Gap to Gig
Build the life you’re working for. Gap to Gig is the podcast for dads who want to crush it at work and still show up at home. Each week, host Michael Jacobs talks with dads, founders, career experts, and creators about what it really takes to balance meaningful work and active fatherhood. From navigating career transitions and side hustles to staying present for hockey games and bedtime stories, Gap to Gig helps you create a life that feels steady, fulfilling, and built to last. Whether you’re a stay-at-home dad reentering the workforce, a working dad craving more purpose, or a creator building your own path, you’ll find stories and systems to help you move forward with confidence. If you’ve ever felt pulled between your career ambitions and your kids’ soccer schedules, you’re not alone. Each episode offers ideas you can apply right away, whether that’s a way to structure your week, handle burnout, or rethink what success really means for you and your family. The show blends personal storytelling, expert insights, and actionable takeaways from guests who are building careers, companies, and creative projects that fit their lives, not the other way around.
Welcome to Gap to Gig
Build the life you’re working for. Gap to Gig is the podcast for dads who want to crush it at work and still show up at home. Each week, host Michael Jacobs talks with dads, founders, career experts, and creators about what it really takes to balance meaningful work and active fatherhood.
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Recent Episodes
Feb. 24, 2026
Brad Leeman on Leading at Home Through Presence, Play, and Preparation
What does leadership look like when the mission is your family and the stakes are emotional, not tactical? Brad Leeman is a retired U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel, combat aviator, and F-35 test pilot who spent nearly tw...
Feb. 17, 2026
Danny Brassell on Becoming a Better Communicator at Work and at Home
How do you communicate in a way that builds trust, connection, and confidence with your kids, your partner, and the people you work with every day? Danny Brassell has spent decades teaching, coaching, and speaking around the ...
Feb. 10, 2026
Jon Merlin on Building Creative Work Without Sacrificing Family Time
Jon Merlin is a longtime designer who left agency life to start his own creative studio while raising two young daughters. Instead of letting work bleed into every hour, Jon drew a hard line around family time and rebuilt his...
Feb. 3, 2026
Doug Fleener on Making Better Work and Life Choices Without Burning Out
Why does work keep crowding out family time even when no one is explicitly asking it to? Doug Fleener is an author, coach, and former corporate executive who has lived both sides of the work equation. After years of leadershi...
Jan. 27, 2026
Stephanie Cordes on Finding Clarity When Success No Longer Feels Right
What do you do when your career looks successful on paper, but something quietly feels off? Stephanie Cordes is a career ownership coach who works with people at the exact moment when professional success and the life they wa...
Jan. 20, 2026
Kristian Leavell on Navigating Anxiety, Depression, and the Long Winter Season
Why do anxiety and depression feel heavier during the long winter season, even when nothing is technically “wrong”? Kristian Leavell, licensed clinical social worker, therapist, and dad, returns to talk about the emotional we...
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