Jon Merlin on Building Creative Work Without Sacrificing Family Time

[00:00:00] Jon: The gap isn't a void. It's a runway. I would say if you're, if you're trying to start something, you know, involve your kids in the journey. Let them see you building. I think you will learn more about your own capacity in one year of entrepreneurship than in 10 years of corporate safety.

[00:00:21] ​

[00:00:28] Michael: Welcome to Gap to Gig, the show for dads re-imagining how work fits into life, not the other way around. It's where we talk about what comes next, how to make sense of the in-between, and who we become in the process. I'm your host, Michael Jacobs, and today I'm joined by someone who's lived inside the creative world for more than 20 years and now brings that experience into a life that blends design, entrepreneurship, and hands-on fatherhood.

[00:00:48] Jon Merlin is the founder of Merlin Designs, a graphic design and creative direction agency he launched last year. His work spans branding, web design, packaging, email, and e-commerce strategy. He's built a creative career over decades, and now he's doing it on his own terms. He's also a dad of two girls.

[00:01:04] He's raising a young family, building a business from scratch and staying active in the creative community while holding a daily window of protected time with his daughters. Jon brings a powerful perspective to the reality of trying to pursue meaningful work while being the kind of parent you wanna be.

[00:01:17] Jon, thanks for being here. Welcome to the show.

[00:01:21] Jon: Thanks for having me, Michael.

[00:01:21] Michael: My pleasure. Let me start with this. You talk about protecting that five to eight window with your girls every night. What made you decide that this needed to be a non-negotiable part of your day?

[00:01:32] Jon: Yeah. When I think when I started, I realized that, you know, your to-do list is essentially endless. And around five o'clock, I tried to wind down whatever I was working on, , I realized that in my attempt to be productive, I was quietly siphoning away quality time from my family. I realized that the years where my kids are young and actually want to play with me are a finite resource.

[00:02:00] So I drew like a hard line in the sand. No matter what was happening in the business, between five and eight, I'm not a founder. I am dad. So five o'clock I get off, and, we do, we play games, talk about our day, do dinner, help with homework, bath, bedtime routine. So, it's sort of those little things we do day in and day out I think that I'm gonna remember.

[00:02:26] They're gonna remember.

[00:02:27] Michael: Absolutely.

[00:02:28] Jon: So, I've stopped taking those little, little times to finish up my tasks and instead I'm a lot more strict about that time and being intentional, so I don't have regrets later.

[00:02:37] Michael: I love that, especially, you know, mentioned at this age where they still do wanna hang out with you,

[00:02:44] Jon: Yeah.

[00:02:46] Michael: like, my kids are getting older now, they're in high school, and they don't always wanna be with their parents, hang out with their parents.

[00:02:51] Jon: Yeah.

[00:02:52] Michael: I get it. So it is a limited amount of time and eventually, you know, they move out,

[00:02:55] they move on, and

[00:02:57] Jon: Yeah.

[00:02:57] Michael: you only get so much time, and, you know, to craft or to carve out a intentional period of time on a daily basis, it's probably not easy. You know, there's probably days where it, it

[00:03:11] Jon: Yep.

[00:03:12] Michael: can become a bit of a challenge where it's like, oh, I really gotta get this done, but

[00:03:16] Jon: Yeah.

[00:03:16] Michael: Can I pause for a little bit and come back to it after they're done or is it something that just has to get done?

[00:03:23] Jon: And that's typically what happens. I usually get on after they're in bed around eight and finish up those tasks. And sure it's a little bit harder, like picking up where I left off and trying to remember what head space I was in and all of that, but I don't think I'm gonna regret spending that quality time with my kids.

[00:03:38] Michael: Absolutely, couldn't agree with you more. So, you have more than 20 years of experience in design and creative direction. When you look back at that time, what moments or lessons shaped the designer you became before you ever launched your own agency?

[00:03:54] Jon: One of the things that helped me the most was I learned from a mentor who was not a designer per se but my, my boss at at the market-, mortgage agency that I worked at. He was brilliant at he would call it reading the tea leaves, but he really taught me about the people aspect of, of work, and he had such a great, uh, way to just sort of be able to read the room. Like I always thought about it like he was playing chess in his mind. He always was thinking a couple steps ahead, and so he really just decided, you know, that it's from that, that I learned, it's not about, it's not about just doing good work. It's not about just the design. It's about how you talk about it. It's how, how you present it. The timing, choosing when to present those ideas or things like that. And so it was really from him that I learned more of the strategic approach and more of the approach of how to, you know, business works with relationships and people. And so I really learned that part from him. You know, I went to school to learn design. But, but I think it was that part that was really key in, in helping me succeed.

