EPISODE · May 20, 2026 · 22 MIN
We Paid $45,000 to Learn the System Was Broken
from Family Fronds · host Pineapple Family
"We Paid $45,000 to Learn the System Was Broken"In 2019, Daniel Malak and Joshua Brost started the surrogacy process the way most people do: they hired an agency and trusted the system. Six years later, they have two kids, a failed match, a $45,000 lesson, and a family-building platform built on what they learned.This is the episode where they tell the full story — joined by their co-founder and gestational carrier, Sam Martin, who brings the other side of it. Sam carried her first journey through an agency, later discovered that agency owned its own law firm and ran its own escrow, and came out of the experience with a firm belief that gestational carriers deserve to be treated as partners, not inventory.Together, the three founders cover what the agency fee of $30,000–$60,000+ actually funds, how SEEDS governs (or doesn't) the surrogacy industry, private equity consolidation of three of the largest U.S. surrogacy agencies, and what going independent actually requires — including why it doesn't mean skipping the safety standards.In this episode:The failed transfer, the agency's response, and the decision to go independentWhat $30,000–$60,000 in surrogacy agency fees actually buysSEEDS, self-governance, and the enforcement problemPrivate equity ownership of three major U.S. surrogacy agenciesIn-house escrow and in-house legal: why they're a red flagThe ASRM psych screening standard agencies routinely skipWhat Sam wishes she'd known before her first agency journeyWhy an independent surrogacy and/or egg donation journey doesn't mean unsafe — it means choosing your own providersAbout the hosts: Daniel Malak and Joshua Brost are co-founders of Pineapple Family. Sam Martin is co-founder and served as gestational carrier for their two children. She holds a law degree and has completed multiple journeys — agency and independent.FTC disclosure: Sam Martin is a co-founder of Pineapple Family and has a financial relationship with the company. This episode is produced by Pineapple Family.If you're thinking about carrying: Start an application at pineapplefamily.org. Nobody assigns you to a family — you see the full profile and you choose. Not ready yet? Join The Grove, our free community for gestational carriers and egg donors, at pineapplefamily.org. Free always.This episode does not constitute legal advice. Consult a licensed reproductive attorney for guidance specific to your situation. This episode does not constitute medical advice. Consult a licensed medical professional for guidance specific to your situation.Family Fronds is a Pineapple Family original.
What this episode covers
"We Paid $45,000 to Learn the System Was Broken"In 2019, Daniel Malak and Joshua Brost started the surrogacy process the way most people do: they hired an agency and trusted the system. Six years later, they have two kids, a failed match, a $45,000 lesson, and a family-building platform built on what they learned.This is the episode where they tell the full story — joined by their co-founder and gestational carrier, Sam Martin, who brings the other side of it. Sam carried her first journey through an agency, later discovered that agency owned its own law firm and ran its own escrow, and came out of the experience with a firm belief that gestational carriers deserve to be treated as partners, not inventory.Together, the three founders cover what the agency fee of $30,000–$60,000+ actually funds, how SEEDS governs (or doesn't) the surrogacy industry, private equity consolidation of three of the largest U.S. surrogacy agencies, and what going independent actually requires — including why it doesn't mean skipping the safety standards.In this episode:The failed transfer, the agency's response, and the decision to go independentWhat $30,000–$60,000 in surrogacy agency fees actually buysSEEDS, self-governance, and the enforcement problemPrivate equity ownership of three major U.S. surrogacy agenciesIn-house escrow and in-house legal: why they're a red flagThe ASRM psych screening standard agencies routinely skipWhat Sam wishes she'd known before her first agency journeyWhy an independent surrogacy and/or egg donation journey doesn't mean unsafe — it means choosing your own providersAbout the hosts: Daniel Malak and Joshua Brost are co-founders of Pineapple Family. Sam Martin is co-founder and served as gestational carrier for their two children. She holds a law degree and has completed multiple journeys — agency and independent.FTC disclosure: Sam Martin is a co-founder of Pineapple Family and has a financial relationship with the company. This episode is produced by Pineapple Family.If you're thinking about carrying: Start an application at pineapplefamily.org. Nobody assigns you to a family — you see the full profile and you choose. Not ready yet? Join The Grove, our free community for gestational carriers and egg donors, at pineapplefamily.org. Free always.This episode does not constitute legal advice. Consult a licensed reproductive attorney for guidance specific to your situation. This episode does not constitute medical advice. Consult a licensed medical professional for guidance specific to your situation.Family Fronds is a Pineapple Family original.
NOW PLAYING
We Paid $45,000 to Learn the System Was Broken
No transcript for this episode yet
Similar Episodes
No similar episodes found.