Joe had been in IT for nearly twenty years. Then the layoff hit. His daughter was seven months old. His wife became the provider. And the anxiety, the obsession, the low energy, the depression — it all came at once. He went to the gym five days a week and still took two naps a day. In this episode Joe — IT veteran, stepfather, father of three, and working dad figuring out multiple income streams — gets brutally honest about what getting laid off four times does to a man, why he'd take a pay cut just to be more present, and what he said that stopped the conversation cold: no job will ever pay me enough to eliminate time with my kids. No highlight reels. Just a working dad telling the truth.
Three things you'll learn:
What we cover:
00:00 — Introduction
Joe, IT professional of 18+ years, stepfather to an 11-year-old, and dad to a 2-year-old son and 3-and-a-half-year-old daughter
00:00 — The layoff that broke him
Daughter was seven months old. Wife became the provider. Depression, anxiety, obsession with job searching — and going to the gym every day while still taking two naps a day.
00:00 — His wife calling him out
The conversation that finally snapped him back. She's not gonna be this young forever. That line changed everything.
00:00 — Getting out of the rut
Fishing with a friend. Fresh air. Movement. And why stopping the obsession was the thing that finally worked.
00:00 — Four layoffs and counting
What getting laid off four times teaches you about resilience, identity, and what actually matters as a working dad
00:00 — The income stream question
ATR Payroll. A fitness coaching business. Multiple streams. And the math behind building enough that your family has options.
00:00 — I'd take a pay cut to be present
The line that stopped the conversation. Why Joe said it. And what it means for every working dad listening.
00:00 — The bedtime routine
Reading a story. Asking how their day was. Giving kids the openness now so they'll talk to you when it actually matters.
00:00 — Phones in the car
The one move Joe makes when they go out as a family. No reason to go back and get it.
00:00 — Date night and staying connected
Monthly goal. Softball schedules that get in the way. And why tomorrow night matters.
00:00 — Parting words
Take a breath. Step back. Get the thousand foot view. You're not perfect and you don't have to be.
About Joe
Joe is an IT professional with 18-plus years of experience, a stepfather to an 11-year-old, and a father of two young children. He is also building a side business with ATR Payroll and previously launched a fitness coaching brand. He is a husband, a bowling league regular, and a working dad who has been laid off four times and come back every single time.
About Working Dads
Working Dads is the podcast for fathers figuring out work, family, and everything in between. Every week host Johnathan Grzybowski sits down with working dads — founders, executives, investors, and everyday fathers — for honest conversations about the guilt, the grind, the marriage, the money, and what it actually takes to build a career and a family without dropping the ball on either.
No gurus. No highlight reels. Just real talk.
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