The Business of Being Dad with Rob Rohde

#031: On the Tightrope of Solo Parenting: A Peek Into My Life as a Businessman and Father

Rob Rohde Episode 31

Ever felt like you were on a tightrope, and the slightest disturbance could send everything you care about crashing down? Ya, me too. Join me as I share the highs and lows of my journey, and how I turned my messy past into a mission to serve you!

Overview:

Join Rob Rohde in this revealing episode, "Walking the Tightrope of Solo Parenting: A Peek Into My Life as a Businessman and Father," as he candidly shares the highs and lows of his journey, providing a glimpse into the complexities of single parenthood intertwined with the challenges of entrepreneurship.

Key Highlights:

  • Rob delves into the whirlwind of stress and trauma, sharing the pivotal moment that changed his family's life.
  • Discover how his mess became a mission, propelling him to create the Business of Being Dad.
  • Gain insights into Rob's 28-year career in healthcare and why he felt the need for a more impactful and purposeful venture.
  • Explore the essence of legacy and how it can be reshaped even after significant life events like divorce and loss.
  • Uncover Rob's personal growth and resilience through the storms of life and fatherhood.

What to Expect:
This episode is a heartfelt narrative intertwining personal struggles, professional evolution, and the pursuit of creating a lasting legacy. Rob's journey from solo parenting challenges to the meaningful connections he's fostered offers inspiration and wisdom for those facing similar hurdles.


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Speaker 1:

You are listening to the business of being dad. Get ready as we delve into the world of fatherhood, leadership and legacy. I'm Rob Rode, your humble host and fellow single father, and I'm so excited you're here to join us. This podcast was intentionally designed for you, men who believe they're destined for greatness, those who never settle for excuses but instead take meaningful action, and individuals who reject the notion of being ordinary. We're here for the ones who understand that being a phenomenal leader goes hand in hand with being an exceptional father. Why? Because we believe in you. We believe you hold the power to shape your identity as a man, a father and a leader. We believe you are the architect of your future and you get to determine the impact and legacy you'll leave behind. So get ready to explore the depths of personal growth, strengthen family bonds and create a legacy that resonates through time. Together, we'll rise, inspire and change. Let's get started Well. Hello everyone, and welcome back to another episode of the business of being dad. Today is a special episode, one I'm excited to share with you because today we are going to dive into my personal journey, the path that I took that led me to where I am today, as owner of the business of being dad and creator of this podcast, we're going to take an honest and authentic look into the ups and downs of my journey, not just in my business, but in my journey of fatherhood as well.

Speaker 1:

Now, before we dive into today's episode, let me start by telling you a little bit about myself. I am a single dad. A single dad to not just one or two or three or four, but five amazing daughters. That's right. You heard me right Five, and you know it's funny. Whenever I share how many kids I have and the fact that they are all girls, I tend to get one of two responses I either get this slide, laugh like wow, what did you ever do when you were younger to deserve that? Or perhaps I get a serious but knowing look, usually by other dads of daughters, followed by a comment such as I get it. But it's funny, though, because Personally, I really enjoy being a girl dad and I love being a dad to all daughters. In fact, I've grown to enjoy and appreciate being a single dad, but it hasn't always been easy, and I will never pretend that it has. There have been struggles, there have been screw ups, I've made countless mistakes and, in fact, you can go back and listen to some of my past episodes, where I have taken time to break down some of my epic fails as a father, but there have also been plenty of successes and joys and countless blessings. There have been meaningful moments of connection and great memories created, all of which makes this journey so worth it.

Speaker 1:

One of the most common questions I get asked is why did you start a podcast or why did you start your business? And the short answer is I just genuinely want to make a difference in the lives of other fathers, especially single fathers, and you know, if I took time to go into a little more detail, I would share that. I want to walk alongside other men, walk alongside them during their most difficult moments and meet them where they're at, in the middle of their pain, in the middle of their challenges, at the times when they feel most alone and least sure of what comes next, at the times when they really don't know what to do. I want to partner with other men and fathers, other single fathers, during these moments and provide support, guidance and direction, specifically the support, guidance and direction that I wish I had when I was at that point in my life. So I have created this podcast and started this business to serve other men, other fathers and leaders, who believe that they hold their future in their hands, who believe that they get to determine the type of man, leader and father that they want to be. Men who are committed to creating a legacy that extends beyond their bank account and their career.

Speaker 1:

Now, I know firsthand that there are moments in our lives when it feels like we're balancing on a tightrope, like the wind is blowing, the ground is shaking beneath us, where it feels like even just the slightest disturbance in our life will cause everything that we care about to come crashing down around us. Moments when we're trying our best to be strong and to keep holding on, but truth is we're struggling, and maybe that's you, maybe you're in one of those moments right now, and if so, I get it, because there have been countless times when everything felt like it was crashing down in my life, and these are the stories I want to share with you the inspirations, the moments where I felt vulnerable, but I fought and clawed to keep moving forward, and, in fact, I'm going to share one of those moments with you here shortly. If you're familiar with my content, then you have probably heard portions of this story throughout different episodes that I've published, but I really want to take time to take you through the journey that I went through, that led me to the creation of this business, and so I'm going to give you a little sneak peek into not just the events that happened in my life, but how all of that came together to lead me to where I am today.

