Feb 4, 2026

Nobody Warns You About This Part of Becoming a Dad

Troy Munson – https://www.linkedin.com/in/troymunson and Daniel Berk – https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielberk sit down with Aaron Hodes, sales leader, father of two, and lifelong Chicagoan, for one of the most vulnerable and emotionally honest episodes of Two Dads in Tech to date. Aaron opens up about becoming a dad, the loss of independence, and the moment he had a panic attack at work that forced him to confront stress, anxiety, and identity for the first time in his life. This episode dives deep into: The identity shift that comes with fatherhood Why the transition from one kid to two feels overwhelming The invisible mental load carried by parents Therapy, panic attacks, and anxiety in high-pressure careers Tying self-worth to job performance — and breaking that cycle Loneliness while working remotely and the need for community Maintaining friendships as life stages change Aging parents, grief, and realizing they’re not invincible Gratitude, reflection, and loving people while you still can This conversation is raw, reflective, and deeply relatable — especially for dads, professionals, and anyone quietly carrying more than they let on. — 🕒 Detailed Show Notes (0:00) Cold open & behind-the-scenes chaos (1:00) Introducing Aaron Hodes (2:45) Family background, marriage & becoming a dad (3:40) Identity loss and independence after kids (4:30) The unseen labor of parenting (5:10) Going from one kid to two — “zone defense to man-to-man” (6:20) Scheduling life around children (7:00) Gratitude for family support systems (8:30) Fitness, routines & mental health anchors (9:45) Loneliness while working remotely (10:30) Finding community as a dad in sales (11:45) Back injury after second child & mental overload (12:50) Carrying responsibility for work, kids, and marriage (14:00) Friendships changing with life stages (16:00) Being intentional with time and relationships (18:00) Therapy, CBT & separating self-worth from work (20:30) The panic attack at work — what it felt like (22:30) Anxiety hitting for the first time as an adult (24:00) Aging parents & realizing they’re not invincible (26:30) Grief, grandparents, and unconditional love (29:00) Gratitude as a daily practice (31:00) Loving people loudly and without hesitation (33:00) Final reflections & where to find Aaron — 🔗 Links • Aaron Hodes – https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronhodes/ • Daniel Berk – https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielberk • Troy Munson – https://www.linkedin.com/in/troymunson • Two Dads in Tech – https://twodadsintech.com • Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/30GQP8FPJoKpLGpYBahlFP • Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/two-dads-in-tech/id1785662964