[00:05:11] Michael: And I imagine that what you learned there, that the relationship aspect of it, the human element of your work also translates at home too, right? Like there's quite a parallel between your design work and kind of how you approach that and your role as a father, as a partner.

[00:05:33] Jon: Yeah, yeah, It's, yeah, that's true. It does translate very well. And, and I think last year, in the beginning of the year, is when I was really starting my business, and I think there's so many parallels between what I was going with through starting a new company to what my, my 4-year-old daughter was going with, starting her first year of, of TK, and, you know, she was trying something new and had to learn how to get along with others and listen to the teacher.

[00:06:08] And she was quite the emotional journey for her, and I would read her at night these little kid books about how to deal with your emotions, and some nights I was like literally taking pictures of the pages, you know, the way that they kind of broke down how to recognize your emotions and process your emotions.

[00:06:28] And those were things that I was going through as well. Started in a new business. I've been a designer for over 20 years, but a business owner really for only, you know, months at that point. And so I learned a lot of things, you know, I always joke that you have to, you have to be bad at something before you can be good. So I learned a lot of things, you know, the hard way and, and made little mistakes and figured out how to continue to improve, but it was kind of cool, the parallel journey that while I was in this unknown world navigating it and navigating my feelings with that, I got to help my daughter navigate her emotions in her unknown realm as well.

[00:07:06] Michael: Absolutely. It's amazing how many dads I talk to where the, they don't, might not realize it in the moment, but when they look back, it's like, yes, I was going through something similar as my kids were going through at the same time. Like, maybe I went back to school and we were doing homework together. Or in your case it was like learning to handle something new and dealing with the emotions behind that it,

[00:07:33] Jon: Mm-hmm.

[00:07:33] Michael: you know, again, there's that parallel between what you do for work that means something to you and what you're doing at home. And

[00:07:41] Jon: Yeah.

[00:07:42] Michael: I just find that very interesting that there's probably a lot more to be mined from that, of like, what can I learn from, you know, what I'm doing at work? Can I bring some of that home and vice versa?

[00:07:53] Can I take when I'm doing at home and bring that, bring that to work. So I wanna, I wanna talk about your work, the work itself that you do. Your portfolio spans branding, packaging, email, and web. How did you decide what your agency would offer and what you'd leave behind?

[00:08:09] Jon: Yeah, that's an interesting question. I think, I think, for me, what helped me figure out my offer is, it's been an evolution, kind of, based off of listening. I realized that my sweet spot is helping, you know, small businesses look as professional as they actually are. And I think that requires three core pillars: branding a website, and email marketing, and I lean into those because that's where I can guarantee results. If a client needs complex Meta ads or PR, I know plenty of people who are great at those things. So, instead of saying yes to everything and sorta figuring it out, I, I've really tried to hone in on, on where I can excel and where I can really promise them results and focus on those areas.

[00:09:00] So, I'd rather be an expert at a few things than, than average at everything, I guess.

[00:09:04] Michael: Yeah, absolutely. I, I think I've been the same way in my entrepreneurial life of leverage the expertise around you,

[00:09:14] Jon: Mm-hmm.

[00:09:15] Michael: so that you can focus on what you're best at and what is most interesting and you can,

[00:09:20] Jon: Right.

[00:09:21] Michael: Your offer then is a lot more impactful because you are taking the best of what everybody can provide, including what you can do instead of, like you said, just kind of doing things on average, right?

[00:09:33] Jon: Yeah, and I, and I think I've gained a lot of respect from the people that I talk to that way. I think, you know, initially I was a little scared of giving them a no, but I, I think they respect you more for that no that you're trusting, that you're really doing what's best for their business, and you're not just taking their money just to take it, but instead saying, you know, I'm not the perfect person for that, that role, but I know someone who is. And so I think that builds a lot of trust with the relationship.

[00:10:01] Michael: Absolutely. Absolutely. So, you left the structure of working for others, and, you know, there's many dads that I've talked to that have gone from working for others to starting their own thing. And it in one sense, it feels freeing because you now are in control of, of your day. In another sense, it can be unsettling at the same time of like, alright, well it all falls on me now to get that paycheck and take that next step.

