Better Call Daddy

In this episode of Better Call Daddy, host Reena Friedman Watts sits down with Roberto Vella III, a former oil field worker turned SpaceX aerospace technician, to talk career reinvention, military discipline, and fatherhood. Roberto shares how he answered Elon Musk's open call for talent and landed a job at SpaceX, describing the chaotic, high energy experience of interviewing alongside hundreds of other hopefuls. He talks candidly about the pressure of working in the aerospace industry, where every launch carries massive stakes and the margin for error is razor thin. The conversation traces Roberto's path from military paratrooper to aerospace technician, and how his time in the service built the resilience, composure, and work ethic that prepared him for a career at one of the most demanding companies in the world. He recounts witnessing rocket launches and explosions firsthand, the tight camaraderie among people working at the edge of what is possible, and even lighter perks of the job, like SpaceX providing food for employees during long shifts. Roberto also opens up about fatherhood, sharing how becoming a young dad reshaped how he thinks about legacy, purpose, and the values he wants to pass on to his children. He talks about the importance of work ethic, adaptability, and staying curious in a fast changing world, from his unconventional career path to teaching himself photography. Whether you're interested in entrepreneurship, career changes, military to civilian transitions, the space industry, or raising kids with strong values, this episode has something for you. What's In This Episode Roberto Vella's career journey from oil fields to SpaceX What it's really like interviewing for a job at SpaceX How military service as a paratrooper shaped his career Witnessing rocket launches and rocket failures up close Life inside SpaceX, including everyday perks like on site food for employees Why family and legacy drive everything he builds Lessons from a non-linear, unconventional career path The role of mentorship and community in career growth How to embrace change and pursue new passions Why work ethic matters most when building a legacy Teaching himself photography as a creative outlet Memorable Quotes From Roberto Vella "The military taught me to look cool under pressure, even when I didn't know what I was doing." "Everything I'm building is for my children. I want them to have the tools to succeed." "If I can learn something that's very hard, then I think other people can." "I want them to have the generational work ethic." From Reena Friedman Watts "You're creating that legacy one call at a time." From Big Daddy Wayne Friedman "It's always worthwhile to be on the Better Call Daddy show."   Timestamps (00:00) Introduction to Roberto Vella III and his background (05:15) The experience of interviewing at SpaceX (15:30) Insights from military service and its impact on his career (25:00) Witnessing rocket launches and the culture at SpaceX (35:45) The joys and challenges of being a young dad (45:00) Building a legacy and instilling values in his children About Roberto Vella III Roberto Vella III is a former oil field worker turned aerospace technician who has worked with SpaceX and Stoke Space. A dedicated father and passionate photographer, he is focused on learning new skills and building a lasting legacy for his family. Connect with Roberto Vella III LinkedIn: Roberto Vella III Instagram: Roberto Vella III X (formerly Twitter): Roberto Vella III Connect with Reena Friedman Watts Website: bettercalldaddy.com LinkedIn: Reena Friedman Watts Instagram: @reenafriedmanwatts Keywords: Roberto Vella, SpaceX employee, aerospace industry career, military to civilian transition, paratrooper, career reinvention, fatherhood and legacy, entrepreneurship podcast, Better Call Daddy podcast, Stoke Space

In this episode of Better Call Daddy, host Reena Friedman Watts welcomes Jenny Wuckert, a dynamic musician from Winnipeg, Manitoba, who wears many hats as a punk band member, airline employee, and freelance marriage commissioner. Jenny shares her journey from being a shy kid to rocking the stage with her band, Toaster Bath, and opens up about the transformative power of music in her life. The conversation delves into Jenny's experiences in the local music scene, her love for punk rock, and the cathartic release she finds in performing. She offers valuable advice for young musicians, emphasizing the importance of finding comfort in collaboration and the joy of playing music with friends. As they explore the challenges of being a woman in the punk scene, Jenny recounts the hurdles she faced from gender biases to the importance of authenticity in a world that often rewards performance over honesty. She reflects on her evolution as an artist and the significance of creativity in navigating life's ups and downs. Jenny also candidly discusses her health challenges, including her battle with endometriosis, and the importance of self-advocacy and community support. Her heartfelt stories about caring for her grandmother and the lessons learned from her parents add depth to this engaging episode. If you're interested in music, personal growth, or the punk rock scene, this episode is packed with insights and inspiration. 