How the CEO Mindset Can Make You a Better Parent (feat. Kevin Rice)
Kevin’s perspective goes beyond boardroom wins. He’s passionate about teaching leaders to build companies without burning themselves, and everyone around them, to the ground. Kevin speaks openly about using tactics from corporate growth to design purposeful family life, and how prioritizing connection changes not just outcomes but culture at every level.
HOST
Matt Poepsel, PhD
Vice President & Godfather of Talent Optimization
GUEST
Kevin Rice
Podcast Host, 2X Exited Founder
Most high-achieving leaders believe that working harder is the path to a fulfilling life. But for Kevin Rice, co-founder of Hathaway and host of the CEOs and ABCs podcast, the relentless pursuit of career success nearly cost him the moments that mattered most: at home, with his kids.
In this episode, Matt Poepsel sits down with Kevin to explore the deeply personal journey behind scaling a company to a nine-figure exit while becoming a solo parent to two young children overnight. Kevin opens up about slipping into “robot mode”, an emotional shutdown that made him highly productive but completely numb, and the wake-up call that came when selling his company felt like just another Tuesday. Together, they unpack why ambition without presence is a losing game, and how the business frameworks we use at work can make us better parents and partners at home.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- Robot Mode: How high achievers emotionally disconnect to survive pressure — and what it silently costs them at home
- Assigned vs. Authentic Leadership: Why the leadership skills that work in the boardroom translate directly to raising kids
- The SPARK Flywheel: A practical framework for building deep connection with your family, inspired by business growth strategy
- The Regulated & Connected Matrix: How to diagnose difficult parenting moments the same way you’d diagnose an underperforming employee
- Shifting Your Intention: How a subtle change in why you show up to work can unlock purpose without quitting your job
Highlights:
(0:00) Meet Kevin Rice
(1:33) Tripling a company’s headcount during a pandemic — and not feeling a thing
(3:22) Becoming a solo parent to a newborn and a toddler overnight
(4:16) What “robot mode” really costs high achievers
(5:02) Why the nine-figure exit felt like just another day
(9:54) The inner child work that changed everything
(16:04) Translating corporate frameworks into a parenting playbook
(23:14) Redefining success after the peak
(25:08) How to find purpose without blowing up your career
Resources:
Listen to CEOs and ABCs: ceosandabcs.com
Follow Kevin on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kevinrice
Follow Matt on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mattpoepsel
Subscribe to The Predictive Index on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ThePredictiveIndex
Created in partnership with Share Your Genius: shareyourgenius.com
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