Under Pressure

Having kids changes everything, including your marriage. Cody Laughlin and Brian Alfaro discuss how to keep dating your wife after kids, strengthen your marriage, improve communication, and avoid the "roommate syndrome" that so many couples experience during parenthood. They share practical strategies for staying connected, making time for each other, protecting your relationship, and building a s...

Finding the right mentor can change the trajectory of your business, career, and life. Brian sits down with Josh Roosen to discuss how to find the right mentor, why mentorship accelerates success, and what separates great mentors from everyone else. They also dive into entrepreneurship, sales, real estate investing, networking, and the power of surrounding yourself with people who challenge you to...

Why do so many men in their 30s and 40s feel like they're falling behind? Cody Laughlin and Brian Alfaro explore the pressure to keep up with career goals, financial success, marriage, fatherhood, health, and personal growth. They discuss how comparison, social media, and unrealistic expectations can leave even successful men feeling stuck. If you've ever thought, "I thought I'd be further along b...

Anthony Vicino joins Brian for a powerful conversation about the invisible labels that shape our lives—and how they can quietly become the very thing holding us back. From being told ADHD was a limitation, to building a $100 million real estate business, to navigating the fallout of a devastating business failure and bankruptcy, Anthony shares hard-earned lessons on identity, responsibility, resil...

Cody and Brian tackle one of the most uncomfortable, but important, skills every man needs to develop: having difficult conversations. Whether it's with your spouse, your kids, an employee, a friend, or a business partner, avoiding hard conversations often creates bigger problems down the road. In this episode, they share personal stories, discuss the fear and discomfort that keep us silent, and b...

Mike Taravella joins Brian for a candid conversation about the hidden cost of settling. From business partnerships and career decisions to relationships and personal growth, they explore what happens when you ignore the feeling that something isn’t right—and the courage it takes to choose a more authentic path. If you’ve ever felt stuck between comfort and fulfillment, this episode will resonate. ...

Cody & Brian sit down with Tony Castronovo for an honest conversation about self-development, guilt, and why so many men stop prioritizing themselves once they become husbands, fathers, and providers. Tony shares lessons from marathon training, entrepreneurship, divorce, and fatherhood—opening up about the pressure men feel to constantly pour into everyone else while quietly neglecting themsel...

Brian sits down with Dillon McGough for an honest conversation about entrepreneurial failure, fatherhood, marriage, and the lessons that come from getting knocked down. Dillon opens up about a difficult business partnership, the hit it took on his confidence, and why burying your head in the sand can quietly affect every part of your life—including your family. The conversation also dives into bec...

Cody & Brian dive into “the provider trap”— the pressure many men feel to constantly work, earn, and provide financially, often at the expense of being fully present for the people they love most. They open up about moments in their own marriages where work began creating distance at home, the danger of tying your identity to your income, and how easy it is to become physically present but emo...

Brian sits down with Taylor to talk about the pressure a lot of people feel in their late 20s and early 30s to have life figured out. They get into delaying big decisions like marriage until you feel “ready,” how social media and hustle culture can distort expectations, and why the goalposts always seem to keep moving. Taylor also shares how real-life moments, like loss and injury, shifted his per...

Cody & Brian dive into one of the most important and most avoided conversations in a relationship: money. They break down why couples struggle to talk about finances, how different upbringings shape the way we think about money, and what happens when there’s a lack of transparency. From early conversations in dating to managing finances in marriage, this episode covers how to get on the same p...

Cody & Brian sit down with Khary, founder of Captiv Studios, to talk about what it actually takes to build a business from the ground up. From getting laid off and taking the leap into entrepreneurship to managing cash flow, building a team, and taking on real financial risk, this conversation breaks down the pressures most people don’t see. They also get into leadership, ego, relationships, a...

Cody shares the story of a financial decision that led to years of debt, stress, and pressure at home. Cody & Brian unpack the lessons behind it and what it takes to climb out of a major financial setback without letting it break you. Keywords entrepreneurship, financial setbacks, failure, resilience, family, lessons learned, business journey, emotional impact Key Topics Entrepreneurial failur...

Cody & Brian break down the lessons they wish they knew at 18—from chasing quick wins to building real habits, being patient with money and relationships, and learning how to define success on your own terms. Keywords life lessons, habits, patience, mentorship, happiness, personal growth, self-improvement, relationships, financial success, self-development Key Topics Reflections on turning 40...

In this episode, Cody & Brian break down a part of parenthood that doesn’t get talked about enough—the reality of how hard that first year really is. From lack of sleep and constant stress to shifts in identity and tension in your relationship, having a child changes everything overnight. They unpack why so many couples struggle after their first kid, what’s actually driving the conflict, and...

In this episode, we sit down with our first guest, Darren Tompkins, for a real conversation about business, fatherhood, and what it actually looks like to balance both. We talk about how the things we grew up watching shaped us, how different it is raising kids today, and why being intentional as a parent matters more than ever. But the conversation keeps coming back to one idea: You only get 18 s...

Cody & Brian dive into the pressures and challenges faced by entrepreneurs, emphasizing the often unspoken struggles of doubt, fear of failure, and the importance of vulnerability. We discuss the glamorization of entrepreneurship in society, the impact of education on mindset, and the necessity of seeking help through coaches and mentors. We highlight the significance of gratitude and communit...

Cody & Brian reconnect after several years, reflecting on their personal journeys, the challenges of fatherhood, and the importance of vulnerability in men's conversations. They discuss the pressures of entrepreneurship, the impact of personal health on success, and the significance of setting standards and goals. The episode emphasizes the need for a supportive community and the journey of se...