[00:10:30] And

[00:10:31] Jon: Yep.

[00:10:31] Michael: so what did that transition bring up for you?

[00:10:35] Jon: Yeah, I think you summarized my feelings pretty accurately. It was definitely a mix of like both freedom and paralysis. Like in corporate America, you're told what to do and you can just show up and check some boxes and then sort of leave it, leave it there, and go home. As a founder, your first step is you have to decide what must be done

[00:11:02] Michael: Right.

[00:11:02] Jon: that day. And, so, I think the hardest transition for me was learning to identify the one big thing that will move the needle each day rather than just, you know, being busy for busy's sake. And, so, yeah, that's, that's still been a learning process for me, but, yeah, every morning and every evening I'm thinking about, you know, there, there's essentially my to, to-do list is endless, but what's the, what, what's most important? And so I try to just take on the big fires and let the small fires burn.

[00:11:36] Michael: Sure. So, starting your own business and you have two young kids at home, sounds like potential for chaos and difficult time management. Now, I know you structure your day so that you have that five to eight block already taken, but how did you navigate that tension beyond having that five to eight block there, especially in those early days as you were starting things up and having two young kids to deal with?

[00:12:07] Jon: Yeah. Yeah, it's it was definitely messy. I was wrestling with the, you know, anxiety of the unknown and how to network, how to, you know, price your product, how to find leads. And at this same time, like you know, everything going on at home. So, I, yeah, I stopped trying to, I just stopped trying to have everything be perfect.

[00:12:36] So, sometimes it's okay, you know, for the house to be a little bit messier or for you to respond to that email a little bit later than you would like. You can't do everything. So I think it's really picking and choosing your battles and knowing that some areas are gonna lag behind and really, really finding peace with that, you know, instead of stressing that, you know, the house is a disaster or the dishes aren't done, or, or things like that. It's really deciding, you know what's most important in the moment. And, and it's okay to let things go for a time or a season and get to them later. So, I've, I've stopped trying to, you know, like multitask or get everything done or have everything be perfect that just sort of stressed me out. So, I try to find a balance of finding time for, you know, deep work and that will often happen like that really deep focus time will happen, like when the kids are asleep for a nap time or when they're off at an activity or e, even that 8:00PM to sort of midnight window is sort of where I get my deep focus for work done, and then the rest of the day can be sort of flexible around meetings, but then also spending time with the kids.

[00:13:51] Michael: Absolutely. I love how you pursue peace instead of perfection, right? Like

[00:13:57] Jon: Yeah.

[00:13:57] Michael: It's impossible to, you can't be perfect. Nobody's perfect, right? But you're just trying to keep taking a step forward and do that in a way that brings you peace in the moment because otherwise chaos reigns, and it's very difficult to balance what do I do next and very easy to get overwhelmed.

[00:14:19] Jon: Mm-hmm.

[00:14:19] Michael: I really like how you, you frame that as a, it's okay that not everything's perfect. It's not like this is real life and it's okay. And as long as you keep moving forward and keep pursuing your, your goals and your dreams, you're on the right path, right?

[00:14:38] Jon: Right, and I, I mean, we're obviously always, you know, I think we're teaching our children more from our actions than we are from our words. And so they really notice if, if, you know, if the, the messes in the house or the other things are starting to get to you and, and bother you, they're gonna see that tension in you, that frustration and that anger. And, so, really I noticed that, you know, there's not much I can do to change that. The only thing I can do is change myself. And so really coming to it, like you said, with, with peace with those things and just being present and calm and in the moment with them I think really helps them do the same.

[00:15:16] Michael: Right. Yeah, I couldn't agree with you more. I think that kids model the behavior that they see. That's what, that's how they experience things of like, okay, I see how my parents are reacting in this particular situation. That must be the way to, that I'm supposed to react in that situation. So, if you model a peaceful reaction, more than likely you can expect them to have a peaceful reaction.

[00:15:42] Not always.

[00:15:43] Jon: Eventually.

[00:15:45] Michael: It takes time, but you would think that over time if, if you continuously model the behaviors that you want to see, that you would expect that

[00:15:54] Jon: Mm-hmm.