🎙️ What's In This Episode Jenny Wuckert's journey from a shy kid to a punk rocker The transformative power of music and self-expression Advice for young musicians on collaboration and comfort Challenges of being a woman in the punk music scene The importance of authenticity in the age of social media Health challenges and the significance of self-advocacy Heartwarming stories about family and community support Exploring the evolution of music technology and culture The role of creativity in personal growth and well-being 💭 Memorable Quotes from Jenny Wuckert "Music is a way to express yourself and overcome fear." "Find people you're comfortable with to play music; it makes everything flow more naturally." "If there's anything that I could share with today's youth is that there are so many different ways that you can go about learning something new." "You might go in totally different directions than what you thought." 🗣️ Quotes from Big Daddy Wayne Friedman "You can be shy, you can have idiosyncrasies, but trying to live life to the fullest and to try to be creative at what you're doing, that's what life's all about." ⏱️ Timestamps Time Segment 00:00 Introduction to Jenny Wuckert, punk band member and marriage commissioner 05:15 Jenny's journey from shyness to punk rock 15:30 The importance of collaboration in music 25:00 Challenges of being a woman in the punk scene 35:45 Navigating health challenges and self-advocacy 45:00 Family dynamics and the role of creativity in life 👤 About Jenny Wuckert Jenny Wuckert is a multi-talented musician and freelance marriage commissioner based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. A member of the punk band Toaster Bath, she has been an active participant in the local music scene for years, using her voice to advocate for authenticity and creativity while navigating personal challenges. Thank you Jon Waldman for the intro Check out his episode too 🔗 Connect with Jenny Wuckert Instagram: Jen E. Talia Weddings: J. Harmony Matrimonial 🔗 Connect with Reena Friedman Watts Website: bettercalldaddy.com LinkedIn: Reena Friedman Watts Instagram: @reenafriedmanwatts Keywords: Jenny Wuckert, punk rock, Toaster Bath, Winnipeg music scene, endometriosis, self-advocacy, women in music, creativity, Better Call Daddy podcast

In this milestone 500th episode of Better Call Daddy, host Reena Friedman Watts sits down with Will McKee, Jiu Jitsu black belt and founder of Asylum Jiu Jitsu in Aledo, Texas. Will shares his transformative journey from a 255-pound medical operations manager to a confident, mission-driven Jiu Jitsu practitioner shedding 60 pounds and rebuilding his mental health along the way. Will opens up about the physical and mental transformation he's experienced through Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ), emphasizing self-confidence, resilience, and discipline. He explains how he coaches kids to embrace competition without pressure, creating a gym culture where every student child or adult can grow, learn, and overcome real obstacles. The conversation dives into Jiu Jitsu culture at large: the balance between competition and personal growth, the importance of a safe training environment, and the darker sides of martial arts culture that Asylum Jiu Jitsu was built to push back against. Despite its name, Will explains, Asylum isn't a cage it's a place of refuge, structure, and freedom, closer to a monastery than an asylum in the traditional sense. Will also reflects on his own mental health struggles and how Jiu Jitsu became his sanctuary during the hardest chapters of his life. He shares stories of student progress, his approach to mentorship, and his mission to be the coach he wished he'd had growing up — shaped in part by his relationship with his own father. If you're interested in martial arts, BJJ, mental health, fitness transformation, or raising resilient kids, this milestone episode of Better Call Daddy delivers all of it. 