Newsletter # 8
Front Row Dads - My Most Important Micro-Community
Published on: May 24, 2026
As I write this, I’m sitting at an airport getting ready to fly back from an awesome week in Breckenridge Colorado. I spent the last four days with some very important men; pictured below.
As I mentioned way back in Newsletter #2, “The Contrarian Approach to Three Trends Changing the Business World” I talked about the power of ‘Micro-Communities!’
I defined a ‘Micro-Community’ as a group of somewhere between four and twenty people who come together regularly, usually in person, and have some type of shared goals or values.
Think along the lines of your gym community, your kid’s sports team and the parents you get to know at practices, the PTA, a business networking group, or a religious group. These kinds of groups tend to meet regularly, share a goal, purpose, or set of values, and lean on each other for support.
For me, one of the most important ‘Micro-Communities’ that I’m part of is my Front Row Dad’s ‘Band!’
Our Band, as we call it, is a small group of seven men who meet regularly on Zoom and in person. We came together from a larger 300-person community known as Front Row Dads!
The mission of Front Row Dads (FRD) is to create “Family Men with Businesses, NOT Businessmen with Families!”
The mission of the group is to help high-producing men who own their own businesses improve upon their health, their marital relationships, their parenting abilities, their relationships, their businesses, and their wealth.
Hopefully in that order!
Us Front Row Dads believe that when we take care of ourselves first, then pour into our marriage, then our kids... the rest of life and business tends to fall into place.
Do we struggle... YES!
Are there divorced men in Front Row Dads... YES!
Do we all have our challenges and inner demons... YES!
Are there those of us still addicted to the hustle and rewards of putting work first... YES!
However, having this brotherhood within Front Row Dads and connecting deeply with the small ‘Band’ that I’m part of has created a ‘Micro-Community’ that ensures I’m not going through these challenges alone. Some of my greatest improvements as a husband, a father, and a businessman have come from conversations and accountability originating from this Band of brothers!
This is great for me, but “why,” you might ask, “does this matter for YOU?”
As I sit here at Terminal C31 in Denver, with a baby crying across from me and a lady chatting loudly on her phone next to me, I can think of a few reasons why Front Row Dads might matter to you!
1 - Are You a Dad or Have a Dad in Your Life Who Might be Struggling?
This is the easy one. If you’re reading this newsletter and you are a father, you should consider interacting with the FRD community in some way for knowledge and support.
Not ready for the cost or commitment of joining the FRD Brotherhood? No problem! Jon Vroman, the founder of the group, hosts a weekly podcast that should be required listening for fathers of all ages.
Front Row Dads with Jon Vroman drops weekly! If you search around, you might even find an episode hosted by yours truly!
If you’re struggling as a father or looking for a community of men who struggle with balancing the challenges of marriage, fatherhood, and growing a business, you should book a call with the team to learn more.
FRD doesn’t even have a “sales team,” as 90% of the members come to the brotherhood by referral. But you can book a call with Jon or one of his leaders by visiting the website: https://frontrowdads.com/brotherhood/
If you just want to vent about being a busy dad, respond to this email and we will find some time to chat. You and me, personally!
If you’re a wife, maybe forward this to your husband!
2 - FRD Can be a Model for HOW You Find or Model Your Own Micro-Community!
If you’re looking to join, or build a ‘Micro-Community’ of your own, I’m going to give you some things to consider based on some lessons I learned this week from my Band!
Get OUT of Your Comfort Zone - Our organizer for this event was one of our Band members, Ali.
What you need to know about Ali is this... he’s a stud and an avid outdoorsman! He is doing a solo ascent of Mount Whitney in a month and has been training diligently to conquer that mountaintop.
So obviously, a lot of our retreat revolved around being outdoors.
I grew up as an avid backpacker, did monthly trips with Boy Scouts, and did a LOT of road marches in the Army. I’ve stayed fairly fit into my 40s. Hiking shouldn’t be a problem for me, even at 47 years old.
However, being at 10,000 feet above sea level in Breckenridge, right outside of Denver, KICKED my ASS!!! Altitude sickness and how it affects your body is a real thing. If you’re familiar with the area, we hiked to Mohawk Lake.
We climbed to about 11,000 feet of elevation, walking through some light snow in freezing conditions.
NONE of this sounds fun to me! Frankly, it wasn’t fun for me.
But this is kind of the point! A good group SHOULD push you out of your comfort zone. Whether it be professionally or personally, any ‘Micro-Community’ that is worth committing to is worth it because it inherently challenges you to grow.
Be Open to New Experiences - Below is a picture of me standing in nearly frozen water with a guide, trying to catch a fish. I was learning, for the first time, the art of fly fishing. Trust me... it’s a serious art to cast a line correctly.
A good ‘Micro-Community’ should push you to try new things.
For me, this can be a dangerous path. I sometimes suffer from what I call SOS... or shiny object syndrome! One of the challenges I’ve had in business and my personal life is trying TOO MANY new things.
I know that there are certain habits and processes in life and in business that have stood the test of time. Consistency is a superhero power, and staying away from distractions is a characteristic that is hard to come by in our hyper-distracted world.
This is something I preach in our coaching program: master the basics, do the boring stuff well, and stay focused.
And, not but, AND... it’s great to try new things. A good ‘Micro-Community’ should encourage you to try new things, enjoy new experiences, and explore blind spots you may have in your life or your business.
Spoiler Alert - I caught two little fishies and might have found a new hobby.
Like jiu-jitsu, which I love, fly fishing forces you to be present, focused, in the moment, and in nature! I might have found a new passion.
I’ll keep you updated!
3 - When I Get Better, YOU Get Better! When YOU Get Better The World Gets Better!
This one is a bit more nebulous, but I think it’s worth mentioning. The world needs more good people. We likely need generations of good people to help fix the problems facing America in 2026.
When men take time out of their busy schedules to focus on being better fathers, we have the potential to create an environment that affects positive change for future generations.
My jiu-jitsu coach, who had two daughters late in life, gave me one of the greatest compliments of my life. He said something to the effect of, “The way that I see you raising your son Gabriel gives me hope that there are going to be good men for my daughters to marry.” I would be lying if I told you I didn’t shed a few tears over that comment!
This should be what you strive for when you join or create a ‘Micro-Community.’ Give some thought as to how this group can benefit society, raise each other up, and help each other meet personal and professional goals!
You’ll know you’ve found or built the right community when people take a vested interest in raising each other up!
I’m keeping it short today as I’m still a bit hung over from altitude sickness.
Don’t forget to share this newsletter with someone who might be interested, preferably a dad you know!
Connect with me on social media if you want to see what’s up with me personally and professionally. Instagram is probably best www.Instagram.com/ScottLGroves
If you got forwarded this email, you can subscribe at www.ScottsThoughts.com - although that name will probably be changing soon! SEE newsletter #7 for why
My invitation to you is this: If you’re feeling like you need to find or build a ‘Micro-Community’ to help you become the best version of yourself, message me and give me your thoughts.
I personally read each and every response.
Hearing from you would not only mean the world to me, but it would also help me shape the upcoming issues of this newsletter.
And as a bonus, I will be doing my best to individually respond to each email I receive to “Scott’s Thoughts” newsletter!
Till the next time I have 2 hours to think,
Scott :-)
P.S. - None of this was written by AI, my assistant, or a ghostwriter. Just me, a real person who probably made a few typos in the newsletter above. Please forgive me!
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