Integration over Balance and What It Means to Hustle with Kids | Eric Bahn (Dad of 2, Hustle Fund)

Eric Bahn is the co-founder and a GP at Hustle Fund—a pre-seed venture fund that invests in very early stage founders. He has also been a founder himself as well as a product leader at companies like Intuit and Instagram. Most importantly, he’s a husband and the father of two kids. In our conversation today we discussed:

- What it means to feel joy in coming home to your family
- His decision with his wife to have children
- How to prioritize your spouse
- Life integration rather than balance
- Some non-traditional methods of recharging his batteries
- A hilarious tangent about home projects including a recent plumbing success
- What emerging companies he has seen that could have a significant impact on kids and future generations

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Where to find Eric Bahn
- Linkedin: LinkedIn: ericbahn
- X: Twitter: ericbahn
- Website: https://www.hustlefund.vc/

Where to find Adam Fishman
- FishmanAF Newsletter: www.FishmanAFNewsletter.com
- LinkedIn: LinkedIn: adamjfishman
- Instagram: Instagram: startupdadpod

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In this episode, we cover:
[1:54] Welcome
[2:30] Professional background
[3:06] Explaining career to his kids
[4:16] Grew up in Detroit
[5:12] Childhood
[7:14] Immigrant family/being Korean in Detroit
[11:03] Talking to kids about how Eric’s parents culturally assimilated
[13:00] How did you meet wife/what does she do?
[15:45] Decision to start a family
[19:53] Earliest memory of becoming a dad
[21:50] Most surprising thing you discovered?
[23:44] Parenting approach helped professional life?
[26:53] Prioritizing wife over kids
[29:45] Where you and partner don’t agree?
[33:30] Eric’s home plumbing tweet
[36:10] Advice for younger Eric?
[39:41] What does it mean to “hustle” vs. family life?
[43:57] Leadership style influenced by having kids?
[47:37] What things has he seen in VC that will affect kids?
[52:18] What relationship do you want your kids to have with technology?
[55:09] Recharge batteries?
[59:38] Mistake you made as a father?
[1:00:08] Follow along
[1:01:11] Rapid fire

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Show references:
Hustle Fund: https://www.hustlefund.vc/
Instagram: instagram.com
Intuit: https://www.intuit.com/
8 Mile: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0298203/
McAllen, TX: https://www.mcallen.net/
Korea: https://www.korea.net/
Patrick Thompson Epidsode: Managing Weekends as a Founder & Dad ...
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YouTube: youtube.com
Sonoma Raceway: https://www.sonomaraceway.com/
F1: https://www.formula1.com/
Squatty Potty: https://www.squattypotty.com/
Cocomelon: https://cocomelon.com/
Ratatouille: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0382932/
The Rock: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117500/

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Production support for Startup Dad is provided by Tommy Harron at http://www.armaziproductions.com/