🎙️ What's In This Episode Will McKee's journey from medical operations manager to Jiu Jitsu black belt His 60-pound weight loss transformation through BJJ How Jiu Jitsu improved his mental health and self-confidence Coaching kids in competition without pressure or fear of failure Building Asylum Jiu Jitsu as a safe, supportive training environment The balance between competition and personal growth in martial arts Confronting the darker side of Jiu Jitsu culture Why Asylum Jiu Jitsu is a space for freedom, not confinement Community, mentorship, and student success stories Lessons from his relationship with his father 💭 Memorable Quotes from Will McKee "Jiu Jitsu is about helping people. I want to create a safe place for everyone to train." "It's not about winning or losing — it's about learning and growing from every experience." ⏱️ Timestamps (00:00) Introducing Will McKee, Jiu Jitsu black belt and founder of Asylum Jiu Jitsu (05:15) His 60-pound weight loss journey through BJJ (15:30) Building confidence in kids through martial arts (25:00) Community and mentorship at Asylum Jiu Jitsu (35:45) Competition vs. personal growth on the mats (45:00) Mental health, resilience, and finding freedom through Jiu Jitsu 👤 About Will McKee / Asylum Jiu Jitsu Will McKee is a Jiu Jitsu black belt and founder of Asylum Jiu Jitsu, based in Aledo, Texas. After a career in medical operations, Will transformed his own life through Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and has since built a gym culture centered on safety, mentorship, and personal growth for students of all ages. His mission: prove that Asylum isn't a cage — it's a space for freedom, discipline, and community. Keywords: Asylum Jiu Jitsu, Will McKee, BJJ, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Aledo Texas, martial arts mental health, Jiu Jitsu weight loss, Better Call Daddy podcast 🔗 Connect with Will McKee / Asylum Jiu Jitsu Instagram: Asylum Jiu Jitsu | Will McKee, BJJ 🔗 Connect with Reena Friedman Watts Website: bettercalldaddy.com | LinkedIn: Reena Friedman Watts | Instagram: @reenafriedmanwatts   Thank you Podcast in a Box!!! TikTok — https://www.tiktok.com/@podcast.in.a.box Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/podcastboxio YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/@podcastboxio Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/podcastboxio X — https://x.com/podcastboxio Signup page: https://launch.podcastbox.io  

What if the biggest limitation in your life isn't your circumstances, but what you've been taught to believe is possible? On this episode of Better Call Daddy, Reena Friedman Watts sits down with Dr. Ravi Iyer, a physician with more than four decades of experience, for a thought-provoking conversation about human potential, authenticity, integrity, suffering, emotional wealth, family, artificial intelligence, and the future of humanity. Dr. Iyer's lifelong curiosity began as a child when he started questioning how life works—and what happens when it doesn't. That curiosity eventually led him into medicine and decades of exploring the human experience. He opens up about his complicated relationship with his father and the tension between love and fear, sharing how those early experiences shaped his understanding of integrity, possibility, relationships, and what it means to live authentically. The conversation goes far beyond medicine. Reena and Dr. Iyer explore how language shapes our reality, why our words matter, what suffering can teach us, and why emotional wealth may be more valuable than financial wealth. Dr. Iyer shares his powerful perspective on integrity: being your word, no matter what, and helping other people become more of who they are capable of being. Then they tackle one of the biggest questions of our time: What happens to truth, reality, and human connection in the age of artificial intelligence? As AI becomes increasingly influential, Dr. Iyer argues that society will need people who can help distinguish reality from misinformation—what he calls “authenticators of reality.” Ultimately, this episode asks a bigger question: How much more is possible for each of us if we stop accepting the limits we've been given? If you've ever questioned your purpose, struggled through suffering, felt limited by expectations, or wondered how AI will change what it means to be human, this conversation will make you think. 