they really like to, go abroad, visit other countries. So that's also open your mind.
[00:17:49] Adam Fishman: it's fascinating. I, and I really love to hear if you have a, another minute or two on this topic, about starting your, your company, and working with, Companies in the, in the us Like what, in, what inspired you to get started? So your company is like a nearshoring company,I guess explain what that is.
[00:18:08] Roger Einstoss: Okay. Uh, that means that we are a software development company, so we write code, we create software, but we specialize in helping US-based company. to build and scale their engineering teams. In Latin America, we have as a, as a region and as a country, we have a really, really huge, uh, advantage because we are very, very aligned in terms of time zone.
[00:18:34] Adam Fishman: Mm-hmm.
[00:18:35] Roger Einstoss: one of our head of EST, and also the level of English and also the cultural, thing. And also this thing of people, uh, working for big companies in Argentina, creating unicorns. the biggest company Learning America was born in Argentina 20 years ago. It's called Merca.
[00:18:55] Roger Einstoss: most of the people here, work for those kind of companies, and that's why we, we are still creating that amazing, uh, talent.
[00:19:04] Adam Fishman: of what inspired you to get started in this direction in the first place.
[00:19:09] Roger Einstoss: well definitely my, uncle, that conversation,
[00:19:13] Roger Einstoss: but also I, I always knew something I hate, about working for other companies is that it's always difficult to make things happen. Most of the times and culture thing, and maybe you are doing like a great career, but then suddenly your boss change and you had to restart and start again. So it's something that I always,I didn't enjoy. So that's why I, thought, okay, I have to create my own company because I will be able to make things happen. Then you realize that sometimes you can and sometimes not. but it's much better. And also because I realized that we have this big opportunity of connecting talent from Argentina with, with us companies.
[00:20:02] Roger Einstoss: And it's both way, like a win-win situation. 'cause we are helping, we are changing lives here because we are helping people that don't know how to reach. The US market, we are helping them to get like a really good job with a really good salary, and really interesting job. And we are also helping us companies to hire those people in, Latin America, saving money, taking all the advantages, so realize
[00:20:33] Roger Einstoss: that we were, ready to fill that gap.
[00:20:37] Roger Einstoss: the main point is. Make things happen,
[00:20:41] Roger Einstoss: having, uh, that chance of being your own, engine, I would say.
[00:20:46] Adam Fishman: yeah. And then as you mentioned in the beginning of the show, this flexibility to be a present involved dad.
[00:20:54] Roger Einstoss: I mean, when I started the company, was 12 years ago, But I knew in that time that eventually will, uh, have children and I will need that freedom.
[00:21:08] Adam Fishman: well, speaking of that, speaking of Humero, uh, what's the earliest memory that you have after becoming a dad?
[00:21:15] Roger Einstoss: I remember, Argentina when they, were born, I mean, he was born and in that exactly moment. you go to the, inside the, hospital, you go to like an area where they make some checks and stuff. after that, you are the first person that, take him. So I remember that moment, like talking to him. I'm thinking, okay, now. This is real. and I always think that it's difficult for that in general to feel. Your son until you, you see it. Because for mothers, it's, it's easier I think, because they are like feeling the whole pregnant. So it's different. But for you, the very first time when you see them and you have the chance to take them and talk to them, It's a moment I won't forget, I think, in my whole life. and I hope to, to tell him about that moment. Eventually now he's six, so he's starting asking questions we are in a good moment.
[00:22:25] Adam Fishman: Okay. Alright. so I know that teaching your kids and talking to your kids about emotional intelligence is really important for you. you mentioned that to me in, in our prep for this show. How do you, model that for your kids and show them, what it means to be emotionally intelligent?
[00:22:45] Roger Einstoss: it's important for me because think that in my house I didn't have like anything like that, like emotional intelligence. I remember my parents, maybe I.quarreling about something or, just getting angry for, for nothing. And when I grew up, I understood that, okay, I don't want this for, for me and for my house and for my children. So that's why I understood without understanding. Emotional intelligence that I didn't want to repeat that and started reading about emotional intelligence. There is a neuroscientist here in Argentina that it's called Estanislao and he's really good and he talks about brain emotions and he explains how your brain works. when you are trying to learn things on, when you, start, telling your kid you can't do that, for instance, and he always says, you never have to say you can't do that because you are just canceling that guy.
