Cleveland West Side Moms is proud to introduce you to Matt from The Dadass Podcast.
Hi Matt, first off – tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am a loving husband and proud father who works in marketing and community outreach. If I’m not seeking fish tacos and craft beers with my wife, I’m most likely hiking trails with our son Tuckerman and dog Shandy (yes, like the beer).
Where are you originally from and how long have you lived in town? What are your favorite things to do with your family?
I am originally from Medina having worked in my adult life as a Youth Minister at St. Ambrose Catholic Church and school in Brunswick and was stationed as a reservist in the United States Coast Guard at Station Fairport in Fairport Harbor. Our family is currently in Westerville, OH, but very connected to the Medina and Cleveland area still to this day. Our son Tuckerman is 18 months old. Our favorite things to do is take family walks and eat dinner together.
What’s one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
Since my mid 20s, all I’ve wanted to do is be promoted to the title of Dad.
I love that. What are some of your favorite things about Ohio?
Everything. I’ve been fortunate to travel a decent amount in my life and see other places. More times than I can remember, I compare it to something back home in Ohio. Sure, we don’t have mountains and my Cleveland sports teams broke my heart more times than dating in high school, but we have beaches, hiking trails, phenomenal food and beer scenes and we’re blessed with four seasons of weather…and that’s pretty cool to have access to.
Please tell us about The Dadass Podcast! Why/when did you start it and how did you know this is what you wanted to do?
Through nearly 15 years of working with or serving as a volunteer with youth, I primarily saw moms at everything and no dads. I vowed to not be that “absent father.”
Last March, I told my wife I had an interest in starting a podcast, but I didn’t know what to talk about. Most importantly, I refused to start a podcast that would be another one with two dudes sitting in a basement talking about nothing of value. She is the one who actually encouraged me to start it and sparked the idea of using my motivations of being a new Dad to learn from old Dads, while helping other dads.
After having a good friend Shaun on as a guest, we decided to tag team the podcast. Me as the new dad and Shaun with his background in family counseling. A year later, we have more moms listening, along with more moms on as guests and switched from helping dads to just trying to help us all figure out this whole parenting and adulting thing.
Do you have any advice for someone wanting to start their own business?
We’re an independent, unsponsored podcast, but it’s like running a business in many ways just without being paid. We started with a “business plan” and thought we had it figured out, but as things began to take shape, we saw that we needed to change to accommodate an audience we didn’t think we’d get, moms. Since then, we are constantly seeking input, engaging on social media and working on as many collaborations as we can to expand our reach.
What’s your proudest accomplishment?
Honestly, keeping a child alive for over a full year. He is our first, so it was all new. Before he was one, he had two skull surgeries and lived through a pandemic.
Anything you would have changed or done differently with your business thus far?
In looking how we started, I think I would have come up with a name and mission that didn’t just direct us towards Dads, but we learned quickly to adapt the “business plan,” look for a new message and make “Dadass” an inclusive term, which we have on our website.
How do you juggle being a working dad?
I don’t really know the answer, but I’m working on figuring it out. I try to put my wife first and work my hobbies into a schedule that works for her and Tuck. I’m up at 4 a.m. to workout, get my trail time in by sharing it with Tuck so that Heather can take care of herself, too. I try hard to leave work at work. On the days that this all actually plays out, I end it with a healthy pour of bourbon.
Where do you hope to be in 10 years?
For starters, I hope I’ve come closer to figuring out the whole juggling being a working dad and supportive husband thing by then. In my heart of hearts, I also hope that in 10 years there is a whistle around my neck and some sort of coach’s hat on my head for one or two kiddos…and because I’m a Dad…I am the keeper of the greenest lawn on the block.
Anyone special you’d like to thank for helping you through parenthood? Without a doubt, I have to thank my dad for showing me the most authentic witness of what it means to be a dad and my wonderfully supportive wife Heather who I love parenting with. And all my friends who helped me start a bourbon collection as we prepared for the birth of our son.
The Dadass Podcast can be found on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, & Amazon Music.
Find it here on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2gwD0su0zTVrv7jYHUGXyt
Find it on Apple Podcasts here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dadass-podcast/id1503225348