🔥 In This Episode Dr. Ravi Iyer's journey from a curious child to a physician with 40+ years of experience How curiosity can challenge the expectations society places on us The complicated relationship between love and fear How childhood experiences shape our beliefs about ourselves What suffering can teach us about love and life The concept of emotional wealth How language shapes our experiences and reality What it really means to live with integrity Why authenticity matters in an era of misinformation What it means to be your word How supporting others can unlock human potential The future of AI and humanity Why we may need “authenticators of reality” How artificial intelligence could impact truth, relationships, and human connection Breaking free from self-created limitations Discovering possibilities you may not have considered Living with greater curiosity, connection, authenticity, and purpose 💬 Powerful Quotes From Dr. Ravi Iyer “People can be freed from their own prisons that they create.” “Integrity is actually being your word, no matter what.” “Joy and suffering are equal portions of life.” “The best you can do is do what you can do.” “Life shows up differently for an autistic person as compared to life shows up differently for Elon Musk than it is thus for me.” ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 — Introduction to Dr. Ravi Iyer 05:15 — The curiosity that changed Dr. Iyer's life 15:30 — Love, fear & lessons from his father 25:00 — Integrity, authenticity & being your word 35:45 — AI, misinformation & authenticators of reality 45:00 — Human potential, suffering & personal growth 👤 About Dr. Ravi Iyer Dr. Ravi Iyer is a physician and author who has spent more than four decades exploring medicine, human possibility, personal growth, and the complexities of the human experience. His work focuses on helping people question their limitations, live with greater integrity, and recognize the possibilities available to them. 🎧 Listen to Better Call Daddy Better Call Daddy is hosted by Reena Friedman Watts, a former reality TV producer turned podcast host. The show features honest, unexpected conversations about family, relationships, personal growth, resilience, business, authenticity, and the messy parts of being human. Website: Better Call Daddy YouTube: Better Call Daddy on YouTube LinkedIn: Reena Friedman Watts on LinkedIn Instagram: Reena Friedman Watts on Instagram 🔗 Connect With Dr. Ravi Iyer Dr. Ravi Iyer 🔎 SEO Keywords Dr. Ravi Iyer, Ravi Iyer MD, Dr. Ravi Iyer podcast, Better Call Daddy, Reena Friedman Watts, human potential, human possibility, human potential podcast, personal growth, authenticity, integrity, emotional wealth, AI and humanity, artificial intelligence and society, AI misinformation, future of AI, AI and human connection, authentic leadership, living authentically, overcoming limitations, lessons from suffering, love and suffering, father son relationship, childhood experiences, purpose and meaning, personal development, physician podcast, inspirational podcast, life lessons, human connection, truth and misinformation #BetterCallDaddy #DrRaviIyer #HumanPotential #HumanPossibility #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Integrity #Authenticity #PersonalGrowth #EmotionalWealth #HumanConnection #ReenaFriedmanWatts

In this episode of Better Call Daddy, host Reena Friedman Watts sits down with Kiko Zang, business executive, tech founder, and opinion leader building human-centric consumer products. Kiko is the Founder & CEO of Chomp, a social game that rewards honesty instead of punishing it and she's on a mission to fix what she calls the "performative internet." Kiko opens up about her path from boarding school in China to New Zealand and the United States, the anti-authoritarian streak she carried as a kid, and the long road to understanding her own identity across cultures. The conversation gets candid as she discusses her experience with open relationships and how it reshaped her views on love, trust, kindness, and loyalty then turns to the bigger picture: why social media rewards performance over authenticity, why women in particular self-censor online, and why honest human belief may be the scarcest, most valuable data in the age of AI. Kiko also shares her founder journey from COO at Orca (one of Solana's largest decentralized exchanges, where she helped raise $19M and grow the platform to $1B+ in 24-hour trading volume) to building Chomp, which drew 50,000 beta users sharing millions of honest answers and raised $3.6M from backers including BlueYard, JSquare, and Accomplice placing her among the 2% of female-led startups to raise venture capital. Chomp launches on iOS in 2026. Equal parts personal memoir and founder story, this episode covers identity, relationships, resilience, the