[00:15:55] Michael: more likely than not, they're gonna pick up on how you react and they'll be like, that is probably the way to do it. Whereas if you become very reactive and lose your cool, and they might find that to be acceptable, they, it's like that's the way the world works and that's how I'm going to be also.

[00:16:12] Jon: Mm-hmm.

[00:16:13] Michael: And that, yes, that puts a lot of pressure on you as a father of like, okay, I need to react well, but again, you're not gonna be perfect. So then when you do make those mistakes, when you do perhaps overreact, it's how do you address those? How do you show them to your, model them for your kids going forward so they know that, okay, that one time was maybe, maybe not the right way to approach it.

[00:16:36] Here's an alternative way to.

[00:16:40] Jon: And I strongly believe that my kids learn more from my mistakes than from when I'm being perfect. And so it's really those times where I do lose my cool or those are the times where I could really model how to repair a relationship. So, I think, when, when I make a mistake, I need to be the first one to own up to that, to that with them and say, I'm sorry and I'm not perfect.

[00:17:09] And, and, really try to repair our relationship. And I think they learn a lot by that, that we're, that we're not perfect, that we're trying to figure it out as we go. But that, that it's okay to make mistakes and once you make a mistake, this is how you repair and get back to having a good relationship.

[00:17:30] Michael: Absolutely, absolutely. There, there's a, a level of regulation there, right, of like

[00:17:34] Jon: Yeah.

[00:17:35] Michael: if you make a mistake, it's okay. Like, own up to it and,

[00:17:40] Jon: Right.

[00:17:41] Michael: you know, try to change that behavior for the next time. That allows, I think that allows children to better regulate their emotions in terms of how they respond or react to

[00:17:52] Jon: Right.

[00:17:52] Michael: New experiences that, that they have as they grow older, so, I think that's that's really interesting. So, you talk about how you balance finding time for deep work and just work that needs to get done with being present and active with, with your family. But when you're in, you do design work so you have clients and they have projects, and, oftentimes, I imagine there's deadlines associated with those projects. I mean, at some point they need that new branding.

[00:18:23] Jon: Yep.

[00:18:24] Michael: When those projects heat up, or the deadlines start to stack, how do you protect your daily rhythms with your family without letting work take over?

[00:18:33] Jon: Yeah. So, there's absolutely times where, I mean, a recent example is, you know, at Thanksgiving, I remember I had to pull out my laptop right after dinner at the table, and, and get something out for our client. And so I try to balance those big sacrifices with little yeses.

[00:18:58] So, so, if I have to pull an all-nighter or I have to work extra that, that's completely normal, as long as it's not an everyday thing. That's just the reality of, of ownership. Sometimes you, you need to like step up into those moments and be there for your clients, but I try to counter that by saying yes to the small things during the day. So, my 2-year-old comes and asks me if I could read them a book for 10 minutes or play Barbies before a Zoom call, I'll, I'll say yes to that. So, instead of holding my day, you know, completely say sacred for work and then but then constantly eating into their time with work, I try to do, I try to have that balance where if there's a little moment between calls or between meetings or between that sort of deep focus time, I try to have little yeses with my kids and, and give them time back.

[00:19:54] So, I want them to know that while work is important, that that they're never competing for my love.

[00:20:00] Michael: That's amazing. That's such a clever way to add time to your day, right? Of like, okay,

[00:20:06] Jon: Yeah.

[00:20:07] Michael: I do have this little pocket here between Zoom meetings or between submitting this project and this next call I have. 15 minutes, I'll go read a book with my, my kids or play with their Barbie dolls, like, whatever it may be.

[00:20:19] It's like you're taking some, you're, you're creating time for them when typically that time is blocked off for work, right?

[00:20:31] Jon: Right.

[00:20:31] Michael: Now, you've just, you've added time to what's most important, right, which is your family time. I like how you, you find those little pockets. I think that's such a clever idea.

[00:20:41] Probably very underutilized by, by most of us dads.

[00:20:46] Jon: Yeah, it's, I mean, that's one of the, I think the biggest gifts of being able to, you know, work from home is finding those little tiny, those little tiny pockets of in-between meetings where you'd check your email or do other tasks and instead just pour that into your family.

[00:21:03] Michael: Absolutely. So, as a creative, do you notice your daughters influencing your work at all? Like maybe the way you think about empathy or storytelling or communication?

[00:21:13] Jon: Yeah, yeah. Absolutely, like, I think toddlers are the ultimate, relentless client. They're, they're always asking you why. And, I think it's made me a better marketer because if I can't explain a brand value proposition clearly enough for a child to understand, it's too complicated.

