So, I’m A Dad Now – Here’s What I’m Doing Differently

“Nerve-wracking induction at 36 weeks” was not on my bingo card for 2024, but here we are!

If we’re friends on LinkedIn, you’ve probably already seen these photos, but please allow me to be a proud daddy and introduce you to Makena Hayley Neutel.

Landing my first big client, marrying my incredible wife, buying our first house – these are big, important life milestones. But, wow, do they pale in comparison to becoming a parent.

It’s only been a few weeks, but Makena’s arrival has already changed my life and how I’m navigating business from here on out.

Here’s what I’ve learned and what I’m doing differently now that I’ve got the world’s cutest boss to consider.

A totally new perspective on leadership

Fatherhood has already changed how I view my role at Neutech. In the days leading up to Makena’s birth, I was so entrenched in my daily grind that I didn’t realize how tightly I’d been holding on to responsibilities that my team could easily handle. I thought I was “grooming” them for more significant roles but – if we’re being honest – I wasn’t letting go.

(Are you nodding along because you can relate? Thought so.) 

The chaos surrounding Makena’s birth forced me to delegate and to trust my team fully. And you know what? They stepped up in ways I hadn’t expected. They took over my responsibilities without missing a beat, allowing me to focus on my family during those crucial first days. It was a wake-up call — I need to let go more often and empower the people around me.

All this has pushed me to rethink my leadership style. I’ve always been hands-on – sometimes to a fault. But becoming a dad has shown me that I can’t—and shouldn’t—do everything myself. Delegating isn’t just about offloading tasks; it’s about trusting your team and giving them the opportunity to crush it. Click To Tweet

I’m still adjusting to this new mindset; it can be hard to rewire a lifelong habit of micro-managing and controlling every detail to perfection and overseeing every last thing. But shifting how I lead is already paying dividends in both my personal and professional life.

One of the most successful people I know told me that his number one business tip is to “always keep your finger on the pulse.” For a long time, I held this advice in clenched fists – trying to stay on top of every tiny detail in every project. But now I realize that keeping a finger on the pulse is less about clenched fists and more about a gentle touch.

And from my biology degree and time working at Ronald Reagan Hospital, I know that sometimes the lightest touch on the pulse is actually what allows you to get the best reading. So these days, I’m leading with a lighter touch and viewing the big picture on each project, which is time and time again creating better results than leading from the weeds and micromanaging.

The truth is, I have spent years developing a team of experts, they are well equipped to crush just about anything. And I get to be the person on top who helps develop and direct the team, providing perspective, and solving problems with clients using a top down approach. Which actually gives my clients more value!

Becoming okay with blurring the lines between work and home

Before Makena was born, I had a pretty strict separation between work and home life. I’d go to the office, grind out my day, and then come home and unwind. But fatherhood has obliterated those boundaries. Now there’s no clear division between being “Jared the CEO” and “Jared the Dad” I’m both, everywhere, all the time- and I’m okay with that. In many ways I believe this new perspective makes me better.

My office setup has changed. I’m spending more time working from home, which has its pros and cons. I can hop off a conference call to change a diaper or rock Makena back to sleep. And when something urgent and unexpected pops up I’ve had the ability to leverage a full set up at home, rather than having to work off my laptop.

I’ve also discovered that – surprisingly – taking breaks during my workday to be a dad refreshes me and helps me approach work with new eyes and new ideas. Previously, my day had been divided into “Grinding At The Office” and “Attempting To Decompress At Home While Mindlessly Watching TV.”

But as I work from home and take real breaks to push Makena in her stroller or feed her on the patio, I find that my energy is more consistent throughout the day because I’ve had the opportunity to take meaningful breaks – even if they’re just for five minutes. 

These blurred lines have also made me more empathetic as a leader. I’ve certainly been on Zoom calls when someone’s kid started crying in the background or wandered into frame with a question about snacks, but now I get it on a much deeper level.

Now I truly understand what it means to juggle work and family responsibilities. Fatherhood has made me more flexible with my team, more understanding of their needs, and more committed to creating a work environment that supports a healthy work-life balance. Click To Tweet If I’m expecting my team to step up while I navigate fatherhood, it’s only fair that I offer them the same support and flexibility in return whatever they may be navigating.

Embracing the unknown

If you have kids this “epiphany” won’t surprise you: fatherhood is unpredictable. Just when you think you’ve got it figured out, something changes— they stop napping, there’s a new rash you’re worried about, and all of a sudden they’re inexhaustibly hungry?? This constant state of flux is equal parts exhilarating and exhausting, and it’s forced me to become way more adaptable.

At Neutech, we pride ourselves on being innovative and agile. I’m the first one to tell you that life, and code are predictably unpredictable! But fatherhood has taken that mindset to a whole new level. I’ve had to learn to really roll with the punches and to accept that not everything will go according to plan. It’s a daily lesson in humility and patience, two qualities that benefit anyone in business or parenting.

The end of fear-based entrepreneurship

One of the most surprising aspects of new fatherhood is that it feels like I’ve begun to navigate entrepreneurship in a totally new way – less fear-based. For so long, my identity was tied to my business success, which caused me to fear what I didn’t do. What if that client doesn’t hire us? What if we miss that bug? What happens if I don’t meet anyone at that conference?

My new approach feels so much more sustainable, healthy, and centered. I’m not quite sure what I’d call it – Joy-based entrepreneurship? Balanced entrepreneurship? Ambition-based entrepreneurship? – but, rest assured, I’ll be talking about this new mindset more in the future.

A new “why”

Fatherhood has given me a new “why”—a reason to pursue not just success but significance. I want Makena to grow up seeing her dad as someone who is not only successful in his career, creating meaningful impact, but also a present, loving, and involved in her life.

This shift in focus is influencing the way I run Neutech. I’m getting out of my very capable teams’ way and allowing them to be the experts that I hired them to be.  I’m staying in my lane, and verifying the teams’ work, focusing on our clients and their needs.  I’m more invested than ever in building a company that excels in its field, allowing us to support even more brilliant engineers.  I want Neutech to be a place where everyone, from the top down, can thrive both personally and professionally.

Honestly, fatherhood has taught me more about leadership than business experience has. It’s shown me the importance of flexibility, trust, commitment and empathy, and it’s challenged me to grow in ways I never anticipated. All of this growth in 18 days!

Look, I know the next few years won’t be easy. There will be lots of sleepless nights and tough decisions, but I’m here for it, just like in my early days of entrepreneurship. Being a dad has already made me more resilient, more focused, and more determined than ever to lead with purpose and heart.