New Dads: Stop Fighting The Change | Rex Gelb (Dad of 1, Summit Chase)

Rex Gelb is the Founder/CEO of Summit Chase, a paid media agency serving B2B, SaaS, and professional services companies. Before starting Summit Chase, Rex spent more than 11 years at HubSpot, where he became the company’s Head of Paid Media. He’s also a husband and dad to a daughter who recently turned one. In this episode, Rex shares what it was like for both him and his wife to quit their jobs within 24 hours of each other right after parental leave, why that leap made sense for their family, and how becoming a dad has changed the way he thinks about ambition, hard work, and presence. We discussed: Leaving stable jobs right after parental leave: How Rex and his wife both quit their jobs within 24 hours of each other and why that felt like the right move for their family.The sooner you give up, the better: Why Rex believes fatherhood gets easier when you stop clinging to your old life and allow yourself to evolve into a new season.Fighting the “should gremlins”: How Rex thinks about the pressure to show up perfectly at work, at home, and for himself, and why letting go of impossible standards matters.Household systems that reduce friction: The shared notes, walking one-on-ones, and email threads Rex and his wife use to stay aligned and keep family life running smoothly.Using AI as a parenting tool: How Rex and his wife use monthly “leap alerts” with Gemini to stay on top of milestones, safety considerations, and what’s coming next for their daughter.Never deprive them of a struggle: Why Rex is already thinking about how to let his daughter work through challenges on her own so he can build confidence instead of accidentally undermining it. Where to find Rex GelbLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rex-gelb-43445b1b/ Summit Chase: https://www.summitchase.co/ Where to find Adam FishmanFishmanAF Newsletter: www.FishmanAFNewsletter.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupdadpod/ X: https://x.com/fishmanafIn this episode, we cover:(00:00) Welcome Rex Gelb, Founder/CEO of Summit Chase(07:54) Why this was the right time to start a company(08:45) The sooner you give up, the better(11:05) Fighting the should gremlins(14:13) Work, family, and the balance trap(17:14) The newborn phase is not what you think(19:34) The “No 2AM Fight” rule(22:18) You do not need to master every phase(24:37) The household systems that keep things moving(27:43) Monthly leap alerts and using AI as a parent(30:31) Time hacks for dads building startups(35:43) Never deprive your kid of a struggle(39:37) Using AI for baby health questions(41:34) Raising a kid in the age of AI(43:23) Lightning round: Parenting philosophy, family rhythms, and raising an AI native kidResources From This Episode:Summit Chase: https://www.summitchase.co/ Huckleberry (App): https://huckleberrycare.com/ Baby Shusher (App): https://babyshusher.com/pages/baby-shusher-app The Incredibles (Film): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0317705/ The Sandlot (Film): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108037/ —Support Startup DadFor sponsorship inquiries, email: [email protected] Startup Dad Merch: www.startupdadshop.com