Father’s Day Spotlight: Taro Naruse, VP Product
Taro Naruse joined our team in 2016 as VP Product, bringing over a decade of product leadership experience from both large companies and growth companies and expertise as a small business owner himself.
As a leader on our Product Team, he is hyper-focused on his team and the strategic direction of our company and is extremely passionate about the local space. A native New Jerseyan, Taro currently lives in Austin with his wife and two daughters.
Learn more about Taro here.
This Father’s Day, we sat down with Taro to talk about parenting, leadership, and how being a dad to his two daughters has given him a new perspective.
How old are your daughters and how would you describe their personalities?
“I have two daughters — the older one is Fiona and she just turned 5. The younger one is Tabitha and she’s a year and a half.
“They are both amazing. Fiona is super kind and respectful, but she also has a very unique sense of humor, in my opinion. She loves to joke around and she loves to be dramatic — but in a knowing and unserious kind of way, if that makes any sense.
“Tabitha is more of a daredevil and risk-taker than her sister was at this age. She loves to explore and climb all over things. She’s good at falling off of things also, but I don’t think she loves that as much.”
What do you love about being a dad?
“Maybe everything? Being a dad feels so comfortable to me, it’s hard to explain. I think I really enjoy the responsibility and challenge of trying to help these two little people develop the tools they’ll need to successfully navigate the life that is ahead of them so that they can be fulfilled and reach their full potential. I also get to experience so many things about life all over again through them, and I’m really grateful for that as well. They’re also just really fun to hang out with at this age.”
How did becoming a dad change your life?
“I think it’s allowed me to connect and empathize with other people more. I think it’s easy to spend your time focusing on the things that make other people different from you. I did it. I still do it. However, I think becoming a father gives you access to a different perspective. Sure, there are differences, but I think overall, we are all just trying to figure it out, we all cherish our children and we all want to make the world a better place for them. That’s a lot of common ground that we share and can build from.”
What would you say is your best “dad skill”?
“I think I’m good at keeping things light when I can and when it’s helpful. Parenting can be very stressful if you lose the ability to step back and have some perspective and laugh at yourself or what’s happening in the moment.”
How does Main Street Hub support you as a working dad?
“I think Main Street Hub has a culture that is extremely accommodating for employees who have young children. I feel like I am allowed and expected to take time to tend to things at home. I never feel judged for prioritizing things related to my family. I also think the parental leave policies for fathers is very generous.”
What’s one thing you’ve learned as a parent that applies to work?
“On a tactical level, I think time management and planning are extremely valuable and applicable to both work and parenting; it can ultimately be the difference between success and failure. At a higher level, I think parenting reinforces to me the value of being consistent and on-point with everything you say and do. Your children are looking to you for guidance and direction — and they notice everything. Ultimately, parenting is 24/7 and so is leadership. Everything matters.”
What do you want your daughters to be when they grow up?
“I’d be lying if I didn’t say something like doctors-attorneys-bankers-entrepreneurs-engineers-product managers (duh) … but honestly, it’s not for me to say. I hope their sense of purpose and desire to contribute to the world in a positive way will lead them to their passions, whatever they might be. I don’t intend to choose for them.”
What’s one of your proudest moments as a dad?
“My older daughter’s teacher told me that there was a day when a younger child was upset on the playground, and my daughter sat with that child, consoling her, holding her hand and talking with her for almost an hour until the other child was feeling better.”
How are you celebrating Father’s Day this year?
“I have no idea actually. I don’t really enjoy being celebrated, so I’m good if the day itself is not a big deal. I feel pretty appreciated on a daily basis anyway.”
Happy Father’s Day from Main Street Hub! We hope you are having a great day.
Check out more spotlights on some of our amazing dads: CPO Mike Georgoff, Senior Manager, Website Operations, Garrett Robins, and Staff Software Engineer Ben Porter!
