Laid Off by Tech, Building My Own Dream Instead

Troy Munson – https://www.linkedin.com/in/troymunson and Daniel Berk – https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielberk return for a fast-paced, idea-filled episode of Two Dads in Tech. From mass layoffs at Amazon to side projects going viral, this conversation captures the modern tech dad experience — trying to build something real while the world keeps changing. Troy shares how his new project Eat with Troy blew up to 200 K views and free restaurant deals in a week, while Daniel accidentally created a 10,000-member running community in 24 hours. They dig into: Why tech layoffs might actually spark the next wave of creators. How to launch a viral side project in under a minute. What most founders get wrong about content and authenticity. Building family rhythms around work, hobbies, and travel. It’s the perfect blend of startup energy, dad banter, and creator mindset — a reminder that you don’t need permission to build something great. — 🕒 Show Notes (0:00) Audio chaos and Amazon layoffs (2:00) At-will employment and why it’s brutal in America (5:00) Starting Eat with Troy — best wings in Wisconsin (7:00) AI tools and comment scraping for restaurant ratings (8:00) Going viral overnight — 200 K views in 4 days (10:00) How founders lose their voice on the internet (12:30) Why being “uncomfortable” online is a good sign (14:00) Creating Runners of ECS — 1,000 members in 24 hours (16:00) Merch, branding, and why good swag matters (18:00) Parent moments — snow, skiing, and dad adventures (20:00) Running half marathons & training through sickness (24:00) Marathon plans and consistency as a mindset (26:00) Trips, vacations, and family balance (32:00) Daniel’s brother — professional poker player (38:00) Fatherhood, travel, and supportive partners (40:00) Palmetto Parents growth and newsletter tactics (42:00) Closing thoughts and big plans for 2026 — 🔗 Links • Daniel Berk’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielberk • Troy Munson’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/troymunson • Two Dads in Tech Newsletter – https://twodadsintech.com • Shop Two Dads in Tech – https://shop.twodadsintech.com • Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/30GQP8FPJoKpLGpYBahlFP • Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/two-dads-in-tech/id1785662964 • Check out Dimmo – https://www.dimmo.ai #twodadsintech #fatherhood #tech #entrepreneurship #layoffs #creator #startups #viralcontent #parenting #business #sidehustle #podcast #founderstory #dadlife