[00:23:49] Roger Einstoss: in terms of, uh, I know I want to play the guitar. No, you can't do that. I remember. Two or three years ago, I was in, in the beach and I was listening another family next to us, and the mother was telling the, kid maybe a 17, 18 years old kid, uh, the kid was telling that he was, willing to study informatics, like software engineering.
[00:24:14] Adam Fishman: Hmm
[00:24:15] Roger Einstoss: mother was telling him, you can't do that because it's, it's too much for you. And
[00:24:19] Roger Einstoss: I couldn't believe the situation. learned that always have to focus on the good things, not on the bad things. So, for instance, it's important not to say when you pick them, uh, up from school, asking them, okay.
[00:24:36] Roger Einstoss: did you do the right thing today? No, it's not the same. To ask that question and to ask, what's the thing that you most enjoyed this day, for instance? so the way you ask questions also change the way they receive those questions and how they process that, and also how, how you react. if they. See me talking with my friends and I get angry and start yelling. They will probably learn that that's the way of answering to certain, like, uh, behavior. but I'm not an expert. nobody knows how to be a dad,
[00:25:14] Adam Fishman: Yeah.
[00:25:15] Roger Einstoss: try to do my best.
[00:25:16] Adam Fishman: Yeah. Trying our best. That's all we can do. your daughter is pretty young at two and a half, Amara is six. do you talk to him about work and what, what dad and mom do for work? Or is it still not quite something that he would understand?
[00:25:32] Roger Einstoss: They don't know what we
[00:25:34] Adam Fishman: Mm-hmm.
[00:25:35] Roger Einstoss: obviously Kala is two and a half, but Omero, he, he only knows that we work with computers. I. some fun fact is that two weeks ago when I was in Omaha, my wife told me that he came to my office, sits on the chair, and, and started looking at the computer. when she asked him, okay, Omero, what are you doing? He, I'm like that. So. He knows that we, we do something with computers. he knows that I usually go to the US and he love that because I always buy like a new Lego and do things that we can get here in Argentina, but we get when we go there. and many times it's difficult because they start his in an age that he started like, uh, missing, uh, me on the daily basis. And many times it's difficult because I come back and maybe, uh, he hug me and say, I missyou so much. it's nice, but it's also, you feel kind of guilty.
[00:26:37] Roger Einstoss: but he knows that it's something that I have to do and it's okay. And anything, it's healthy for them. I
[00:26:43] Adam Fishman: Yeah.
[00:26:44] Roger Einstoss: being a hundred percent of the time just paced.
[00:26:48] Roger Einstoss: and to his mom.
[00:26:50] Adam Fishman: And it's probably important for him to see, well, dad goes away for a business trip and then dad comes home. And that's how it works. you know, you travel. Well, you said maybe a half a dozen times a year to the United States. one of the things I've never been very good at is doing a good job of connecting with my family when I'm on the road.
[00:27:09] Adam Fishman: I don't travel very much, so I haven't really built a, any kind of habit of it. but I'm just not very good at it. Do you have any rituals or ways that you connect with your kids and your wife when you're out on the road, or have you not figured it out yet either.
[00:27:25] Roger Einstoss: Not really. we talk through WhatsApp,
[00:27:28] Roger Einstoss: or messages, but I try not to talk with them through, uh, like FaceTime because I know that after the call they will be, uh, like missing me.
[00:27:39] Roger Einstoss: I try not to do it. so I didn't figure it out. I will do it maybe in a couple of years when they grow up. but it's difficult because you miss them. I always say that the first five days this is my case, I usually. don't miss a lot because you are like, uh, with the adrenaline and meeting new people and doing things and working, working, working. But then the hardest thing is when I have to go for two weeks and I have the weekend in the middle,
[00:28:10] Adam Fishman: Mm
[00:28:10] Roger Einstoss: are having dinner alone and you see a family just getting into the restaurant and they have kids same age than you those are the moments where you say, okay, I miss them.
[00:28:22] Adam Fishman: mm.
[00:28:22] Roger Einstoss: when you see the children that start jumping over the, parents' head, you say, okay, happy I can have this dinner just in peace. both, uh, faces of the reality,
[00:28:35] Adam Fishman: Yeah.
