Systems that survive real life.
I’m Chris — dad of two and founder. I share what actually helps me train with purpose, be an active parent, plan ambitious family travel with points, and keep building when life is full.
One useful note each week on strength, parenting, family travel, and what I’m building.
Four parts of one life.
Strength, parenting, family travel, and work don’t happen in separate boxes. I’m interested in the systems that help them work together.
Strength
Train with purpose. Measure the result.
I train seriously, but I don’t currently compete. I share programming, gear, tools, and what helps measurable strength fit into a full life.
Parenting
The part of life I don’t want to optimize away.
I’m an active dad of two young kids. I share the routines, tools, decisions, and systems that help family life work better without making my kids the content.
Family Travel
Big trips. Young kids. Better options.
We use points, cards, alerts, and flexibility to take ambitious family trips without chasing the mathematically perfect redemption.
Work
Build, buy, test, learn.
I run a startup, evaluate business acquisitions, and build side projects when I find problems worth solving. I share the decisions, tools, mistakes, and lessons along the way.
What this looks like in real life.
Strength
585 lb deadlift. Two reps.
Measurable strength, real-life constraints.
I train for measurable strength, not competition. The numbers give me feedback; the challenge is making serious training fit around work, parenting, and the rest of life.
Parenting
The ordinary stuff is the point.
Breakfast, school runs, and the logistics in between.
I work from home, which lets me make breakfast and handle most drop-offs and pick-ups. My wife’s demanding career is a major part of what makes that flexibility possible, and we’ve also relied on preschool and paid childcare. None of this is a solo act.
Family Travel
Four seats to Asia.
Singapore. Bangkok. Phuket.
We took our 1- and 3-year-old through Southeast Asia using points for four business-class seats and hotel stays. The real strategy wasn’t finding the perfect redemption. It was having enough flexibility and options to book when the right availability appeared.
Work
Raised VC. Built twice.
One failed to break out. One is growing.
I’ve launched two companies and raised venture funding. The first never became what I hoped it would. The second is growing, and I’m now evaluating businesses to acquire. I’m interested in the decisions and lessons—including the ones that don’t work.
NY/NJ parent?
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A tool I built to help expecting and young-child parents find benefits, programs, freebies, and perks that are easy to miss.
Hi, I'm Chris.
I’m Chris—a dad of two and founder. I care about measurable strength, being present for the ordinary parts of family life, ambitious family travel with points, and building businesses and tools.
I don’t think there’s one right way to do any of it. I’m interested in the systems, tradeoffs, and lessons that help the pieces fit together in real life.
Progress you can measure. Substance over hype.
© 2026 Chris Builds Better