Speaker 1:

About six years ago, our world got completely flipped upside down. We received a call from the girls school saying that there were some concerns that they were exhibiting signs of abuse and, specifically, that there were some concerns that their mom's boyfriend and or their mom were involved with abusing them. You know this threw us into the whirlwind of stress and trauma and court battles as we tried to just kind of uncover the truth and figure out what was going on. It was an exhausting and painful time for all of us and it was really hard to see the girls go through that and relive those moments. But eventually the truth revealed itself and this led to the arrest of their mom and it led to the arrest of her boyfriend and then, tragically, after their mom was released on bail, she committed suicide. And that series of events. It changed everything for us. It shook us to our core and it was a really, really difficult moment for all of us.

Speaker 1:

But yet, somehow I can't even really explain how or why, but I just sense this kind of glimmer of hope, this realization that life, even in its darkest moments, can hold this opportunity for something positive to come from it. Now don't get me wrong. When I was living those moments, when I was seeing my daughters live those moments, I was not thinking of anything positive, but in kind of the recesses of my mind, in those quiet moments when things were calm, as things started to kind of settle in, it changed the way that I viewed the situation. You know, I began to wonder was there an opportunity to turn this horrible, horrible circumstance into something that could potentially be positive for us or for the lives of others, just by sharing our story? And so that thought that perhaps, just maybe, there was a way to transform this worst period of my life, of my family's life, into something of meaning and significance, began to drive me. And that's when my mess became my mission and this journey began, when it was a profound moment, a turning point in my life. Things that I thought were important did not seem significant anymore.

Speaker 1:

I have over 28 years of experience in healthcare. That was my entire career leading up to this point. I have worked in leadership and I've done bedside care, and I've had the opportunity to be parts of these extraordinary specialized teams such as, like the flight team and things along those lines, and I felt genuinely proud of my work. But still, in spite of all of that, I longed for something more, for something different, and that's when the spark really ignited. I knew I wanted to make a real impact, a lasting one, and it eventually led me into the creation of the business of being dad. I created this business to help single fathers like me, to help them navigate this roller coaster of parenting, of juggling responsibilities and facing the unexpected twists that life will throw at us.

Speaker 1:

Now I wanna be clear. I don't view myself as an all-knowing expert, as a parenting guru or someone who has got all of the answers or has everything figured out, but I am someone who's been through the storm, so to speak. I've weathered the challenges and I've emerged on the other side, and I am someone who is working every day to nurture the relationships I have with my kids, to aim at transforming them into life-changing connections. I am someone who believes that true leadership stems from connection, commitment and a willingness to step into moments of courage and vulnerability, and I am someone who believes that your legacy does not have to die when you get divorced or when you experience significant loss or trauma. I am someone who has over 25 years of being a father and who has seen the ups and downs of parenting. I have worked on mending broken relationships with my daughters and I have had growing and enhanced relationships over time, and I am blessed to have the family that I have today and to have be part of this culture, this family culture that we have created together.

Speaker 1:

But let's talk a little bit more about legacy, because legacy has always been extremely important to me. From the time I was young, you know really that's what the business of being dad is. We are truly in the business of helping other men build legacies of impact. It's about changing the lives of our families and those around us, and I've learned that after the trauma of divorce, after the loss of a loved one, it's still possible to rebuild this legacy and create a life filled with purpose and success. It is never too late to get started. It is never too late to make a difference and it is never too late to create and build the life that you want.

Speaker 1:

You know, when I first got divorced, I had thought that my ability to create a legacy was gone. You know, prior to my divorce, when I was married, I thought of my family legacy in terms of the traditional family unit and everything that I envisioned involved the girl's mom and I still being married and being together. And when our divorce took place, that part of me broke and I didn't know if I could get it back. At that time in my life I thought that that was gone. And maybe that's you, maybe you're looking back and you're thinking, man, the life that I envisioned for myself is gone. How can I ever create that legacy that I want? How can I ever create that meaningful life that I had previously envisioned?

Speaker 1:

And we're gonna talk a lot about that in the coming episodes, but for right now, I will just say that I have learned that, while my legacy is different than what I would have imagined it as 20 years ago, it is not worse, it is not less than, it is not an inferior version of what I had previously imagined and, in fact, in a lot of ways, it's as good or better than anything I could have imagined. And that legacy is not just about the future. It's about right now, in the present. That legacy is not just about what I will leave behind while I'm gone. It's about what I am creating in the lives of those around me right now, today. So, as we navigate through these next few episodes, I just want you to know that I'm here not just as a guide, not just as a host, but as someone who's been through the storms with you, someone who's come out on the other side stronger and more resilient than before. So thank you, genuinely, thank you for joining me on this journey, for listening to this episode, and let's keep moving forward together, one day at a time and one step at a time.

Speaker 1:

I want you to remember that often, the most valuable lessons we will ever learn emerge from life's most difficult storms. So, as you reflect in our conversation today, consider this when have you faced a challenge that reshaped your life, and how did that experience transform you? What lessons did you learn from it, and what are you going to do differently, moving forward. So thanks again, men, Until next time. Stay strong, stay focused and keep moving forward. Thank you for joining us for the Business of being Dad podcast. If you found value in today's episode, I encourage you to share it with a friend who could benefit from our discussions on fatherhood, leadership and legacy. Together, let's build a community of like-minded men who embrace ownership, commit to growth and make an impact. And now, before we go, remember greatness is within your reach, so stay strong, stay focused and create your legacy. I'm Rob Rodey and you've been listening to the Business of being Dad, where fatherhood meets success. See you in the next episode.

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