"I met my wife while working at Target, marking the beginning of what became a decadeslong career in retail. Over the years, I moved into leadership roles at several major brands before eventually joining a senior living company in a senior role. Then, in August 2019, I got a call that changed everything: I was being let go. At the time, my wife, Danielle - who'd also built a successful career - was home full-time with our four kids."
"At first, settling into the role of stay-at-home dad wasn't natural - not because of the dad part, but because I was often the only dad at the park or play group. Still, it gave me a rare chance to slow down. Danielle, who had decided to return to corporate work around that time, helped me realize I'd never really taken a step back to ask what I wanted next."
Jeff Perera lost his senior retail job in August 2019 and became a stay-at-home father while his wife returned to corporate work. He experienced an identity shift and used the slower pace to explore personal interests. A weekly habit of driving long distances for New York-style bagels inspired him to attempt making authentic bagels at home. His efforts aimed to recreate his wife's childhood memories of fresh Long Island bagels. The home experiments led to growing confidence and community interest. He and his wife later sold their house, raised $28,000 via Kickstarter, and opened a brick-and-mortar bagel shop called Jeff's Bagel Run.
Read at Business Insider
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