Most interviews with working mothers include the loaded question, “How do you do it all?”  But we do not hear that question asked enough of working fathers. Fathers today spend significantly more time caring for children and doing housework than a generation ago, and partnered fathers are more likely to be in a relationship where both parents are working. Today’s dads have different expectations and aspirations around parenthood than their predecessors. And yet, society still seems to lack the vocabulary to talk about it. 

But ask Diego Ávalos, Netflix’s vice president of content for Spain, Portugal, and the Nordics, that question and he doesn’t skip a beat. Late nights and early mornings are all too familiar to Ávalos, who is now a proud papa to a 13-month-old daughter. 

“Challenging is a great word, but I think the other thing is that it’s ever-evolving,” he admits. “It’s only been about a year since we had our daughter. What I’ve learned is that at every stage, there’s a different need. When she was 2 months old, it was very different from now. I can’t imagine as the years go by what it’s going to be. The idea of work-life balance, I think it’s a term that is not comprehensive or real, because of the way we make it all fit together, and the sacrifices you make in each area at different times. It is more of a pendulum than a balance.” 

Ávalos acknowledges that he was fortunate to benefit from a generous parental leave policy at Netflix. This is not true for dads in many workplaces. “I was a strong advocate for parental leave before becoming a parent,” Ávalos says, “But going on leave myself and navigating all the workplace challenges that entails gave me a stronger perspective. Those early days with your family are precious, not to mention how important it is to have time to adjust to the new physical and logistical realities for both parents.”  When asked about the biggest thing he’s learned so far, Ávalos said, “Really, the most important and beautiful thing is how much I love my baby, and how I keep falling in love with her over and again at every stage. Like everyone says, you don’t fully understand your capacity to love until you become a parent: the love I feel for my daughter, and the new depths and ways parenthood makes me love my wife. It’s the most rewarding thing I have ever done.”

As things evolve at home, so too do they evolve at his exciting workplace of Netflix. Throughout his career, Diego Ávalos has undergone several transitions as he worked his way up the corporate ladder. Known for bringing the hit Spanish-language series Casa de Papel (Money Heist) to global audiences, he has made it a mission to spotlight non-English language programming that resonates with both local and worldwide viewers. As a content chief for Netflix, Ávalos also leads Netflix’s only European production hub in Madrid, Spain.

Happily, with the blood, sweat, and tears now come the smiles.

“Spending time with my daughter or a quick FaceTime with her or my wife in the middle of the workday always makes me smile and resets my perspective,” he told IdeaMensch

A Father-Daughter Dynamic Teaches the Importance of Different Learning Paths, Says Diego Ávalos 

As a leader and professional, Diego Ávalos has worked with various different personality types and people over the course of his career. However, having a baby reminds him every day of the different ways that people learn and grow as individuals. He recently marveled at how dynamic his own daughter is and how she constantly evolves her abilities as she grows older, reminding him not to take for granted that people need time and space to learn. “You take for granted sometimes thinking, ‘Oh. People should get it right away.’ Well, no. Human learning is very complex, and everybody learns in such different ways,” Ávalos explained. “We are lucky that our daughter is generally a happy, easy-going kid, but she’s a baby, so there is a huge range of emotions, sometimes within the span of a few minutes. She’s this little person trying to create autonomy and figure out how to communicate, how things feel, what fits, what version she likes. It sounds a little trite, but you see the complexity of our human experience, which is a good reminder that everyone contains multitudes.”  

Ávalos has had ample opportunities to lead and nurture others over the course of his career, helping major brands establish new and growing departments to achieve their business goals. At Yahoo, Ávalos oversaw the expansion into Hispanic markets in Latin and North America, helping the company develop new video and original content. At Netflix, Diego Ávalos developed and launched the first non-English language original series on the streaming service, which, only a few years later, has led to hundreds of non-English language series, films, and documentaries today. He has worked with local talent in countries including Mexico, Brazil, Spain, and the Nordics to bring to light original, impactful stories that appeal to broader audiences without sacrificing cultural representation and authenticity. 

As his leadership experience grows, and he personally grows as a father, Ávalos credits his expanded role as helping him become a better guide and mentor for others. “I think it just makes you a different leader. I shouldn’t say a better leader, a different leader and a different manager for me than I used to be,” he shares. That leadership has thrived in recent years as he continues to work with creators like Alex Pina, the screenwriter behind Casa de Papel (Money Heist), on new original programming, including an upcoming Casa de Papel spinoff called Berlin.

Making Time for Special Family Moments for Family Well-Being

While Ávalos is a newcomer to the diaper-changing set, he is already reflecting on how quickly the time can pass. He is committed to creating memories and rituals with his daughter from a very early age, even if those memories only last for himself and his wife. On a recent vacation, he went out of his way to include his daughter in his morning ritual, walking to get coffee from a local shop. To Ávalos, the importance is in “finding those moments within all of it.” That includes never missing his family’s annual get-together in December at his parents’ home in Mexico. And then there’s self-care. Even daddies need a spa day. “I prioritize breaks, rest, and diverse experiences, as they have a positive effect on productivity and are good for the mind and body. Lastly, and most importantly, I dedicate time for self-care, family, and fulfilling activities — the best things in life,” he explained.

In fact, Diego Ávalos finds that spending quality time with his family and checking in with them throughout the day can have a nourishing effect on his general well-being. For him, it’s often the little things that make the biggest impact, helping him to stay centered and feel grounded: “The activities we do together I found are vital. From carrying my daughter on my shoulders when we go for a walk to laughing together to kisses goodnight, those small activities that you try to create, that you always do.”

By Article Editor

Daniel Carlson is a journalist with a passion for covering the latest trends and developments in digital marketing. He has a deep understanding of the complexities of the digital landscape and a talent for translating technical information into accessible and informative reports. His writing is insightful and thought-provoking, providing readers with a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities in the ever-evolving digital marketing world. Daniel is committed to accurate and impartial reporting, delivering the news with integrity and a sense of responsibility.