[00:21:34] Michael: Yeah.

[00:21:34] Jon: So, they've taught me that clarity always wins over cleverness. So, they're relentless. Why, why, why? And me having to break down why the sky's blue into the basic building blocks for them.

[00:21:45] Michael: Right.

[00:21:46] Jon: Its really helped me tell a client's story better as well, so.

[00:21:51] Michael: Like the ideal focus group, right? Like?

[00:21:54] Jon: Right, right.

[00:21:57] Michael: That's, that's awesome. So, your daughters influence you, obviously. They've kind of helped you become a better designer, better entrepreneur, better business owner. I imagine they also have a lot to do with your purpose. What role does fatherhood play in your definition of success?

[00:22:22] Jon: Yeah. I would say that fatherhood is my number one startup. I knew as a young child that when people asked me what I wanted to be, when I wanted to grow up, when I grew up. What I wanna be when I grow up was I wanna be a dad. And I've been fortunate to be able to do that. And so my agency builds brands, but I think my parenting builds my true legacy. So, if I succeed in business, but fail at home, I failed. They're my most important investment. So, I think I've learned so much from, from being a father, from, from learning from my kids, learning how to, you know, be silly and, and play. Learning how to answer those, they're relentless questions. Learning how to be, you know, patient or navigate their, their tantrums. I strongly believe that I'm learning just as much from them as they're learning from me. So, but at the end of the day, you know, I'm gonna be, hopefully, retired one day and the business will be, you know, behind me. Business isn't my legacy. My, my family and my kids are my legacy.

[00:23:47] And so I'm trying to keep that in, in perspective that, that even though work is what, you know, pays the bills, and it's something that I'm incredibly passionate about and enjoy, that my kids are number one.

[00:24:03] Michael: I, I could not be nodding along harder, like I could not agree with you more. It's, to me, legacy is about what my family gets from me, not financially, but like do I provide them with the opportunities, the knowledge, the introductions, to, so they can lead fulfilling lives and they can help positively impact others.

[00:24:31] To me, that's way more important than any P&L statement. It's more important than anything I could possibly do for work. The, you know, it comes down to the human element, like we sort of touched on earlier of, at the end of the day, like, we wanna do better for ourselves and our family and ultimately for those in this world.

[00:24:58] Like, I can't, I only have so much influence in my life and only so much time with so many people. And so I'm not gonna save the world. I know that. I'm not gonna solve cancer. I'm not going to do these big things, but maybe I can leave a positive impact on somebody, so they can live a little bit better of a life.

[00:25:16] And the way where that starts is with my family, right? It's with my kids, with my spouse, with my friends that are, I'm closest with. Like, can I do a little bit more for them so that they can do a little bit more for others? And hopefully there's this effect of this network effect of like, it just keeps going, growing out from there.

[00:25:32] Jon: Yeah,

[00:25:32] Michael: Right, there's a ripple effect like throwing a rock into a, a pond or whatever that

[00:25:37] Jon: yeah,

[00:25:38] Michael: metaphor is. So, I love how you answered that of like, it's bigger than anything you're gonna build at work. Your work is still important. It's still interesting. It's still fun. It's still going to be part of who you are, but it's not ultimately what you're leaving behind.

[00:25:56] Right.

[00:25:57] I love that. That's such a meaningful answer to, to the question. What part of the design process kind of brings you the most energy right now?

[00:26:06] Jon: It's interesting how, you know, sort of graphic design has changed over the years for me. It used to be something that I would do the nights and weekends and I was, you know, it was my hobby. Once you start to do something every day and, you know, for 20 years and get mastery over that, I think there's less of that excitement of that as the hobby.

[00:26:31] I think for me now what brings me the most energy is the result. It's that unlock. It's, it's the moment when a client sees the work and says, this was exactly what I was trying to say. I just didn't know how, or when they gimme the feedback, like, that's better than I could have ever imagined. So, I love taking their chaotic thoughts or their, you know, business goals, but they're not sure how to get there and turning them into like a, a polished, you know, visual reality. So, I think giving, you know, taking my skills and expertise and gifts and being able to give business owners the confidence in how they look to the world is the best feeling. So, for me, I mean, much like with my kids, you know, it's, it's always about the people. And so same thing within business, it's it's really the, the design, to me, means less to me.

