Beards Behind the Brand: Adam Kern

This is a brand new content series called Beards Behind the Brand! Our goal with this new series is to feature empowering stories from our community to encourage and inspire each other to be the best we can be.

It's all about doing better every single day, and these stories unite us in that mission. This week we're featuring longtime Live Bearded customer Adam Kern and how much he loves being a dad to two young girls.

“You might never know a man’s vulnerable place until you see him with his daughter, because with her, he seems capable of more human emotions than he will ever share with anyone else.”

There is no better way to describe longtime Live Bearded customer, Adam Kern.

For Adam, being a father is more than just the title; it goes far beyond that. In fact, there is really no other option for him. He understands how much of a privilege and honor it is being the first man in his daughters’ lives… and building that trust is a responsibility he gladly welcomes.

Like many of us, Adam’s goal in life is to not only be a good husband but also a great father. And as we all know, it sure as hell isn’t as easy as it sounds - especially in the world we live in today. Adam wants to break the long-held perceptions about what a dad truly is.

“The Live Bearded saying of ‘Actions > Words’ along with the ‘Mink in the Morning’ videos have greatly influenced my life as a man and a father,” Adam said. “They motivate me every day. You can, of course, tell your kids that you love them and are there for them, but my method is to show it. I love to do special things for my two daughters, Lily and River. They have turned me into a softie in many ways. To be honest, I have no shame and it doesn’t matter what other people think of the crazy things I do for them.”

He’s not joking…

Father/daughter dance coming up? Adam is gonna rock that dance floor.

They’re dressing up in Disney characters? So will Adam.

And if his girls want to have a tea party? Then damnit they’re going to get one.

Do people look at him funny? Yep. Do they wonder why this big bearded dude is helping with his daughters’ ballet class? Yep.

Does he care what they think? Not. One. Bit.

All that matters is seeing the huge smiles on their faces.

“They love to be a part of everything,” Adam said. “My daily beard routine involves them, too. They like to put the oils in their hair because it makes it so soft. My beautiful wife, Ami, has even gone so far as to make them special bottles of their favorite scents: Executive for Lily and Wingman for River. They even help me unbox my Beard Mail. Having fun can make times with your kids so memorable it builds things up in ways that will make them (and you) smile later in life. The sad reality is that one day all these things will end for some reason or another, so it is very important to have fun and make those memories while you can.”

This level of awareness is no surprise when you consider Adam’s childhood. Growing up in Southern California, his parents divorced at a young age which led to Adam being raised by his mom and her side of the family until she remarried.

“That’s when my stepfather came into the picture,” he said. “He’s the guy I actually call ‘dad.’ He was always there for me in so many ways and taught me what a dad should be. Blood doesn't define who my father is. My grandfather was a lot like my stepdad; they both showed me how to be a good person at an early age, how to do things for others and to be selfless. My biological dad, however, only was around when it was convenient for him.”

Having three very different examples of what a father should be had a deep impact on the man Adam is today. Battling internal demons that he would fail as a dad, Adam figured that he should incorporate characteristics from all three of his male role models to form his own unique parenting style.

“From my grandpa, it was to be more fun-loving and not to be afraid to have fun and make a fool out of yourself,” Adam said. “From my dad, it was more of being a supporter and teacher. From my biological dad it was not to play mind games with my daughters and always be there for them.”

Adam will be the first to tell you he isn’t the perfect father.

No one is; we all have our faults.

But one thing Adam does every day is work his ass off to be the best possible father he can be to his daughters. At the end of the day, that’s all any of us can do.

“For all the parents out there who worry about being a good parent because maybe money is tight, situations are tough or whatever might be going on that puts doubts in your mind, it’s going to be alright,” Adam said with certitude. “You are not failing if your kids are happy, if you get an ‘I love you’ out of nowhere or whatever special thing you and you kids share. In the moments that you feel you are lacking or having a rough day, talk to your kid. As funny as it sounds, let them reassure you that they are happy and they are proud.

“Being Ami’s husband and Lily and River’s Dad are the greatest things I will ever do.”

At Live Bearded we believe Brotherhood goes beyond the beard. We believe it is our responsibility, as men, to do better every day, to learn from our mistakes, grow through our failures, and strive to be the best we can be.

Through sharing stories of the men in the Live Bearded Brotherhood, we're continually learning and growing from each other. If you are interested in being considered for a Beards Behind the Brand story, send us an email!