[00:28:36] Roger Einstoss: the first days you are always in a hurry. Then after the fourth, the fifth, you start like missing. but most of the times I go for a week.
[00:28:43] Roger Einstoss: So that, that is the time where I'm coming back home.
[00:28:46] Adam Fishman: What advice would you give the younger version of yourself about becoming a dad or parenting?
[00:28:55] Roger Einstoss: I'm an engineer, so I am really structured. So I would say don't be so structured because there are many, many things that you can predict and you can handle and you don't know how. How. Will be, with Omero, it's, it's very hard for us to, to deal with certain situations in school. Uh, since he was a little kid, it was difficult. Like he has a really strong character. and with Kala, she's like so nice and so soft. And if you say gala, go there and sit there and wait. does it. and it was impossible to predict that.
[00:29:36] Roger Einstoss: you can predict when they are going to be sick or, or school issues or, or daddy or mommy issues.
[00:29:43] Roger Einstoss: So just relax. I can do it. It's easy to say, but difficult to do, but just relax and understand that things will go. Some way,
[00:29:54] Roger Einstoss: it will just go.
[00:29:56] Adam Fishman: So it sounds like the advice there is, you do like structure. It's important to have structure, but also recognize that your plans won't always go according to plan. The structure won't always work out like you want it to work out and you have to be okay with that.
[00:30:14] Roger Einstoss: And that's also applies to life and business in general. In business. I would say that 90% of the things that you think that will go in a certain way will go in another way.
[00:30:26] Adam Fishman: Yeah, that's a good one, especially as an entrepreneur. so one of the things that you told me is really important, to you is quality time with your kids and your family. what are some of your favorite activities? How do, how do you define quality time?
[00:30:40] Roger Einstoss: Well, I always try not to use the, the phone when I'm with them during the day. It's difficult because if now I go with my daughter, I am in the middle of the day and it's a special day, so I will probably have to be with the phone. But during weekends, for instance, uh, I try Not to use the smartphone when, when I'm with their, because after that we ask them to be like focused on a conversation, but then we don't realize that maybe when they are talking to us, we are looking at the phone. So I try not to do it. for instance, on Omero started playing basketball. Two months ago. It's not a popular, game here in Argentina, but it's getting more and more trendy. Obviously the most popular sport here is the, the soccer. We call it football, right? It's soccer for, for you. so now I enjoy a lot like, uh, going to the basketball, uh, court and start playing with him and connecting through sports. and also one of the moments I most enjoy. During the day is when they go to sleep, because there's where like reflections start and they start like asking questions and maybe asking something about something that happened three weeks ago it's unbelievable
[00:32:00] Roger Einstoss: how their brain work.
[00:32:02] Roger Einstoss: but I try to be present. I'm part of, uh, of an organization of entrepreneurs. Here in Argentina, but it's also worldwide. And one of the things that we do is we connect with the same group of people monthly and for four hours.
[00:32:18] Roger Einstoss: And we talk about our challenges as a person and as a business owner. And we don't use cell phones. In those four hours. And it's because we try to have like quality time connecting with the one you have in front of you. And the same learning I try to use, uh, when it comes to, uh, being with my, children. We live like in a modern world and it's not always easy, but they try to do it.
[00:32:46] Adam Fishman: I'm gonna come back to that idea of the modern world, but before that, I wanted to ask you, going all the way back to the beginning, we talked about the importance of operating as a team with your, with your wife. but I know that, you know, even the best of teammates sometimes disagree about some things.
[00:33:01] Adam Fishman: what has been, as far as parenting goes, the hardest thing? For you and your wife to come to an agreement on, or where do you have different perspective on things?
[00:33:11] Roger Einstoss: when Kala started the kindergarten last year, she started going half a day,
[00:33:17] Roger Einstoss: during the morning. It was like she was a year and a half, like that. and I knew that this year. She needed to go the the full day because it was better for her and also for us. we had a really like, uh, hard moment and discussion, uh, defining I if she was going to go the full day or not this year. that was difficult because my, my wife. Uh, said, no, she's like a small, she's only two years old.
[00:33:52] Roger Einstoss: so I don't want her to be the next 20 years going to school the full day, and. was in the other, like, street, I'm thinking okay, but I prefer that she's like being at school, that being with a nanny, just, uh, walking in the neighborhood, doing nothing. the school is the best place. Where she can be. and she ended up going, uh, the whole day and I'm sure is the best decision we've made.