[00:27:27] If, if they want things a certain way, they're right at the end of the day and they know their, their clients better than I do. So it's not about how, you know, a logo turned out. For me, it's more about how, how they feel about that work and the results that it gets for them.

[00:27:44] Michael: I like how you say that what you like most or what energizes you most right now is the confidence that your clients get from your work.

[00:27:57] Jon: Yeah.

[00:27:58] Michael: Right? And. It reminds me of what we talked about earlier, those parallels between work and home. You're doing the same thing with your daughters, right? You're giving

[00:28:07] Jon: Yeah.

[00:28:07] Michael: Confidence to learn something new, to get new experiences, and the confidence that goes along with that.

[00:28:18] It, and the same with your clients of like you're giving them something new to work with that they haven't experienced before. And, you know, the best designs, I'm not a designer, but the best designs from my understanding are the ones that affect people, right? Has some sort of effect on them. Makes them see something in a different light, perhaps. Makes them remember something.

[00:28:43] And, that, to do that you have to give them confidence in that idea of what you're trying to provoke with, with that design, with that logo, with that campaign, whatever it may be. So, really interesting. I like how the, again, the, the parallels are just, I don't think I realize quite the number of parallels between design work and parenting, but I guess they're, there.

[00:29:10] Jon: Yeah, I, I mean, it's interesting, you know, we as an industry call it, you know, graphic design, but what I got my degree in was actually called visual communication. And I think that's a better way to really sum it up is I take, you know, I communicate visually and not everyone knows how to, you know, speak that language or articulate their thoughts visually in that manner.

[00:29:40] So, I help them tell their story in a visual manner that other people can see instantly. And, so, a lot of them are, you know, I work with brilliant people who are experts in their field. So, I'm just really trying to them amplify their message that they might not know how to tell visually.

[00:30:00] Michael: Absolutely. So, how do you then choose which clients or projects to take on? You know, especially when you wanna do work that's meaningful to you, but you also don't want to sacrifice time with your kids.

[00:30:10] Jon: Mm-hmm. Right. Yeah. I think working in the agency world, I would have, you know, half, I'd have like a dozen clients sort of at all times. And that roster would change throughout the years and go up and down. And I gotta work in a lot of different industries. And really what that taught me is the why means more to me than I initially thought. So, I'm at the stage of my career that, you know, we talked about legacy and the legacy I'm leaving with my kids, but when I tell my kids what I, what I do for work, I want them to be, you know, proud of that. So, I look to work with the good guys. You know, I focus on really mission-driven companies, B Corps, nonprofits, companies that care more about leaving a positive impact on the world than just increasing shareholder value. So, it, like, I really wanna work with companies that, that, that give a damn. And so those are the type of stories I'm trying to amplify. You know, again, I, I mentioned being a visual communicator. I think I have a superpower that I'm able to amplify, you know, messages and get them across faster and quicker and clearer. And so I want to tell the stories that I feel like should be told and not just, not just be a sleazy salesman to sell a product.

[00:31:47] Michael: Sure. Love that. So, you've also told me that you stay active in the creative community. What role does that community play in kind of keeping you both inspired and grounded?

[00:32:00] Jon: Yeah, yeah. I am on the board for the One Club for Creatives here in San Diego, and I volunteer monthly at Creative Mornings, which is a, a creative lecture series. And, yeah, I'm, I'm at a lot of events each month, and I think the creative community really helps keep me humble and sharp. I believe that every person I meet knows something that I don't, and there's something I could learn from them. So staying active in the community allows me to, you know, learn new tools, lets me learn what's working for them, have those conversations of how people are solving the same problems, but it also allows me to be able to give back.

[00:32:44] So, if I'm able to meet someone who's looking for someone, and I can give them an introduction to someone in my network or know, or, again, I, I, I volunteer at Creative Morning, so spending my, spending my time to give back to the community. Helping and helping other creatives, you know, navigate their problems, gives me as much fulfillment as, you know, landing a new client.

[00:33:07] So, I think, I think everything works based off of relationships, and relationships are built quicker and stronger when you give before you ask. So, so the community really allows me to, you know, feed into others and learn from others, and it's been incredibly rewarding.

[00:33:27] Michael: That's awesome. So, for the dad who loves creative work, but feels kind of unsure about starting something of his own while also raising a family, what would you tell him?

