Stay ConnectedSince 2016, Front Row Dads has been the community for “family men with businesses, not businessmen with families”.
Weekly interviews on marriage, parenting, health, emotional intelligence, business and legacy.
Learn about the brotherhood at FrontRowDads.com
You can build the house, pay the bills, protect and provide—but if your wife doesn't feel seen, and your kids don't feel known, what are you really building?
In this episode, Ryan Deiss opens up about the moment his marriage hit a wall… and the quiet heartbreak of realizing he had drifted from the people he loved most.
It wasn't burnout. It wasn't failure. It was success without alignment—and the cost of being emotionally absent, even while physically present.
You'll take away:
If you're trying to be more than just the guy who gets stuff done…If you want to be the man your wife trusts and your kids remember—
👉 Listen to the full episode now
You don't need to do more. You need to show up better—for her, for them, for you.
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👋 Want to learn more about Front Row Dads?
We are in the business of building better families.
While most dads would say that family matters most, the challenge is they feel guilty knowing their careers get the best of them, and their family seems to get the rest of them.
We help Dads become family men with businesses, not businessmen with families, so they can thrive personally AND professionally.
Subscribe to the Front Row Dad podcast to learn about fatherhood, marriage, and how to level up your game at home, or if you're ready for the best coaching and true brothers to grow with
👉 Join The Brotherhood: https://frontrowdads.com/brotherhood
🎤 Listen to Front Row Dads podcast here:
🌐 Website: https://frontrowdads.com/podcast/ Apple: http://bit.ly/3XLSRWj
You've built momentum before. You've held it all—business, family, vision. And you've probably felt that moment when the weight of it all starts pressing back.
For Jenna and Brad Ballard, that moment wasn't collapse. It was clarity—the kind that only comes when life demands something deeper than drive.
As founders of ALA—Ascension Leadership Academy, they were guiding others through profound transformation, even as they navigated their own. Business growth, parenting two young boys, and a health crisis that shook their foundation—all at once. The mission never changed. The love never left. But the way they were holding it had to.
This episode is about what happens when leaders choose evolution over endurance. When nervous system work becomes strategy. When joy, creativity, and emotional safety aren't rewards for making it—they're the reason you keep going.
Brad built Fastlane Drive. Jenna answered the call to music. And together, they didn't walk away from anything—they found a new way to carry all of it, with presence, softness, and strength. They didn't quit the work. They became it.
🔹 What You'll Get From This Conversation:- The health crisis that became a wake-up call—not just for their bodies, but for how they were carrying everything they'd built - The nervous system work, rituals, and inner rewiring that helped them lead with clarity instead of pressure - Why Fastlane Drive and Jenna's music weren't escapes—they were healing, alignment, and powerful extensions of who they really are - How they held the business and the marriage through it all—and found a new way forward without letting go of either
This isn't a story about pushing harder. It's about choosing presence over performance—and building what actually lasts.
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👋 Want to learn more about Front Row Dads?
We are in the business of building better families.
While most dads would say that family matters most, the challenge is they feel guilty knowing their careers get the best of them, and their family seems to get the rest of them.
We help Dads become family men with businesses, not businessmen with families, so they can thrive personally AND professionally.
Subscribe to the Front Row Dad podcast to learn about fatherhood, marriage, and how to level up your game at home, or if you're ready for the best coaching and true brothers to grow with
👉 Join The Brotherhood: https://frontrowdads.com/brotherhood
🎤 Listen to Front Row Dads podcast here:
🌐 Website: https://frontrowdads.com/podcast/ Apple: http://bit.ly/3XLSRWj
Different childhoods. Different wounds. One shared commitment: to raise boys who feel seen, safe, and strong.
Some of us were raised on discipline. Others in silence. Some were praised only when we performed—others not at all.
But no matter what we inherited, we all face the same question when we become fathers: Will I repeat what I came from, or will I build something new?
In today's episode, I sit down with Jenna and Brad Ballard—two parents building something they didn't fully have growing up: a family grounded in presence, emotional safety, and truth.
Brad and Jenna are the co-founders of Ascension Leadership Academy (ALA), where they help people break through limiting beliefs and lead with emotional intelligence and purpose.
