Ben Norment is the Founder and CEO of Stork Exchange, a company helping parents access high quality baby gear at more affordable prices by working with retailers and manufacturers to resell returned products. He started building the company right as he and his wife, Cyndal, were expecting their first child.

He’s also a father of three, with kids ages five, four, and seven months. His parenting journey has included the chaos of launching a startup while becoming a dad, moving states, and navigating an incredibly difficult NICU experience with his second child. We discussed:

• Starting a parenting company as a new dad: How Ben launched Stork Exchange while expecting his first child and became his own target customer.
• Surviving a traumatic NICU experience: How Ben’s second son’s medical complications and hospital stay changed his view of parenting.
• Keeping startup stress in perspective: Why performing CPR on his infant son made company problems feel more manageable.
• Taking a team first approach at home: How Ben and his wife stay aligned, support each other, and avoid being pitted against each other.
• Letting kids be bored: Why Ben believes boredom builds creativity, independence, and imagination.
• Choosing analog parenting in a tech heavy world: Why Ben limits screens, avoids outsourcing parenting to AI, and wants childhood to stay hands-on.

Where to find Ben Norment

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-norment-83425b50/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stork_exchange

Where to find Adam Fishman

• FishmanAF Newsletter: www.FishmanAFNewsletter.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupdadpod/
• X: https://x.com/fishmanaf
  
  

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) Welcoming Ben Norment, Founder/CEO of Stork Exchange
(02:57) How Stork Exchange helps parents save on baby gear
(06:04) Starting a company while expecting his first child
(10:19) Why nothing fully prepares you for dad life
(11:43) Surviving the NICU and infant CPR
(16:46) How trauma changed his view of parenting and startups
(20:44) Advice for founders starting families
(23:46) Why kids need to be bored
(25:39) Letting go of perfect parenting frameworks
(28:54) Why every parenting season eventually passes
(32:38) How Ben and Cindel tag team hard moments
(34:07) Building a unified front in marriage
(36:52) Why kids need to see parents as people
(39:06) Letting kids be kids instead of chasing achievement
(48:50) Lightning round: BabyBjörn, Toy Story, rocks, and minivans

Resources From This Episode:

Stork Exchange: https://storkexchange.co/

SNOO: https://www.happiestbaby.com/products/snoo-smart-bassinet

BabyBjörn Bouncer: https://www.babybjorn.com/products/baby-bouncers/

UPPAbaby Vista V3: https://uppababy.com/strollers/full-size/vista-v3/

Doona: https://www.doona.com/car-seat-stroller/discover-doona

Toy Story (Film): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114709/

Home Alone (Film): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099785/

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