Episodes

How do you hold onto your creative identity while trying to be the parent you want to be? Sean Waldron has built a life around creativity from music to video production to brand storytelling. He has freelanced, gone in-house, flipped houses, and wrestled with the tension between purpose and practical responsibilities. Becoming a dad pushed him to rethink all of it. Sean shares how to: Blend creative skills with fatherhood in a way that builds connection Separate who you are from what you do ...

What does it really take to be present as a dad while juggling work, pressure, and your own mental health? Kristian Leavell, a licensed clinical social worker, therapist, and dad, brings both clinical insight and lived experience to this honest conversation about the weight many fathers carry and how to navigate it with clarity and compassion. Kristian shares how to: • Be truthful about what you feel and what you need • Understand the voice behind internal pressure and self doubt • Redefine...

What happens when the chapter you spent years chasing finally ends and you’re left asking what comes next? In this episode of Gap to Gig, host Michael Jacobs talks with Erin Aldrich Shean, a former Olympic and professional athlete who has reinvented herself multiple times across sports, corporate strategy, and now career coaching. Erin helps people navigate life and work transitions using her LAND method, a framework built around learning, alignment, networking, and delivery. Erin shares how t...

What really happens behind the scenes in hiring and how can dads returning to work stand out? In this episode of Gap to Gig, host Michael Jacobs talks with Jacob Stone, HR consultant and founder of WorqTap, who’s spent over a decade helping companies hire smarter and helping people land roles that actually fit their lives. Jacob shares what most job seekers never hear: • What’s really going on inside hiring teams (and how to stand out). • Why soft skills like adaptability and communication m...

In this episode of Gap to Gig, host Michael Jacobs talks with Jesse Holmes, a performance coach who helps entrepreneurs and parents make measurable progress in just 10 minutes a day. Jesse shares how to: • Build clarity and confidence through small, consistent actions. • Find your focus when life feels chaotic. • Apply “deep work” principles to parenting, relationships, and self-care. • Turn daily 10-minute wins into lasting momentum. • Balance business growth with family life — without bu...

What happens when your career suddenly stops fitting your life? In this episode of Gap to Gig, host Michael Jacobs talks with John Tarnoff, an executive coach who rebuilt his career after the tech bubble burst and now helps mid-career professionals rediscover purpose and confidence. John shares how to: • Navigate uncertainty and rebuild resilience. • Reframe “returning to work” as moving forward, not backward. • Turn personal experiences — even parenting — into professional strengths. • Re...

What if the goal isn’t just finding work, but finding work that fits your life? Gap to Gig is the podcast for dads balancing career, family, and purpose. Hosted by entrepreneur and dad Michael Jacobs, each week features real conversations with fathers, founders, and experts who are redefining success and creating careers that fit real life. If you’re navigating career change, exploring freelance or flexible work, or looking for meaningful work without missing the moments that matter most, this...