How I Balance Being an Executive, Advocate, and Father

I don’t believe in work-life balance. The phrase implies a zero-sum game where giving more to one side takes from the other. After nearly 30 years in the construction industry, two decades of advocacy work, and raising three kids, I can tell you that framing doesn’t match reality.

What I’ve found works better is rhythm. Some weeks, work gets 70% of my energy. Other weeks, my kids or my advocacy work take priority. The point isn’t balance. It’s intentionality.

TL;DR: Gallup’s 2025 data shows 82% of managers report burnout, higher than entry-level employees at 73%, and KPMG found 1.3 million workers missed work monthly due to caregiving responsibilities. Balancing executive leadership, advocacy, and fatherhood isn’t about equal time distribution. It’s about rhythm, non-negotiables, and being fully present wherever you are.

Why doesn’t “balance” work for people juggling multiple roles?

A 2025 Cariloop study found that 78% of caregiving managers say their responsibilities affect their focus at work, and 52% of sandwich generation employees report feeling distracted or overwhelmed (Cariloop, 2025). Balance suggests a static state. Stand on one foot long enough and you’ll fall. Real life doesn’t hold still.

As Regional General Manager at Great Day Improvements, I oversee four Upper Midwest markets. That’s a job with no off switch. As an advocate for gun violence prevention, I have commitments that don’t respect business hours. As a father to Josie, Kyan, and Sydney, I have responsibilities that matter more than any quarterly target.

Trying to balance all three equally every single day is a recipe for guilt. Instead, I think in terms of seasons and rhythms. Some days I’m a better executive than I am a father. Some days it’s the reverse. What matters is the pattern over weeks and months, not the score on any given Tuesday.

What does being “present” actually mean in practice?

SurveyMonkey’s 2025 research shows that 83% of U.S. workers report experiencing work-related stress, and remote workers face a 20% higher burnout risk than in-office peers (SurveyMonkey, 2025). Being present is the most overused and underdelivered promise in leadership. Everyone says it. Few people do it.

For me, being present means this: when I’m at my kid’s game, my phone is in my pocket. When I’m in a meeting with my team, I’m not mentally drafting an email to a legislator. When I’m doing advocacy work, I’m not checking sales dashboards.

Is it always perfect? No. But the discipline of single-tasking, of being fully where you are, makes each role more effective. Half-attention to everything produces mediocrity across the board. Full attention to one thing at a time produces quality in each area.

What are the non-negotiables that keep everything from falling apart?

EY research found that 77% of executives link work-life management to sustained productivity gains, and companies with working parent support see measurably higher retention (KPMG, 2025). Early in my career, I said yes to everything. That led to burnout, resentment, and being physically present but mentally checked out. Over time, I learned to identify non-negotiables.

Mine are simple. Health comes first, because everything else collapses without it. Family time is protected, not just scheduled. And integrity isn’t situational. I bring the same values to the boardroom, the rally, and the dinner table.

Non-negotiables aren’t about rigidity. They’re about having a foundation that doesn’t shift when everything around you does. When you know what you won’t compromise on, every other decision gets easier.

How do these roles actually strengthen each other?

Gallup’s 2025 data shows that managers account for 70% of the variance in team engagement, making leadership quality the single biggest factor in workplace performance (Gallup, 2025). Some people assume my advocacy work distracts from my day job. It’s the opposite. The empathy I develop through advocacy makes me a better leader. The strategic thinking I use in business makes me a more effective advocate. And both roles make me a more intentional parent.

I wrote about the intersection of business leadership and community advocacy in more detail. The short version: the skills transfer in every direction. Listening to constituents teaches you to listen to employees. Running a team teaches you to organize a coalition. Parenting teaches you patience that both other roles desperately need.

The idea that you have to choose one identity is outdated. I’m an executive and an advocate and a father. Not in spite of each other. Because of each other.

What would I tell other professionals trying to do it all?

According to Apollo Technical’s 2026 analysis, the average American hits peak burnout at age 42, with 70% of Gen Z and Millennial employees reporting burnout symptoms in the past year (Apollo Technical, 2026). If you’re trying to juggle a demanding career with family and something you care about outside of work, here’s what I’ve learned:

Stop apologizing for having multiple commitments. Nobody who’s doing meaningful work fits into one box. Build a support system and use it. I co-parent with my ex-wife Amanda, and that partnership is essential to making everything work. Get comfortable saying no to things that don’t align with your non-negotiables.

I’ve also found that building a personal brand while working full-time actually creates clarity. When you know what you stand for publicly, it’s easier to make decisions privately.

The bottom line

You don’t have to choose between being a great professional, a committed advocate, and a good parent. But you do have to be intentional about how you spend your time and energy. Rhythm over balance. Presence over perfection. Non-negotiables over trying to please everyone.

If this resonates with you, connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram. And visit my Experience page for the full picture of the work I do across all three arenas.

Last updated: March 25, 2026