Their upbringings were different—one shaped by performance and pressure, the other by steadiness and structure. But what unites them now is a shared commitment to raising sons who feel seen, celebrated, and secure.
This isn't a conversation about parenting hacks or surface-level advice. It's about the quiet patterns we carry from childhood. The ones we repeat without realizing. The ones we choose to break. And the ones we intentionally rebuild—through rituals, reflection, and relentless love.
🔹 What You'll Get From This Conversation:🔥 Why presence matters more than perfection—and how the smallest moments can leave the biggest mark. 🧠 How your childhood shapes your parenting (even when you don't realize it)—and what it takes to break that cycle. ❤️ The power of rituals, mantras, and intentional language to create emotional safety at home. 🎯 What it really means to lead by example—not just at work, but where it counts most: with your kids. 💡 How to raise children who feel seen, strong, and safe—without passing down what you never meant to carry
___________________________________________________________________________
👋 Want to learn more about Front Row Dads? We are in the business of building better families.
👉 Join The Brotherhood: https://frontrowdads.com/brotherhood
While most dads would say that family matters most, the challenge is they feel guilty knowing their careers get the best of them, and their family seems to get the rest of them.
We help Dads become family men with businesses, not businessmen with families, so they can thrive personally AND professionally.
Subscribe to the Front Row Dad podcast to learn about fatherhood, marriage, and how to level up your game at home, or if you're ready for the best coaching and true brothers to grow with
👉 Join The Brotherhood: https://frontrowdads.com/brotherhood
🎤 Listen to Front Row Dads podcast here:
🌐 Website: https://frontrowdads.com/podcast/
Apple: http://bit.ly/3XLSRWj
As a father and entrepreneur, you know what it feels like to carry the weight of providing, leading, and doing what's right—even when it's hard. But what happens when doing what's right means walking away from money, approval, and comfort? In this powerful episode, I sit down with Mikki Willis—filmmaker, author, and creator of one of the most controversial and widely viewed independent films of our time. At the peak of his career, Mikki was faced with a choice: stay silent and keep everything... or speak his truth and risk it all. He chose soul over strategy. And it changed everything. In this episode, you'll learn:
This conversation is your reminder: you're not alone—and you're not crazy. You're just building something the world can't take from you.
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👋 Want to learn more about Front Row Dads? We are in the business of building better families.
👉 Join The Brotherhood: https://frontrowdads.com/brotherhood
While most dads would say that family matters most, the challenge is they feel guilty knowing their careers get the best of them, and their family seems to get the rest of them.
We help Dads become family men with businesses, not businessmen with families, so they can thrive personally AND professionally.
Subscribe to the Front Row Dad podcast to learn about fatherhood, marriage, and how to level up your game at home, or if you're ready for the best coaching and true brothers to grow with
👉 Join The Brotherhood: https://frontrowdads.com/brotherhood
🎤 Listen to Front Row Dads podcast here:
🌐 Website: https://frontrowdads.com/podcast/
Apple: http://bit.ly/3XLSRWj
Ever feel like summer slips away without truly connecting with your family?
In our latest Front Row Dads podcast, I'm joined by Ali Jafarian, our Chief Transformation Officer, to dive deep into the transformative events we've planned for you this summer. These aren't just events—they're opportunities to redefine your legacy, strengthen your family bonds, and experience powerful brotherhood.
Key Insights & Takeaways:
Rite of Passage at the Grand Canyon
A life-changing experience crafted specifically for dads and their teens, designed to deepen trust and usher your child confidently toward adulthood.
Summer Summit in Keystone, Colorado
The perfect mid-year reset to sharpen your family vision, reconnect deeply with like-minded fathers, and prepare intentionally for family adventures ahead.
Colorado Adventure
A rugged, soul-nourishing outdoor experience for a select group of dads ready to push their limits, explore profound brotherhood, and return home stronger than ever.
Why These Events Matter
Ali and I candidly discuss the emotional and practical impact of intentionally stepping away from your routine to invest in family and brotherhood, transforming how you show up at home and in your business.
