In this special Startup Dad (and Mom) episode I interviewed husband and wife team Eric and Sara Mauskopf. Sara is the co-founder and CEO of Winnie, a platform that helps parents find much needed childcare and helps childcare providers find parents and run their business. She founded Winnie after a decade-plus career in product at Postmates, Twitter, and Google. Eric is a product leader at Winnie where he joined about 18 months ago after leaning in as a stay-at-home-Dad for 3.5 years. Prior to that he was a long-time product leader at Google and YouTube for over 10 years.
In this episode we discuss:
Eric and Sara's personal and professional backgrounds including how their parents shaped them and how they met
Their decision to start a family and whether three kids was the goal
Eric's cancer diagnosis, treatment, recover and raising a young daughter during this process
How to prepare for your family's future when you have a serious illness
Eric's decision to step back from the workforce and why that is so hard for men
Eric's transition back to work and what it's like to work with your spouse
How to take your kids on exciting adventures
Philadelphia sports (if you know Sara this is a requirement)
Rapid fire!
Listen, watch and subscribe: Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and Overcast.
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Where to find Eric Mauskopf:
- LinkedIn: https://twitter.com/mauskopf
- Twitter: https://linkedin.com/in/mauskopf
Where to find Sara Mauskopf
- Twitter / X: https://twitter.com/sm
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smausk/
Where to find Adam Fishman
- Newsletter: http://www.startupdadpod.substack.com
- Newsletter: http://fishmanafnewsletter.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/
- Twitter / X: https://twitter.com/fishmanaf
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupdadpod/
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In this episode, we cover:
[2:56] Professional backgrounds
[5:28] Personal backgrounds
[7:52] Their parent’s careers
[11:38] How did you meet?
[13:00] Tell me about the kids?
[15:29] Decision to start a family
[17:52] Was 3 kids ideal?
[18:52] Kids' interaction with each other
[20:26] Eric’s cancer/perspectives
[24:23] Preparing for the future with cancer
[27:53] Family support
[32:28] Earliest memory of being a dad
[33:54] Eric’s decision to step back/why is that hard for men?
[40:32] Transition back to work
[42:30] Eric’s Winnie interview
[46:10] Taking kids on adventures
[49:35] What has been the most fun adventure?
[53:10] Sharing your kids online
[56:02] Where Sara and Eric don’t align
[57:56] One mistake you made as a dad?
[59:11] Where can we follow along?
[1:00:01] Detroit Lions VS. Philadelphia Eagles
[1:01:05] Rapid fire round
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Show references:
Winnie - https://winnie.com/
Kobe Bryant - https://www.britannica.com/biography/Kobe-Bryant
Google - https://www.google.com/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/
Phil Simms - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Simms
Phillies - https://www.mlb.com/phillies
Giants - https://www.mlb.com/giants
Warriors - https://www.nba.com/warriors
Traveling Wilburys - https://www.travelingwilburys.com/
Bob Dylan - https://www.bobdylan.com/
Seahawks - https://www.seahawks.com/
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Thanks to my sponsor for this episode: unitQ!
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Production support for Startup Dad is provided by Tommy Harron at
http://www.armaziproductions.com/
Episode art designed by Matt Sutherland at https://www.mspnw.com/
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