[00:33:40] Jon: Yeah. I would say that, you know, the, the gap isn't a void. It's a runway. I would say if you're, if you're trying to start something, you know, involve your kids in the journey, let them see you building. I think you will learn more about your own capacity in one year of entrepreneurship than in 10 years of corporate safety. And I think it's important, like, like we mentioned before, for them to see you, um, try new things and, and fail and, and get back up again and they'll learn, you know, how, like I always tell my kids, you know, I say, oh wow, they're really good at that. How do you think that they got good at that? And they always kinda roll their eyes and say, practice. So, like, let them see you practice and get better at something and work hard. And, so, yeah, I think, I think it's, it's definitely been a challenge for me and, but I think I've grown more in the last year than, than I have in like the past 10 combined. Like easily. So, I think, and, and I would say that even when you, when you start a family and, and you're a new parent, I think you're no longer comfortable.

[00:35:06] And I think once you remove comfort from the, from the equation, that's where real growth happens. So, I would really encourage people to, you know, give it a shot and don't wait and just start now. I wish I started, you know, earlier, 'cause then I, I would be a lot further than ahead than where I am.

[00:35:26] So, I'm, it feels like I'm drinking from a fire hose some days, but, but I've never, when I look back, I've never been prouder, I think of, of the man I am today from making that decision.

[00:35:39] Michael: That's awesome. I like how you brought up that demonstrating practice is not only does it help you to practice or to start doing the thing to start, start your business, it's also demonstrating a behavior for your children and hopefully

[00:36:00] Jon: yeah,

[00:36:01] Michael: providing inspiration, right, for your children. And you also said something else that really jumped out at me that the gap is also a runway,

[00:36:11] Jon: mm-hmm,

[00:36:11] Michael: right?

[00:36:12] It's a total reframe of like, alright, how do I get from zero to having my own business?

[00:36:21] Jon: Mm-hmm.

[00:36:21] Michael: You can look at it as a challenge or an opportunity.

[00:36:25] Jon: Right.

[00:36:25] Michael: Right, and it is a challenge, but it's also an opportunity.

[00:36:29] It's always a challenge, but it's also an opportunity, right? That's the runway. Like, you have this runway, this path to take off, then go from nothing to a real business.

[00:36:41] Jon: Mm-hmm.

[00:36:41] Michael: And what you do with that is up to you, and I, I like how you, you point that out. Alright, one more question before we get into the speed round. What's one skill or mindset shift that helped you the most when balancing design work, client needs, and family life?

[00:37:00] Jon: Yeah. I think, I think we may have already touched on this before, but it's that you can't be a perfect parent and a perfect spouse and a perfect founder every single day. So, you, there's, there's this sort of balance to, you know, juggling all these balls at the same time. So, I think what's really helped me is just really identifying what those critical issues are and be okay with the fact that some of the balls are gonna drop or get less attention over time. And, so, I think that perfection is the enemy of progress. And, so, just, you know, never giving up on any of those areas or never completely neglecting any of those areas, but really finding I find that if I spread my time between all of those things and sort of like my boss taught me, read the tea leaves and see, you know, where things are at, I, I seem to do okay. When I was trying to do perfect in all three of those areas, I burnt out so fast and really couldn't do anything for any of those categories. So, I think, especially as a designer and an artist where we're always striving for perfection, it's, it's really letting go of that and, you know, using the 80/20 rule, I think they say that like you can get 80% of the, the way there with like 20% of the effort or finding those areas where what, what little things that you can do that, that you get a lot of, you get a lot of results from.

[00:38:46] Michael: Absolutely. So, perfection is, you think, on the surface, like, okay, not choosing to be perfect is a simple idea, right, of like, it's okay to mess up,

[00:38:58] Jon: mm-hmm,

[00:38:58] Michael: but it's so hard for people, and a lot of dads I've talked to, to admit like, okay, I don't have to be perfect, right?

[00:39:10] Jon: Yeah.

[00:39:11] Michael: You can be competitive. You can want a challenge.

[00:39:15] That doesn't mean you have to be perfect, right?

[00:39:17] Jon: Yeah.

[00:39:17] Michael: What professional sports team ever had a perfect record? And championship. Nobody in the major sports, right? There's been undefeated teams in the regular season, but they never made it all the way. You don't have to be perfect. You can still be competitive.