The Human ROI
Discover why time spent in deep, meaningful connection with other fathers offers a return far beyond typical business or networking events.
Ready to Listen and Learn More?
Join Ali and me as we unpack what makes these summer events essential for fathers committed to exceptional family lives and personal growth.
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👋 Want to learn more about Front Row Dads?
We are in the business of building better families.
While most dads would say that family matters most, the challenge is they feel guilty knowing their careers get the best of them, and their family seems to get the rest of them.
We help Dads become family men with businesses, not businessmen with families, so they can thrive personally AND professionally.
Subscribe to the Front Row Dad podcast to learn about fatherhood, marriage, and how to level up your game at home, or if you're ready for the best coaching and true brothers to grow with:
👉 Join The Brotherhood: https://frontrowdads.com/brotherhood
🎤 Listen to Front Row Dads podcast here:
🌐 Website: https://frontrowdads.com/podcast/
Apple: http://bit.ly/3XLSRWj
In this short but powerful bonus clip, Mikki Willis shares an intimate moment with his father that changed everything between them. It's a story about absence, acceptance, and the unexpected beauty of things unfolding exactly as they were meant to.
🎧 In just 8 minutes, you'll hear: – A fresh lens on forgiveness (without needing to "forgive") – A profound insight into the hidden perfection of our past – A reminder that it's never too late to heal family wounds – A touching, emotional story you won't forget
_____________________________
👋 Want to learn more about Front Row Dads? We are in the business of building better families.
👉 Join The Brotherhood: https://frontrowdads.com/brotherhood
While most dads would say that family matters most, the challenge is they feel guilty knowing their careers get the best of them, and their family seems to get the rest of them.
We help Dads become family men with businesses, not businessmen with families, so they can thrive personally AND professionally.
Subscribe to the Front Row Dad podcast to learn about fatherhood, marriage, and how to level up your game at home, or if you're ready for the best coaching and true brothers to grow with
👉 Join The Brotherhood: https://frontrowdads.com/brotherhood
🎤 Listen to Front Row Dads podcast here:
🌐 Website: https://frontrowdads.com/podcast/
Apple: http://bit.ly/3XLSRWj
Ever feel like your past is too messy to be meaningful?
Like the mistakes, the missed moments, the mess-ups with your kids or your wife… might be too much to make right?
This episode flips that idea on its head.
🎙️ Meet Mikki Willis—filmmaker, father, and the man behind Plandemic—as he opens up in one of the most honest and soul-stirring conversations we've ever recorded.
The title says it all: Masculinity. Fatherhood. Becoming the man your family needs.
This is about stepping into who you're called to be—not through perfection, but through presence.
Here's the real reason to listen:
"If you were in my life just one human hair more… I wouldn't be who I am today."
That's what Mikki told his father—over a couple of Budweisers on a park bench. That moment? It changed everything.
Here's what you'll walk away with:🔥 A redefinition of what it means to show up as a man and father 💔 How generational pain can turn into generational healing 🛠️ A story about bike pedals, reverse threads, and how "maybe there's another way" might change how you lead 🦋 A deathbed conversation with his father… and the miracle that followed 📺 Why most kids' shows are training your child to disrespect you—and how Mikki broke the cycle 🙏 A raw, honest talk with his son about God, karma, and the power of telling the truth
This isn't just a podcast episode. It's a guidepost for any man who's ever wondered:
Am I becoming the man my family needs?
If that question matters to you—this conversation will too.
You lead with intention in business, in life, and—most importantly—at home.
But let's be honest: Mother's Day can sneak up on you. You want to honor your wife well, but you're not always sure how to do it in a way that actually lands.
That's why we pulled together something different this year—a short video from a few Front Row Dads who opened up about what they've learned from celebrating their wives on Mother's Day.
These aren't "tips." They're real stories. Real lessons. Real wisdom.
👉 3 men. 🎥 6 short, powerful clips. 🎶 Set to music. ⚡ Built to inspire.
