<p>Jon Merlin is a longtime designer who left agency life to start his own creative studio while raising two young daughters. Instead of letting work bleed into every hour, Jon drew a hard line around family time and rebuilt his business around clarity, intention, and values.</p><p>This conversation explores what it really looks like to pursue entrepreneurship without losing presence at home, and how letting go of perfection can unlock both better work and better parenting.</p><p>Jon shares how to: </p><ul><li>Protect daily family time without derailing client work</li><li>Set non-negotiables in seasons where work pressure is real</li><li>Build a focused business by saying no to the wrong projects</li><li>Navigate the anxiety and ambiguity of starting something new</li><li>Replace perfection with progress at work and at home</li><li>Use small moments with kids to stay connected during busy days</li><li>Model emotional regulation, repair, and growth for children</li><li>Choose work that aligns with values, not just revenue</li><li>Reframe career gaps as runways instead of setbacks</li><li>Define success through legacy, not titles or output</li></ul><p>Jon’s perspective is thoughtful, grounded, and deeply practical for dads who want to build something meaningful without missing what matters most.</p><p><strong>Dig Deeper</strong></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.oneclubsandiego.org">One Club for Creatives (San Diego)</a></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://creativemornings.com">Creative Mornings</a></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41O_MydqxTU">Lava Chicken</a></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXKFtu7KfC0">Dookie by Green Day</a></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUTGr5t3MoY">Basket Case by Green Day</a></p><p><strong>Follow Jon</strong></p><p>Website: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://jonmerlin.com/">https://jonmerlin.com/</a></p><p>On LinkedIn: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonmerlin/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonmerlin/</a></p><p><strong>Follow Gap to Gig</strong></p><p>On Instagram: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://instagram.com/gaptogig">instagram.com/gaptogig</a></p><p>On TikTok: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://tiktok.com/@gaptogig">tiktok.com/@gaptogig</a></p><p>On X: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://x.com/gaptogig">x.com/gaptogig</a></p><p>On YouTube: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://youtube.com/@gaptogig-gtg">youtube.com/@gaptogig-gtg</a></p><p>On your podcast player of choice: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://rss.com/podcasts/gaptogig/">https://rss.com/podcasts/gaptogig/</a></p><p>Sign up for the Gap to Gig newsletter: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://gaptogig.com">gaptogig.com</a></p><p><strong>Follow Michael</strong></p><p>On LinkedIn: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/themichaeljacobs/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/themichaeljacobs/</a></p>