dad about town
14 AUGUST 2025 | NOLAFAMILY.COM JON: Helping people. When it comes to Happy Dad, my term is always, “mutually beneficial.” I’m a sales guy, whether it’s with Happy Dad [or] even with our company, look like a party, and somehow always brings the good vibes with him. WHAT DOES A NORMAL DAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU? JON: That’s a very tough question because no day is normal. And that’s the nature of my industry, too, where we have to be very flexible. There’s a lot of moving parts in what I do. A typical day, you know, I’m waking up between six and seven, right alongside Lincoln. Lauren and I kind of tag team in the morning. In the alcohol industry, I can’t sell directly to, [for example,] Rouse’s or Fred’s in Tigerland in Baton Rouge. I have to work through a distributor, so [I make] a lot of phone calls throughout the day, and then I’m actually out in the market too, which is what I enjoy the most. Within the industry, the one nice thing that I do have is simply flexibility. That’s been very helpful, especially having a family and also working from home. WHAT DO YOU FIND MOST FULFILLING ABOUT THE WORK YOU DO? JON GUSANDERS BY MADISON VOORHIES If you happen to spot a drone buzzing above a local festival or catch a dad in the grocery store juggling a toddler and a hard seltzer pitch at the same time, odds are you’ve just encountered Jon Gusanders. Equal parts family man, marketing guru, and drone enthusiast, Jon wears more hats than most. As Gulf Coast Sales Director for Happy Dad Hard Seltzer and co-owner of Wander on Marketing, he somehow still finds time to find peace in his garden, chase down rain barrels, and share Disney movie nights with his toddler, Lincoln, and loving wife, Lauren. Friendly, thoughtful, and full of contagious positive energy, Jon is the kind of dad who makes the chaos of New Orleans parenting
Wife: Lauren Gusanders Child: Lincoln, 20 months Occupation: Gulf Coast Sales Director for Happy Dad Hard Seltzer and Co-Owner of
Wander On Marketing and Events Hobbies: Droning and gardening
WORK AND FAMILY? JON: I spend some time out in my garden. We almost always do dinner at 5/6 p.m. Lincoln usually goes to bed [at] 7:30/8 o’clock, and we do go to a lot of festivals and concerts. If it’s not one of those nights where we’re out doing things or out to dinner, we like watching movies with Lincoln. Both Lauren and I have gone back to our inner Disney days, and it’s fun watching all the things that we used to watch: The Lion King, Aladdin, Sesame Street … just spending that last hour or so with our son before he goes to bed. Once Lincoln’s asleep, then Lauren and I can actually unwind for the day. We found that over the years, we always tried watching shows together. Then we go to bed, and we start it all over again the next day. WHAT SURPRISED YOU ABOUT BECOMING A DAD? JON: I knew my life would be full of joy having a child, watching him grow, and being alongside him. But I had no clue how truly joyous it is. That smile in the morning… Kids can pull you out of the deepest, darkest trends. You could have the worst day, and you walk in, and he runs up to us, grabs our legs, and gives us hugs, and that can quickly flip your day. It also puts life in perspective. When you’re coming home to something like that, and I’m waking up to something like that, it definitely helps bring more joy into all of our lives.
we’re selling a service. But I never want to sell something that’s not good for the customer. I want it to be beneficial for all. Ultimately, when we can create that mutually beneficial program or sale, everybody wins. Everybody’s happy. Everybody’s making money. And ultimately, the customer’s getting what they want, whether it’s in terms of the seltzer or our personal business helping them with marketing strategies, social media, photography, event creation, [or] event production. HOW DO YOU JUGGLE CAREER AND FAMILY LIFE? JON: Being flexible. I am a flexible person in general. A common phrase that I use is, “controlling your controllables.” Whether it’s business or home life, we’ve had some challenges with things that were out of our control. So that’s really how I go about my day-to-day: Control what we can, and do it in a positive way. Try to be humble, be kind, [and] be positive. And ultimately, good things will come from that. I’m fortunate to have the personality where I can do that and still be successful. Sometimes, it is hard to maintain that positive spirit, but that’s something that Lauren and I focus on regularly. It’s so easy to be negative, but why be negative? If you’re positive, good things come from that, and you feel better. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE WAY TO UNWIND AFTER A LONG DAY WITH
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