Raising responsible teenagers, how to let kids make their own decisions, and who is on your parenting team | Tom Willerer (father of 2, COO at Reforge)

Tom Willerer is the Chief Operating Officer at Reforge. Prior to that he was the Chief Product Officer at Opendoor, Coursera and a VP of Product at Netflix. Tom is a husband, father of two teenagers and a fellow Michigander.

In this episode we discuss:

* Tom's early years as a college baseball player

* How Tom got into tech

* The decision to start a family

* A hilarious story about burritos in the delivery room

* Having a limited support network

* How parenting is a team sport and how that team changes over time

* What it's like raising teenagers

* How to let kids make their own decisions (safely)

* Mistakes made leaning in too much to help

* Parenting frameworks

* How to put your partners needs above your own

* Managing kids and career

Listen, watch and subscribe: Apple, Spotify, YouTube, Overcast and Google.

Know someone who would benefit from listening to this podcast?

Where to find Tom Willerer

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/twillerer/

Where to find Adam Fishman

- Newsletter: www.startupdadpod.substack.com

- Newsletter: www.FishmanAFNewsletter.com

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/

- Twitter (aka X): https://twitter.com/fishmanaf

- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupdadpod/

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In this episode:

(1:51) Tom's introduction

(2:13) Learning more about Tom's background

(5:57) How Tom got into tech

(8:40) His decision to start a family with his wife

(9:50) Lacking a strong support network

(12:05) Tom's earliest memory of becoming a dad

(15:58) Why parenting is a team sport

(18:40) How the team changes as your kids get older

(22:22) What it's like raising teenagers

(27:26) How to let your kids make their own decisions

(31:30) Mistakes made leaning in too much

(35:23) Parenting frameworks

(38:19) When he and his wife don’t agree

(42:50) Putting your partner’s needs above own

(46:56) Managing kids & career

(48:47) Sacrifices made as a dad

(51:37) Rapid fire round

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Show references

Springfree Trampoline - https://www.springfreetrampoline.com/collections/trampolines

Inside Out the movie - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2096673/

Jeep Wrangler - https://www.jeep.com/wrangler.html

Sleep Coach - https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/what-is-sleep-coach

Reforge - www.reforge.com 

Opendoor - www.opendoor.com

Coursera - https://www.coursera.org/

Netflix - https://www.netflix.com/

Indiana University - https://www.iu.edu/index.html

Mario Kart 8 - https://mariokart8.nintendo.com/

Sun Microsystems - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Microsystems

BlackBerry - https://www.blackberry.com/us/en

Dad Joke Cards - https://www.amazon.com/WORD-TEASERS-Worst-Jokes-Conversation/dp/B09BX39MBN/r

City Ballet of San Diego - https://cityballet.org/

X (Twitter) - https://twitter.com/

Colic - https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/colic

ChatGPT - https://chat.openai.com

Super73 - https://super73.com/

Luke Bryan - https://www.lukebryan.com/tour

Shoreline Amphitheatre - https://www.mountainviewamphitheater.com/

Bridesmaids - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1478338/

Elon Musk - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elon_Musk

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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/