[00:34:21] Roger Einstoss: it also give us more time, , for working, for having lunch together, for instance, as a couple. it's better for her. Because she has a routine. She, uh, like has lunch at school. She tastes new, new different things in terms of food.
[00:34:40] Roger Einstoss: So it's much better than the regular routine that you have when you pick them at school and come back and take a nap and et cetera.
[00:34:48] Adam Fishman: Yeah.
[00:34:48] Roger Einstoss: that was a tough decision for her, not for me. I was so convinced. But it, it was a difficult moment, as a parent, like deciding that
[00:34:58] Adam Fishman: Yeah. Uh, well that makes a lot of sense, I think, uh, and, uh, you know, I'm glad that you all sorted it out. so back to modern, the modern world that we live in. I'm sure as an engineer you've probably heard of ai. it's kind of an important thing these days. Probably use it. I'm sure engineers that you employ, use it as well.
[00:35:18] Adam Fishman: but I'm curious, have you ever used AI as a parent? Or for parenting challenges.
[00:35:24] Roger Einstoss: I did something the other day. Omero came back from school with a, with a draw. And it was weird because the, the eyes of the draw were, I know, diabolic or something like that. It was weird. So I take a picture, I upload it to Chachi Pettini I wrote the prompt. Okay. This is a drum. I, uh, six years old, son did. I would love you to explain me how should I like, interpret this draw or whatever. And it gave me like, uh, an answer. I think that was the first time I used it for being a dad. But it will, uh, happen more and more and more because ai, it is the new like, industrial revolution. So I like to say that, AI will not replace humans. It's just like the autopilot, in an airplane. But in five years, I don't know if this will happen in one year, five or 10, but in the, in the short term, if, people that don't use AI will be like, people that don't use, uh, spreadsheets
[00:36:33] Roger Einstoss: if you want to get like a normal job, you need to use. Google spreadsheets word. I think the same will happen with AI and this, uh, generation. they won't remember the, the world without ai, AI will be something normal for them. just like for me, something normal. I would say smartphones because. I had my first phone when I was 16 or
[00:37:02] Roger Einstoss: 17. and I lived a life without smartphones. Uh, I grew up in the nineties, but when I started doing my, own life and started dating with people, uh, going out with friends and whatever. I had a phone. So for me it's unthinkable to go and try to meet with someone in a bar without having a text.
[00:37:31] Roger Einstoss: Same thing will happen for them. With ai, we can't imagine how, but it will happen.
[00:37:36] Adam Fishman: So what did chat GPT tell you about this picture that you uploaded?
[00:37:40] Roger Einstoss: he seems to be, um, like a, happy boy. But probably those, uh, those sides were because of the video that it's very popular in YouTube
[00:37:52] Roger Einstoss: we just deleted YouTube from, from the, from the tv, uh, the draw it's called, skip the Toilet or
[00:38:00] Adam Fishman: Oh, yes, yes, we know about that here in the States.
[00:38:05] Roger Einstoss: I saw ski toilet in Walmart two weeks ago,
[00:38:08] Adam Fishman: Oh, no.
[00:38:09] Roger Einstoss: so good. But I thought, okay, I can't buy this because I just prohibited him to see ski toilet.
[00:38:16] Roger Einstoss: AI. I won't say that. It will change our life. It's changing our lives.
[00:38:21] Adam Fishman: Already. Yeah. okay. I have just a couple more questions for you before our lightning round. what has been your greatest moment as a dad? The moment where you're most proud?
[00:38:33] Roger Einstoss: when I see. my children playing together and like interacting, uh, between each other. I feel proud about the relationship that we are creating between them. I can see how, Omero take care of Cala. Uh, because he's the big boy and how Ka is always looking at him saying, okay, Omero can do this or can't do that. it's not a moment, but when you, many times you know that they start playing together and maybe you are in the sofa just. Watching the, the moment. it's amazing how they interact and many times how they talk each other, makes me feel proud about.
[00:39:18] Roger Einstoss: Okay. we are going through the right path. we'll know it in 20 years if we
[00:39:24] Adam Fishman: That's right.
[00:39:25] Roger Einstoss: right path or not,
[00:39:26] Adam Fishman: That's right.
