Life and Work with Justin Cotton and Devon Neisen

Today we’d like to introduce you to Justin Cotton and Devon Neisen of The Nashville Dads podcast. They shared their story with us below:

Justin and Devon are neighbors. They both found out their wives were pregnant and due within a month of each other. Devon was having his third kid and Justin was having his first.

When they’d meet up, Justin would ask Devon questions about being a dad and what the next year would look like. Justin would end every conversation with, “Man this should be a podcast. I’d listen to that.” And Devon would say, “Well. I did study music production.”

After a couple of months of joking about doing it, they decided to give it a go. They started recording episodes in November of 2021 and published their first episode in January of 2022.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
We’ve been lucky to have a pretty smooth road. Devon was editing podcasts on the side for a friend, so he was familiar with what he wanted it to sound like and what edits to make. Justin met up with some friends who publish their own podcasts to learn some of the roadblocks to avoid. The only struggle is being dads with busy lives.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
The podcast started because we felt like there was a need for more resources and community for dads in Nashville. It is a fun experiment, and we’re enjoying ourselves. We talk about the day-to-day experience of being dads, and all the missteps, confusion, joys, and successes that come along with it. The conversations are typically about what happened recently in our lives, and what we’ve learned, and are still learning, along the way. In the near future, we hope to have other dads on the show as guests to talk about their stories.

Devon is a stay-at-home dad for his 3 kids. His oldest is in kindergarten and he has 2 at home. His days are mostly filled with listening to music with the kids and baking food. He hopes his kids one day start their own vinyl collection, and also take an interest in cooking and making their own food. He values trying to keep things fun and lighthearted, and trying to find the best Thai food in Nashville.

Justin is a partner and executive operations manager at PeachTree Landscape. He developed a passion for landscaping and landscape design at age 14 and studied Landscape Architecture at the University of Kentucky. He prides himself on his creative designs and has worked on both residential and commercial properties. He has a genuine passion for horticulture, and if anyone in the neighborhood has a question about what plants to put in their yard he’s the first person you should ask. He also enjoys a good hike!

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
We were surprised and excited to find that Nashville Dads wasn’t already taken on any social media platform and thought it was a sign to jump on the opportunity. So lucky to choose the right name!

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Micah Kandros Photography