The best scenario for a Lead Dad is when it’s a win-win. No surprise here. But it doesn’t always feel that way from the start.
It the case of Robert Maisano, our Lead Dad of the Week from Norwalk, CT, pieces fell into place – and here’s how he knew to accept what was happening.
Robert met his wife Ashley at American University. After college, they worked in different divisions of JP Morgan – he in government relations, she in investments.
Big banking wasn’t for him, and he began working in video production – shooting, editing and producing films for corporate clients and adding in some passion projects. At the same time, Ashley continued to progress in banking, and he was able to move with her.
She got transferred from Seattle to New York during Covid. Quickly subletting an apartment was easy; they also found out she was pregnant with their first child, a daughter.
“It all happened quickly,” Robert said. So, he pivoted: “We just made the decision that my work fluctuated so much, and I was looking at going back to the corporate world but we looked at what daycare costs and what a nanny costs, and I said I’ll just keep freelancing.”
It worked. “I was getting on and off gigs in the real estate field. Then I got an exclusive gig in the automotive space with a YouTuber,” he said. “I get my parents to help out with the kids during big shoots. I do the editing at night.”
With two kids now, there are challenges. His daughter loves to put his recording equipment on her dolls, which makes it hard to find when he needs it. His son, at 8 months, is still just taking it all in, but the nap schedule sets the rules of work. That’s good by him.
“I always knew I wanted to run my own business,” he said. “Maybe I’m bragging, but I didn’t know how good I’d be at being a dad. I thought it was going to be more challenging, growing a business and being a Lead Dad. There were certain times during my daughter’s last three years where I’ve talked to friends about going back to the corporate world. I did the tradeoff analysis. It wasn’t worth it.”
As for his wife Ashley, she’s working under JP Morgan’s in-office mandate, and it’s been a benefit to her career to not have to worry about being an hour-plus train ride away. That’s a win-win for them.
Welcome, Robert, to The Company of Dads!