[00:39:27] Roger Einstoss: it's a good signal.
[00:39:28] Adam Fishman: Okay. All right. Okay, two more questions for you. My son would be really disappointed if I didn't ask you this before we got off the call, and that is, do you know Lionel Messi? Has he ever been over to your house for dinner or have you ever hung out with him?
[00:39:45] Roger Einstoss: no. Uh, I obviously know Leonard, but I've never, uh, seen him like live. I went to the, to the soccer, uh, game many times and I saw him in the soccer game. He's fantastic. he's a really, really good representation of a good dad here in Argentina because he's really busy. I. his job.
[00:40:08] Roger Einstoss: Obviously he's messy, but for instance, he decided to go to Miami and not being in Europe because he wanted to, uh, dedicate time to his family. And he's messy.
[00:40:21] Roger Einstoss: if you go to Rosario, Rosario is the city where, where he was born. He usually goes to Rosario in between Christmas and New Year's Eve,
[00:40:30] Roger Einstoss: you can see him walking down the street.
[00:40:32] Adam Fishman: Wow.
[00:40:33] Roger Einstoss: Because he's, he's a normal guy.
[00:40:35] Roger Einstoss: it's not, uh, normal for us just to have dinner with them. But I have a friend who runs like a, a video producing company,
[00:40:44] Roger Einstoss: he did like three or four commercials with Messi.
[00:40:48] Roger Einstoss: I can say that I only like one. I have one grade of separation with messy.
[00:40:53] Adam Fishman: That's great. I'll, I'll tell my son and then I'll also tell him that between Christmas and New Year's, we have to go to Mess' Hometown and maybe we'll see him. okay. Roger, how can people follow along or be helpful to you?
[00:41:07] Roger Einstoss: well, I'm on Twitter. it's R Insto. R Insto, like my, the first name of, uh, uh, well, I think it would be in the, probably in the information of the show. And I'm also on LinkedIn. I don't use Instagram.
[00:41:21] Roger Einstoss: but I'm very active on LinkedIn because of my, my job. that's probably the best way of, of
[00:41:28] Adam Fishman: Okay. And of course if anybody needs some, uh, nearshore engineering help in the states, I will send them your way.
[00:41:36] Adam Fishman: okay. Let's do our lightning round really quickly. here's how it works. I ask you a question, you say the first thing that comes to mind What is the most indispensable parenting product that you have ever purchased?
[00:41:51] Roger Einstoss: I don't know how to say it in English, but it's a kind of. Pillow that you put, uh, on your knees when you, uh, need to bath your kids.
[00:42:00] Roger Einstoss: it's like a niche. Safer. It's the name of the product.
[00:42:04] Adam Fishman: Okay. All right. We'll find it and link to it. Uh, what is the most useless parenting product that you've ever purchased?
[00:42:12] Roger Einstoss: all the stuff that you buy, to avoid, like, um, washing their eyes when you are bathing them, all those like little, animals that you buy, it's useless.
[00:42:24] Adam Fishman: Okay.
[00:42:25] Roger Einstoss: get them used to, just we, their, uh, their eyes.
[00:42:28] Adam Fishman: Yep. Uh, what is the weirdest thing that you've ever found in one of your kids' Pockets?
[00:42:34] Roger Einstoss: money
[00:42:35] Adam Fishman: Okay.
[00:42:35] Roger Einstoss: know where it comes
[00:42:38] Adam Fishman: Okay. What is your dad superpower?
[00:42:43] Roger Einstoss: Patience, I think
[00:42:44] Adam Fishman: Good. Good. All right. What is the crazier block of your, of time in your house? 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM in the morning, or 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at night.
[00:42:55] Roger Einstoss: 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM Definitely
[00:42:58] Adam Fishman: That's the crazy time. Okay.
[00:42:59] Adam Fishman: if your kids had to describe you in one word, what would it be?
[00:43:04] Roger Einstoss: I would say, uh, lovely.
[00:43:06] Adam Fishman: Lovely. Okay. do you have any parenting books in your house?
[00:43:12] Roger Einstoss: Yes.
[00:43:12] Adam Fishman: How many of those books have you read, cover to cover? I.
[00:43:16] Roger Einstoss: One.
[00:43:17] Adam Fishman: Oh wow. One. Okay, good. what is the most absurd thing that one of your kids has ever asked you to buy for them?
