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The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsAuthor: jeffpelaccio
Interviews with successful leaders and company founders sharing stories of their career journey, great leadership, and not-so-great. It will help you become a better leader while poking fun at all the crazy shit that happens in corporate America. Hosted by Jeff Pelaccio who has over 40 years of leadership experience for every t-shirt size company - Small (4 employees) to XL (over 1 million employees). Listen, learn, and laugh each week to learn from great leaders from all walks of life. Language: en Genres: Business, Careers, Management Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Paul Sullivan: From the New York Times to the Carpool Line - Redefining Success, Fatherhood, and Work
Episode 203
Sunday, 8 February, 2026
What happens when a dream career collides with real life and real priorities? In this episode, I sit down with Paul Sullivan (see bio below), a longtime New York Times columnist, author, and founder of The Company of Dads, to explore a career journey that spans elite journalism, bestselling books, keynote stages, and ultimately, a bold reinvention. Paul shares how growing up in a working-class Massachusetts town shaped his ambition, how mentorship and failure sharpened his voice as a writer, and what it was really like covering wealth, pressure, and power during the Great Recession. We talk Tiger Woods, golf under pressure, and the behind-the-scenes reality of writing 600+ columns for the New York Times. But the heart of this conversation centers on Paul’s evolution into what he calls a “Lead Dad” and why millions of fathers are quietly redefining work, parenting, and leadership. From being an “undercover” caregiver while building a high-profile career to launching The Company of Dads, Paul unpacks how outdated workplace norms are colliding with modern family realities and what leaders are still getting wrong. This is a candid, thoughtful conversation about ambition, identity, masculinity, work culture, and the courage it takes to rewrite the script when the old version no longer fits. This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on improving your culture, increasing employee engagement, and retention. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff. About Paul: Paul Sullivan is the founder of The Company of Dads, the first platform dedicated to creating community for Lead Dads—men who are the go-to parents at home and allies to working caregivers. A former New York Times columnist for 13 years, Paul became a Lead Dad in 2013 when his wife launched her own asset management firm. After years of navigating this role while balancing a demanding career, he founded The Company of Dads in 2022 to support the roughly one-third of fathers in similar positions. Paul is also the author of Clutch and The Thin Green Line, co-hosts Bright Horizons' Work-Life Equation podcast, and lives in Connecticut with his wife, three daughters, and three dogs.
