"Dad did that."

I sat down recently with Micah Margolis to talk about AI. While this piece took me a bit longer to produce than I would like, publishing on Father’s Day makes a lot of sense given the content.

For all the talk of the changes AI is making to the workplace, I think it can also make us better parents and citizens. That’s where we took this discussion.

Here is a summary of our conversation. I hope you’ll watch our chat in its entirety (linked below).

When Micah talks about artificial intelligence, the conversation quickly leaves the realm of tech trends and toolkits. He’s not here to talk about automating workflows or drafting faster emails. He’s using AI for something far more meaningful: personal growth.

Micah’s perspective is rare in a world that often treats AI as little more than a productivity hack. He isn’t just trying to do more—he’s trying to become more. And AI, surprisingly, has become one of his most effective accountability partners.

That one line reframes the entire conversation. While most are busy debating which jobs AI will replace, Micah is focused on what kind of clarity AI can provide.

It’s not about whether the tech can write a better email. It’s whether the interaction can provoke a better question—one that leads you back to what actually matters.

He’s seen firsthand how quickly success can lead to burnout—or as he puts it, “I wouldn’t say I burned out. I slow-roasted.”

The long hours, the relentless pursuit of professional goals, the inbox that never seems to end—it’s a lifestyle that’s praised in business circles but rarely questioned. Until something forces you to slow down.

For him, that something was AI. Specifically, the way it began to mirror his own values back to him.

He designed custom models to help with brainstorming and business planning. But what surprised him wasn’t the efficiency—it was the reflection.

His chatbot once told him, “You don’t want to build something that just makes money. You want to build something your kids will point at and say, ‘Dad did that. That made the world better.’”

That line stopped him in his tracks. It wasn’t just insightful—it was deeply personal. And it revealed something about how Micah was showing up in his own life, not just as a professional, but as a parent, a partner, and a person trying to live out his values in real time.

He began to see that AI could do more than just assist—it could challenge. Not in a confrontational way, but in a way that was, as he described it, “candid with compassion.” 

Like a good coach, it wasn’t going to let him off the hook. It would ask just the right question to make him pause. To make him reconsider. To help him re-center.

That re-centering led to some significant changes. One of the biggest was how he manages his time. Micah now treats his calendar like a statement of values.

At 5 PM every day, his schedule doesn’t say “wrap up work” or “transition.” It simply says “Family.” That block is sacred. “The people you love shouldn’t get what’s left of you,” he told me. “They should get your best.”

This isn’t a soft sentiment—it’s a hard boundary. And it didn’t come easily. Micah admits that this shift is a work in progress. “I’m not perfect at this,” he said. “But being a great dad isn’t a balance. It’s a non-negotiable.”

He’s also built reminders into his week that reflect this new way of living. Tuesday mornings? Blocked off with a note: “Be a good friend.” It might seem overly structured, but Micah understands how easy it is to let good intentions slip when they’re not anchored in something tangible. A calendar entry isn’t just a time slot—it’s a commitment.

This isn’t about rigid discipline. It’s about clarity. “Success makes you loud, but purpose makes you clear,” he said.

That line encapsulates his journey—away from hustle for hustle’s sake, and toward something more deliberate, more grounded, and more aligned with who he wants to be.

And AI? It’s been both the mirror and the catalyst. It’s allowed him to reclaim time—but more importantly, it’s helped him repurpose that time for what matters most. That’s a nuance often lost in conversations about productivity.

It’s one thing to free up an hour. It’s another to fill that hour with something that adds meaning to your life.

Micah’s experience challenges a lot of conventional thinking. It’s easy to assume that being present for your family means sacrificing professional growth. But what if that’s a false tradeoff?

What if showing up more fully at home actually makes you a better leader, a clearer thinker, a more grounded decision-maker?

AI didn’t give Micah the answers, but it asked the right questions (that’s largely been my experience as well). In doing so, it helped him find better answers on his own.

That’s a powerful redefinition of what these tools can offer us. Not just speed. Not just scale. But wisdom, if we’re willing to engage with them intentionally.

The question then becomes: How are you utilizing your tools? Are they helping you become more of who you want to be? Or are they just helping you keep up?

Micah’s story is a reminder that sometimes, the path to finding it starts with something as simple (and surprising) as an AI reminding you that your most sacred work doesn’t happen in a boardroom.

It happens at home. At 5 PM. When the rest of the world can wait.

Thanks for reading til the end.

See you soon.
JB