loneliness epidemic, the funding gap for female founders, and what it takes to build something real in a "dead internet" full of bots and AI slop. Keywords: Kiko Zang, boarding school identity, open relationships podcast, cultural identity, female tech founder, women in venture capital, social media and authenticity, dead internet theory, Chomp app, Solana Orca DEX, honest opinions app, read the room, loneliness epidemic, Better Call Daddy podcast, Reena Friedman Watts 🎙️ What's In This Episode How growing up in boarding school in China shaped Kiko Zang's identity and friendships Immigrating from China to New Zealand to the U.S. navigating culture shock and belonging Childhood rebellion and an anti-authoritarian mindset where it came from and what it taught her Inside open relationships: what they are, how they work, and the lessons they teach about love Why kindness and loyalty matter more than performance in real relationships The perception vs. reality gap what people really think vs. what they post online Why women self-censor online, and how anonymity can support female mental health The loneliness epidemic and the search for genuine connection in a performative social feed The "dead internet": bots, AI slop, and human authenticity as the new luxury From COO at Orca (Solana's largest DEX) to Founder & CEO of Chomp Raising $3.6M in venture capital as a female founder and the broader funding gap Building Chomp, a social game that protects honest opinions instead of punishing them Why honest human belief may be the most valuable data in the age of AI 💭 Memorable Quotes from Kiko Zang "I think the most universal experience is feeling misunderstood." "It's important to find a space where you can embrace all of who you are." ⏱️ Timestamps (00:00) Introduction to Kiko Zang, Founder & CEO of Chomp (05:15) Growing up in boarding school: culture shock and identity (15:30) Inside open relationships: love, trust, and commitment (25:00) Kindness and loyalty as the foundation of real relationships (35:45) From Orca to Chomp: building a career in tech and Web3 (45:00) Social media, the "dead internet," and the case for honest opinions 👤 About Kiko Zang Kiko Zang is a business executive, tech founder, and opinion leader passionate about building human-centric consumer products. Career Founder & CEO, Chomp — a social game that rewards honesty instead of punishing it, in a world of performative internet. Chomp drew 50,000 users sharing millions of answers in beta, and has raised $3.6M from backers including BlueYard, JSquare, and Accomplice — placing Kiko among the 2% of female-led tech startups to attract VC capital. Launching on iOS in 2026. COO at Orca, one of Solana's largest decentralized exchanges, where she helped raise $19M, partnered with 100+ projects, and grew the platform to a category leader with $1B+ in 24-hour trading volume. A decade of launching consumer products and leading cross-cultural projects at Deloitte, Mattel, and IDEO. Education: University of Southern California (USC) — B.S. Accounting Information Systems and B.S. Business; also trained at a jazz conservatory. Languages: Mandarin, English Commentary Topics The perception vs. reality gap: what people really think versus what they post, and why it's not the same thing Why women self-censor, and how anonymity can benefit female mental health The loneliness epidemic and the search for genuine connection in a performative social media feed The "dead internet": bots, AI slop, and human authenticity as the new luxury Building consumer products that actually benefit people Female founders, the funding gap, and capital efficiency Reorienting capitalism for long-term social good Why honest human belief is the scarcest, most valuable data in the age of AI Selected Media Appearances FINTECH.TV, "Vibe Markets and Consumer Insights, A Deep Dive with KZ from Chomp" Breakpoint 2025's Superteam Demo Day — presenting Chomp, a deceptively simple quiz game that functions as a "Trojan horse" for more accurate internet information "Making Complexity Accessible" 🔗 Connect with Kiko Zang Website & waitlist: chomp.fyi LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kikozang X: x.com/KayZizzle Instagram: instagram.com/askchomp 🔗 Connect with Reena Friedman Watts Website: bettercalldaddy.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/reenafriedmanwatts Instagram: instagram.com/reenafriedmanwatts YouTube: youtube.com/c/bettercalldaddy #CulturalIdentity #OpenRelationships #BetterCallDaddy #SocialMedia #Authenticity #StartupJourney #Resilience #BoardingSchool #ChompApp #FemaleFounders #Web3 #DeadInternet