In the bustling world of modern business, the pressure to excel professionally often competes with the equally demanding role of being a present, engaged father. Rob Taylor, the founder of Dads in Business, understands this struggle well. Inspired by his own experience, he’s created a network where ambitious dads can find support and resources to manage both aspects of their lives effectively.
A Journey Born from Necessity
Rob’s journey began a decade ago after he was made redundant. “I had a two-year-old kid, my wife was pregnant with our second, and I lost my job. It was a tough period, but I thought, I’m going to start something on my own,” Rob recalls.
This pivotal moment spurred him to dive headlong into entrepreneurship, driven by the need to support his family. However, this single-minded focus on work soon led to burnout and a realisation that something needed to change.“I met Angga Kara, who runs Men Up North, at a local event where he spoke about burnout,” says Rob. “I was nodding along, recognising all the signs in myself. I realised I was saying yes to everything at work but saying no to important moments at home.”
This was a wake-up call for Rob, leading him to reach out to Angga and ask if they could do something together. The plan was to use structures tried and tested with Men Up North to start a discussion, one which advocated for a balance between professional ambition and family life.
Sparking Conversations
Rob started sharing his experiences on LinkedIn and his website and soon found he wasn’t alone. “People started tagging their partners in my posts, saying, ‘This sounds like you.’ I clearly wasn’t in the minority,” he says. This growing community of dads resonated with his message, highlighting a widespread need for a dedicated space to discuss the challenges of balancing work and family.
Expanding the Reach
Over time, the platform gained traction, catching the attention of major organisations like Amazon, who invited Rob to deliver sessions for their global families community. “I found that dads in Japan were talking about the same issues as dads on the West Coast of America,” he explains.
Rob eventually realised that the brunt of people’s problems tended to fall into four categories of concerns: work, money, family/relationships and the self. The universal themes of guilt, anxiety and overwhelm among many working dads became clear, reinforcing the need for cathartic conversations and practical solutions.
Practical Resources and Community Building
You can find this practical approach reflected in the resources offered on the website, including a wide series of blogs and YouTube videos on topics ranging from money management to parenting concerns and the importance of work-life boundaries. He also developed the ‘Dad Deck’ and ‘Book of Dad’ – tools designed to spark meaningful conversations and self-reflection among dads and their significant others.
Moving Things Forward – Can You Help?
Just before the Covid pandemic hit the UK, Dad in Business hosted a number of well-attended in-person meets, described as “similar to networking events but for professional dads, with guest speakers and really important conversations in a safe space.” The sessions are purposely laid-back yet structured. Everyone is invited and encouraged to share their personal experiences with the goal of enhancing not only their own lives, businesses and families but also those of the other group members.
The plan is to bring these live events back soon, but in the meantime, Rob emphasises the need for collaboration to expand further and make this a reality. “There’s definitely a gap for this in Sheffield and beyond,” he claims, “but I don’t have the resources to do it alone.”
The hope is to eventually create a thriving online and in-person community where dads can support each other, share experiences and find practical advice for balancing their dual roles. “We’re helping busy working dads bring the best of themselves to work and family life,” Rob explains.
Join the Conversation
For those interested in joining this supportive community, Rob encourages engagement through the Dads in Business website and YouTube channel. “Use the free resources, start the conversation. Awareness is the first step,” he says. As Rob continues to balance his own professional and personal life, his vision for Dads in Business remains clear: creating a space where ambitious dads can thrive in business and at home.
To learn more and get involved, visit www.dadsinbusiness.co.uk and join the conversation on their YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@dadsinbusiness.
