WAIM #030 - Pete Dominick

When I first began to really mull the idea of a podcast and Substack space, Pete Dominick was one of the first people I reached out to for advice. His suggestion was simple, “Just start”. In the Fall of 2019, Pete lost his job in corporate media and began a podcast out of a shed he built in his backyard. Sound familiar?In the last four years, Pete has built a community of amazing folks by doing great work on a daily basis. Pete assured me that no matter how I prepared, I would fall on my face at first. Start writing, start recording, start publishing. The ethos was as uncomplicated as could be; the more you do it, the better your work will get. It’s the only real path. He was, of course, right. Now, Pete finds himself at a new crossroads. Just last week, Pete dropped his eldest daughter Ava off at Ithaca College in upstate New York for her Freshman year. We chat about the challenges and the trepidation of sending your kid off into the real world. Moments like this are our first real test of how we did as parents. Pete is brimming with confidence and excitement over Ava, her freshman year and her future in general. As if this were not enough emotional road to hoe, Pete recently spent ten days in Australia on a solo trip for a friend's milestone birthday. In lieu of spending his days filled with touristy pursuits, Pete spent his time with the family he was visiting, becoming “Bald Mom”. We talk about how travel opens your heart and mind, and what a treat it is to spend genuine time with a family that is not your own. I admire Pete greatly for his talents and work ethic as a podcaster, but I look up to him most as the tremendous friend and father that I know him to be. Here’s a great chat with two dudes opening up about the perils of parenting, the mystical nature of travel and finding a way to do the work that really matters. Enjoy,Matty C Get full access to What Am I Making at whatamimaking.substack.com/subscribe