[00:43:26] Roger Einstoss: the skibidi toilet? Definitely,
[00:43:28] Adam Fishman: skibidi toilet. Okay. maybe the answer is the same for this, but what is the most difficult kids TV show that you've ever had to sit through?
[00:43:37] Roger Einstoss: there is one that, it's called Deanna and Roma. Uh,
[00:43:40] Roger Einstoss: they are like, uh, siblings from Ukraine, Russia, or something like that. And they teach how, uh, not to treat bad your parents, but first they treat bad, their parents and then you have like conclusion. it is horrible. We, we, we blocked that.
[00:43:58] Adam Fishman: Okay. Okay. I.
[00:43:59] Roger Einstoss: don't play Deanna and Roma.
[00:44:02] Adam Fishman: Okay, this is the first time this has ever come up on this show, so I'm gonna have to look into this now. what is your favorite kid's movie?
[00:44:09] Roger Einstoss: inside out.
[00:44:10] Adam Fishman: Oh, great one. Okay. Is there a movie from your childhood that you just can't wait to force your kids to watch when they're old enough?
[00:44:21] Roger Einstoss: the Marvel ones, but he's, he's in that age,
[00:44:24] Adam Fishman: Okay. Yes. Yes.
[00:44:26] Roger Einstoss: Batman.
[00:44:27] Adam Fishman: Yep. Okay. What is the worst experience that you've ever had assembling a kid's toy or a piece of furniture?
[00:44:37] Roger Einstoss: I'm really bad to do those things. my wife is the good one, I remember the last Lego I bought for him. it's a Ferrari I have there.
[00:44:47] Adam Fishman: Yep.
[00:44:47] Roger Einstoss: the Hamilton Ferrari, I was trying to figure out how to put a piece and he told me, no, dad, you're doing it wrong.
[00:44:56] Roger Einstoss: It's this way. And like showed me how to do it.
[00:45:02] Adam Fishman: That's great. and you're the engineer, so, you know. Go figure.
[00:45:06] Roger Einstoss: he will be a, a better engineer.
[00:45:09] Adam Fishman: Okay. do you have any, dad hacks or tricks for road trips or flights with kids?
[00:45:18] Roger Einstoss: it's not a hack just. Give it the iPad.
[00:45:24] Adam Fishman: That, that's a pretty common one.
[00:45:26] Roger Einstoss: I have a little hack. my wife always buy like little toys, like cheap, but, but little toys, because if you start giving them, uh, along the flight, it's something new. So they will be playing with that.
[00:45:41] Adam Fishman: Mm
[00:45:42] Roger Einstoss: always try to travel during night.
[00:45:44] Roger Einstoss: It's better.
[00:45:46] Adam Fishman: Okay. Last question for you. I don't know how Argentinians feel about this, but what is your take on minivans? Are you a minivan person or no?
[00:45:58] Roger Einstoss: no. I, I am, I'm a really, uh, I'm a big fan of cars.
[00:46:03] Adam Fishman: Yep.
[00:46:03] Roger Einstoss: cars. we have a big car for the family, and I have, an SUV. It's not a minivan. I mean, you need a minivan if you have like four or five, six
[00:46:14] Adam Fishman: Gotcha.
[00:46:15] Roger Einstoss: I have two. So they fit in a car. I have a SUV for for the family.
[00:46:20] Roger Einstoss: And I have my small car because I prefer cars over
[00:46:24] Roger Einstoss: trucks,
[00:46:25] Adam Fishman: Yep.
[00:46:25] Roger Einstoss: mini hands, SUVs.
[00:46:26] Adam Fishman: Yep. Okay. So no minivan in the Einstein household. I got it. alright, Roger, thank you so much for joining me today. This was a wonderful conversation. I learned a lot about Argentina. your company is Braly and I will make sure to send people there if they're looking for engineers. Thanks for joining me.
[00:46:48] Roger Einstoss: Thank you so much for having me, and I also really enjoyed this conversation.
[00:46:53] Adam Fishman: Thank you for listening to today's conversation with Roger Sto. Startup Dad is available in all your favorite podcast players and YouTube.
[00:47:02] Adam Fishman: Just search for Startup Dad to find it anywhere you listen to podcasts. Thanks for listening, and see you next week.