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.

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. 

Simply said: Focusing on the micro can impede my ability to zoom out and focus on the macro when we already have a world class team focusing on these responsibilities.

This shift in focus has already allowed me to creatively identify new, unexpected ways forward for my clients. 

Delegating isn’t just about offloading tasks; it’s about trusting your team and giving them the opportunity to crush it. 

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 working on the business, helping to develop and direct the team, providing perspective, and solving different, bigger, and more complex problems with clients using a top down approach. Which actually gives my clients more value!

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 a matter of weeks! (You can read the whole blog post about this here.)

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.