George Rivera's father was dying when he delivered the advice that changed everything: stop missing your son's games. That single conversation forced Rivera—a self-made entrepreneur running a $20 million business—to rethink what success actually looks like when your kids are growing up without you.
In this powerful conversation with host John Golden, Rivera opens up about the emotional toll of being a founder and why so many entrepreneur dads stay trapped in a cycle they never planned for. He introduces the concept behind his 18 Summers Roundtable, a community where founder fathers share real struggles, hold each other accountable, and commit to being present before those eighteen childhood summers slip away.
Rivera also tackles the mindset shift required to move from "always on" to truly engaged—covering everything from calendar boundaries and shutdown routines to the daily scorecards that let you step away from the business without anxiety. This isn't about working less. It's about making sure the work serves your life instead of replacing it.