[00:39:30] You can still challenge yourself, but it's okay when you make mistakes. It's how you bounce back, right? Give yourself grace. Exactly. Exactly.

[00:39:40] Alright, time for the speed round. It's nothing about anything, but we're gonna do it anyways because it's, it's always fun. What's the first kids show theme song that comes to mind?

[00:39:53] Jon: Lemme see, I think Lava Chicken from the Minecraft movie by Jack Black. That's been stuck in my head this week.

[00:39:59] Michael: Oh, wow. Okay. I haven't heard that one yet. I have to, have to check that out. Especially if it's Jack Black. That's gotta be pretty fun.

[00:40:07] Jon: It made, I think it made the billboard charts and set a record for like the shortest song to hit on the billboard charts.

[00:40:16] Michael: Is it gonna get stuck in my head when I listen to it, though?

[00:40:19] Jon: Probably.

[00:40:20] Michael: Fair enough. What was your very first job?

[00:40:24] Jon: I was a pizza delivery driver.

[00:40:27] Michael: Excellent. Would you rather spend 24 hours with a toddler-sized T-Rex or a T-Rex-sized toddler?

[00:40:34] Jon: Oh man. I think a toddler-sized T-Rex, you know, at least I could put that thing in a playpen. T-Rex sized toddler would destroy the city, I think.

[00:40:44] Michael: Yeah, that's true. If you're assuming the T-Rex or the toddler-sized T-Rex will stay in the playpen.

[00:40:51] Jon: That's true.

[00:40:52] Michael: I don't know how that's gonna work, but I'm not sure how a toddler-sized T-Rex will work anyways. What's your go-to karaoke song?

[00:41:01] Jon: I would say, man, anything by Green Day's album Dookie, but, but probably Basket Case.

[00:41:09] Michael: Excellent. Excellent. Good choice. And what's the weirdest thing you've ever carried around in your bag, briefcase, or pockets?

[00:41:17] Jon: A lizard. I, I once brought a lizard in my pocket onto a plane from Hawaii home, and that was my childhood pet for several years.

[00:41:29] Michael: Wow, interesting. And there's no restrictions around bringing lizards on planes?

[00:41:36] Jon: You know, this was before, you know, strict TSA, and all those things, so I'm not sure what the restrictions are, but I was a child and just sort of did it without asking my parents.

[00:41:49] Michael: Oh, your parents didn't even know?

[00:41:51] Jon: Nope, nope.

[00:41:52] Michael: Even better. Even better. That's great. Well, Jon, I appreciate you coming on the show. Your work, your story, they say a lot about building a life that blends creativity, family, and purpose. And for listeners that wanna stay connected with what you're doing, what you're building, what you're working on, where can they find you?

[00:42:14] Jon: Yeah. I think the best place to find me, I'm on all the channels, but the best place to find me is LinkedIn. That's, that's actually where I'm active and I love chatting with other dads and founders. So, you know, if we talked about anything today that really resonates with them, please send me a connection request and mention this podcast. I'd love to hear your story or give you encouragement if you're trying to build something. And, right now, I'm really enjoying helping, you know, founders and small businesses who, who have a great product or doing good things in this world, but they feel like their branding or their website is holding them back.

[00:42:52] I love helping people look as professional, you know, as they actually are.

[00:42:55] Michael: Awesome. And is there a website for that?

[00:42:59] Jon: Yeah, my website is jonmerlin.com. J-O-N-M-E-R-L-I-N.com.

[00:43:04] Michael: Excellent. We'll put both your LinkedIn and your website in the show notes as well.

[00:43:09] Jon: Awesome. Thanks. I appreciate that.

[00:43:10] Michael: My pleasure. Jon, thank you again for being so real and kind of talking us through what it means to build a business while also raising young kids. It's not an easy process and the way you protect your time, the way you think about this sort of season of life and the, the way you bring your values into your work, I think it's gonna resonate with a lot of dads.

[00:43:32] I know it's resonating with me. I appreciate you being here, and I'm glad we're able to have this conversation. And finally, if you're a dad listening to this and trying to figure out what comes next, maybe you're in between jobs, starting something new, or just looking for meaning in your work, head to gaptogig.com and subscribe to the Gap to Gig newsletter. If you took something valuable from this episode, send it to a dad you think could also benefit. Until next time, I'm Michael Jacobs, and this is Gap to Gig, where we're building work that fits your life, not the other way around.

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