Dads in Real Life Podcast

From Garage Hustle to Business Owner | Coffee, Tattoos & Fatherhood

Today, Travis and Robert welcome special guest Jon Kelly to the podcast for a conversation about fatherhood, entrepreneurship, coffee, tattoos, and building a life from the ground up. Jon shares the journey from: ☕ Roasting coffee in his backyard 🎨 Tattooing friends in his garage ➡️ To eventually owning both a coffee roasting company and a tattoo shop while raising a daughter. What seem like two completely different businesses actually share a similar foundation: 🔥 passion 🤝 community 🛠️ craftsmanship 📈 and taking risks on yourself In this episode, they talk about: How Jon first got into coffee roasting What separates a good cup of coffee from a bad one His path into tattoo artistry and eventually owning a shop The realities of entrepreneurship as a father Balancing creativity, business ownership, and family life One of the biggest themes of the episode: 👨‍👧 How becoming a dad made Jon a better businessman… and how running businesses helped shape him into a better father.   This episode is packed with stories, lessons learned, and insight for anyone interested in: ☕ coffee culture 🎨 tattoo artistry 📈 entrepreneurship 👨‍👩‍👧 and balancing ambition with family life. ------------ Shout-outs: Olde Tyme Tattoo (Instagram: @oldetymetattoo ) Fullerton Raosters (Instagram: @fullertonroasters) Music produced by Trevor Gregory Follow @savten from @look.cypher

Why Kids Don’t Play Outside Anymore

Today’s episode starts with a challenge from Travis: 🚨 If the YouTube channel gains 100 more subscribers… he’ll tear open his kitchen wall on camera. 🚨 Why? A few episodes ago, Travis mentioned a mysterious sound coming from inside the wall, and he’s been waiting for the right moment to investigate. So now the question is: 👀 What’s inside the wall? Send this episode to a friend, and let’s see if Travis actually follows through. Before jumping into today’s topic, Travis reminds everyone that we have a special guest episode next week, so don’t forget to turn on notifications. Appetisers for today's episode: 🛠️ A shout-out to @bigcolecole and his legendary wall of broken tools 📚 Why libraries are underrated for dads and families Then the conversation shifts into today’s main topic: 🌳 Why Kids Need More Outside Time Robert reflects on growing up in a time when kids stayed outside until the street lights came on—because there simply weren’t endless indoor entertainment options. Today? 📱 iPads 🎮 Screens 🍿 Constant comfort & instant dopamine Robert and Travis talk about: * The struggle parents face getting kids outside * How technology competes with real-world play * Why community and outdoor time matter more than ever * The fight against isolation and overstimulation Travis also shouts out Ginny Yurich and her book Until the Street Lights Come On, sharing insights from the “1000 Hours Outside” movement and how modern kids are struggling with things as simple as eye contact and conversation. They also discuss how homework and busy schedules have changed childhood: 📝 More work after school ⚽ Less unstructured play ☀️ Less time outside just being a kid A reflective and practical conversation about parenting, childhood, technology, and reclaiming outdoor time in a screen-filled world.   ------- Shout-outs: @1000hoursoutside @bigcolecole Music produced by Trevor Gregory Follow @savten from @look.cypher

Mother’s Day Looks Different as a Dad

On today’s episode, Travis kicks things off with a game of “Where Did That Word Come From?” as he shares the origin story behind a word celebrating its 100-year anniversary. From there, the conversation shifts into today’s main topic: Mother’s Day ❤️ Travis asks Robert to share a favorite memory of his mom, which leads both dads into reflecting on early childhood memories and the impact their mothers had on their lives growing up. Then they dive into what it looks like to celebrate Mother’s Day as husbands and fathers. Robert reflects on celebrating his wife through 14 Mother’s Days, sharing how his perspective has changed over the years: 💐 The pressure to make everything perfect in the early years 👶 Learning how hard those first years of motherhood really are 🎯 And how celebration has shifted from “doing more” to being more intentional and aware Travis shares stories from his own Mother’s Day experiences and talks about what he has planned this year. The biggest takeaway from today’s episode: It’s not about getting Mother’s Day perfect. It’s about showing up with awareness, gratitude, and intention for the moms who do so much every single day. A thoughtful and honest conversation about parenting, partnership, and celebrating the season of motherhood. ------------------------------- Music in this Video: Music produced by Trevor Gregory Follow @savten from @look.cypher

Parenting in Public: How Much Freedom Is Too Much?

Today’s episode starts off with a simple observation from Travis… Why are there no crickets in Northern California? 🦗 Before they can even unpack that, a technical difficulty takes over—and after a 15-minute battle with his mic, Travis finally gets back on track… only to jump straight into a topic every dad knows all too well: 💥 Getting hit in the privates. From toddler meltdowns at the perfect height to shopping cart incidents at Costco, Travis and Robert share some painfully relatable dad moments. Then the conversation shifts to the main topic: 👨‍👧‍👦 How far do you let your kids roam in public? After a recent trip to the park, Travis noticed something surprising—a lot of kids… but not a lot of parents nearby. That raises the question: Where do you draw the line between freedom and supervision? They discuss: 🏞️ How far is “too far” when kids are playing in public 👀 Different parenting styles when it comes to supervision 🤝 The unspoken understanding between parents in shared spaces 🛝 Why it often feels like we’re all looking out for each other’s kids They wrap up with stories of parents stepping in to help when needed—and give a shoutout to the dads who not only watch their own kids, but keep an eye on the bigger picture. This episode is a mix of humor, pain (literally), and thoughtful conversation about what it means to parent in public spaces today. ------------------------------- Music in this Podcast: Music produced by Trevor Gregory Follow @savten from @look.cypher

Are we too distracted to feel awe anymore?

We’re back after a quick spring break—and as always, Travis kicks things off with a Trader Joe’s review, this time featuring Beer Bread 🍺🍞. From there, it’s straight into real-life dad talk: * Why holidays sometimes feel like more work than school days * A random (but surprisingly useful) Chrome household pro-tip * And the chaos of getting back into routine after time off Then the conversation shifts to something bigger… 🚀 Space, Awe, and What’s Changed Travis shares his excitement around Artemis II and the idea of traveling to the moon and back. But that leads to a deeper question: Why doesn’t it feel as mind-blowing as it should? Robert reflects on growing up during a time when moments like the moon landing captured everyone’s attention—when there was less noise, more anticipation, and real awe. Today? 📱 Endless content ⚡ Instant access ⏳ No waiting, no boredom They unpack: * How information overload has changed the way we experience big moments * Why kids today may never feel the same anticipation and wonder * The loss of delayed gratification * And what it means for us as parents trying to raise kids in this environment They wrap up by looking ahead—because despite it all, the idea of space travel becoming accessible is still something worth being excited about.