Here's what you'll hear:
🛑 The biggest mistake husbands make on Mother's Day—and how to avoid it
👀 Why making her feel seen matters more than any surprise gift
💬 A 10-year journal tradition that's become a family legacy
🧠 How understanding her love language shifted everything
🧒 Why including the kids isn't optional—it's the whole point
This video will remind you of something you already know deep down: How you show up for her shapes the home your kids grow up in.
▶️ [Watch the Mother's Day Wisdom Video]
You've got what it takes. This might help you say it better—and show it louder.
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While most dads would say that family matters most, the challenge is they feel guilty knowing their careers get the best of them, and their family seems to get the rest of them.
We help Dads become family men with businesses, not businessmen with families, so they can thrive personally AND professionally.
Subscribe to the Front Row Dad podcast to learn about fatherhood, marriage, and how to level up your game at home, or if you're ready for the best coaching and true brothers to grow with:
👉 Join The Brotherhood: https://frontrowdads.com/brotherhood
🎤 Listen to Front Row Dads podcast here:
🌐 Website: https://frontrowdads.com/podcast/
When your business feels like it's crumbling, what do you do?
Some men cling harder. Some walk away. But the rare few — they evolve.
Today's guest, Ryland Engelhart, is one of those rare few.
He helped build Café Gratitude into a beloved brand, co-founded the global movement Kiss the Ground, produced award-winning films about regeneration, and is now helping create Sovereignty Ranch—a living, breathing example of legacy in action.
But none of that happened without walking away from what no longer served him. And that's exactly what today's conversation is about.
If you're standing at a crossroads in business, family, or purpose, this conversation will show you how to lead through it.
In this episode, you'll discover: 🔑 How to exit with clarity—and leave behind what no longer serves you 🧱 How to rebuild with vision, not ego 🔄 How to lead through change—at home, in business, and beyond 🧭 How to turn disruption into direction—aligning your work with your deepest mission 🌳 How to create a legacy rooted in values, not just revenue
Ryland's story isn't just about closing restaurants or moving to a farm. It's about letting go with courage, leading with integrity, and building something that truly lasts.
If you're building something meaningful— If you're leading through uncertainty— If you're ready to define your legacy—
🎯 Listen to the episode now →
The mission might change. The calling remains.
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While most dads would say that family matters most, the challenge is they feel guilty knowing their careers get the best of them, and their family seems to get the rest of them.
We help Dads become family men with businesses, not businessmen with families, so they can thrive personally AND professionally.
Subscribe to the Front Row Dad podcast to learn about fatherhood, marriage, and how to level up your game at home, or if you're ready for the best coaching and true brothers to grow with:
👉 Join The Brotherhood: https://frontrowdads.com/brotherhood
🎤 Listen to Front Row Dads podcast here: 🌐 Website: https://frontrowdads.com/podcast/
When you look back years from now, what will you have built? A business? A life? A family rooted in presence, love, and legacy?
This episode is for fathers who know they're building something deeper—and want the tools to lead it well.
In today's conversation, I sit down with Ryland Engelhart—a father, builder, and mission-driven leader who shows us what happens when a man chooses healing over hiding, and presence over perfection.
You'll discover: → How a rooftop conversation with his dad shattered the belief he wasn't enough → Why building a home with his father became an act of love, repair, and generational strength → The daily prayer and gratitude rituals that are shaping his sons for life → How a pivotal experience with psychedelics awakened his calling to protect the Earth → Why your presence—not your perfection—is what your kids need most → How fatherhood doesn't end when your kids grow—it just evolves
If you're not just building a career— But building a legacy your family can stand on... This conversation will remind you of what really matters.
🎧 Listen now and start building the life your family deserves
__________________________________ While most dads would say that family matters most, the challenge is they feel guilty knowing their careers get the best of them, and their family seems to get the rest of them. We help Dads become family men with businesses, not businessmen with families, so they can thrive personally AND professionally. Subscribe to the Front Row Dad podcast to learn about fatherhood, marriage, and how to level up your game at home, or if you're ready for the best coaching and true brothers to grow with: 👉 Join The Brotherhood: https://frontrowdads.com/brotherhood 🎤 Listen to Front Row Dads podcast here: 🌐 Website: https://frontrowdads.com/podcast/ Apple: http://bit.ly/3XLSRWj
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