The Higher Valleys Podcast
The Higher Valleys Podcast is an ongoing conversation about all things fatherhood from friends and former NFL athletes Spencer Paysinger and Jelani Jenkins. The show offers an unfiltered perspective on how to show up fully at home while thriving professionally.
The Higher Valleys Podcast
Welcome to Higher Valleys: Pilot Episode
Welcome to Higher Valleys — a podcast where fatherhood meets ambition, legacy meets curiosity, and two dads lean all the way into the mess and the magic of raising kids while chasing dreams.
In this debut episode, Spencer Paysinger and Jelani Jenkins—former NFL athletes, creative leaders, and present-day dads—pull back the curtain on why this podcast had to exist. Born out of backyard conversations, journal entries to their kids, and a shared desire to redefine what it means to be a present father, The Pilot lays the foundation for what Higher Valleys is all about.
This episode isn’t polished. It’s real. It’s full of laughs, storytelling, and hard-earned insights about parenting, partnership, ego, discipline, legacy, and the invisible emotional labor that comes with being a father in today’s world.
In this episode:
- Why we don’t believe in choosing between dreams and family
- The Kendrick Lamar lyric that inspired the name Higher Valleys
- How our childhoods shaped the way we show up for our kids
- The unspoken power of present fatherhood
- Letting go of the “stoic provider” model and choosing emotional presence
- How our wives keep us in check — and why that’s a good thing
- The daily mental chess of parenting children without losing your mind
- Why this podcast is part of a historical ledger we’re leaving behind
Quotables:
“We don’t have all the answers—but that’s not gonna stop us from looking.”
— Spencer
“You can build a legacy outside the home and inside the home at the same time.”
— Jelani
“We’re not raising kids… we’re raising their compass.”
— Jelani
Why Higher Valleys?
Inspired by a Kendrick Lamar lyric from Worldwide Steppers, the phrase “higher valleys” captures what this podcast is about: depth with elevation. We’re going beyond the surface. We’re digging into the hard stuff. But we’re also building something higher—for ourselves, our families, and the generations that follow.
Join the community:
We’re not just talking to fathers, we’re talking with them. This podcast is the start of a movement—and we want to hear from you.
Got a story, a lesson, a laugh, or a meltdown you learned from? Hit us up on IG, Substack, or Discord (coming soon).
Listen now on:
Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iHeart | Amazon | RSS