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This month we have a guest with very unlikely career transitions --an engineering career to social media marketing strategist to a professional stand-up comedian. You'll find out that Andrea Sodergren has done many pivots in her career and life. She is fearless and hilarious, which makes for an awesome conversation. She's more than a stand up comedian now, taking it to the next level. She is the creator and producer of the wildly successful "Moms Unhinged" comedy show. During the past 5 years, she's produced over 600 shows nationwide with attendance of 60,000+ adoring fans. You will love Andrea's story. She is a great example of where a curious mind can take you. She says, "Safety is overrated. Do something a little scary!" • More about Andrea Sodergren: https://momsunhinged.com/comedians  • Moms Unhinged: https://momsunhinged.com  • Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/andrea-sodergren-interview-engineer-turns-into-stand-up-comedian-and-creator-moms-unhinged  • Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die: https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die  • Sponsored by Capital Advantage: https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide  • I Used to be Somebody World Tour 2027 Bordeaux, France: https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour  • Subscribe to the the I Used to be Somebody Newsletter: https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

Mark has done it all. He had a successful career or two and then became a first-time entrepreneur in his 40's. He created and developed one of the most successful afterschool programs in the country. Today, "Right at School" serves 70,000 students in 1,200 schools nationwide. Mark's germ of an idea he turned into a $100 million dollar business. He sold it just a few year years ago.  Today he is equally successful as a writer. His "Accidental Wisdom"essays on Substack are read by over 30,000 subscribers. He's been featured in AARP, on the Today Show, The Moth, National Radio and more.  Fun fact: Always curious and open to new paths and careers, Mark's wife once challenged him to become a Rabbi, so he's done that too! He's full of self-deprecating humor and wisdom. We're not so sure it's accidental. Mark Rothschild is a true (UN)Retirement Success Story!  • More About Mark Rothschild: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christaylornyc  • Mark's Substack "Accidental Wisdom": https://www.accidentalwisdom.com  • Feature Mentioned in the episode "What do you do?: https://www.accidentalwisdom.com/p/what-do-you-do • Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/mark-rothschild-interview-entrepreneur-rabbi-and-now-writer-of-accidental-wisdom  • Sponsored by Capital Advantage: https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide  • Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die: https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die  • I Used to be Somebody World Tour 2027 Bordeaux, France: https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour  • Subscribe to the the I Used to be Somebody Newsletter: https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

You're in for a real treat! It's the "Ask the Experts" bonus episode. We feature two (un)retirement experts who know a lot about what's really important. What you are actually going to do in retirement that will be new, super fun, intellectually stimulating and meaningful?  This year, we give you the best of both worlds by tapping into retirement wisdom on both sides, the financial strategy and planning but also the equally important emotional side. In both interviews, the experts give us some solid practical advice. Far from boring, this episode will also give you some new perspectives to ponder for your second half of life. First, we have Chris Taylor, an experienced journalist who has written financial articles for Reuters, NBCNews, Kiplinger, Fortune, Money , AARP, Wall Street Journal and more. Chris and Carl play a fun game of Family Feud about MONEY! Carl then talks with Dan Haylett, our second expert and Carl's new friend across the pond (in England). Dan delves into the human side of "What's next after retirement?" He is the host of the widely recognized "Humans vs Retirement" podcast, author of book, "The Retirement You Didn't See Coming" and he also advocates inverting traditional retirement advising by focusing on an individual's personal purpose and desired lifestyle before mapping out the math. Carl gets there's an emotional side to retirement. It's big! Dan says many people tend to make the common mistake of what's "enough" to retire. He also encourages you to think about who you are without that job title, (you're not the boss any more) plus more top-tier advice! (04:16) Chris Taylor interview (36:30) Dan Haylett interview • More About Chris Taylor: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christaylornyc/ • More About Dan Haylett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-haylett-retirement-coach/ • Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/chris-taylor-dan-haylett-interviews-3rd-annual-meet-the-un-retirement-experts • Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die: https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die/ • Sponsored by Capital Advantage: https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide/ • I Used to be Somebody World Tour 2027 Bordeaux, France: https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour/ • Subscribe to the the I Used to be Somebody Newsletter: https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

Host Carl is so excited because after 110 Episodes, he finally got to interview a former cop. Not just any cop! Jim Beezley was a Police Captain and spent 35 years in law enforcement. Throughout his career, he led large scale operations from narcotics investigations and hostage negotiations to multimillion dollar budgeting and personnel development. Now Jim has landed his dream job. He works for Major League Baseball as an authenticator. What the heck is an authenticator? If you're watching a major league baseball game and see some guy near the dugout who doesn't really look like he's part of the team, that would be Jim. As an authenticator, he tracks and documents game-used balls, jerseys, bats and cleats to proved that they are genuine.  He interacts with all the players and coaching staff and has the best seat in the ball park and gets paid to do this. He's even been sent to Japan to "work" the World Baseball Classic. In the interview, Jim shares a hilarious story about an interaction with Shohei Ohtani, who is perhaps the greatest player of all time.  Super fun episode that proves if you reach for the stars, you can find your dream Second Act. • More about Jim Beezley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-beezley-3a95177a  • Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/jim-beezley-interview-former-police-captains-second-act-with-major-league-baseball • Sponsored by Capital Advantage: https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide/ • Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die Video Series: https://howtoretireandnotdie.com/ • Subscribe to the I Used to be Somebody Newsletter: https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

Anne Del Core has the spark! Her enthusiasm for change and reinvention post-career is captivating.  Anne had a cool career in television. She started on the talent side of TV buy quickly realized the biz side was more lucrative. (Her first transition.) She ended up falling in love with that whole side of TV. Her last position was as the General Sales Manager at WKRT-TV in Norfolk, VA as part of a larger network owned by the New York Times. Then she made another transition to put her big career on hold to raise three children. The family moved around the US a lot for her husband's job as a radio executive. And now she pivoted again (and surprised herself) by becoming an artist. Just four years ago, she was introduced to the world of glass art. She absolutely loves it and specializes in creating beautiful mosaics. This is isn't a hobby. She now has a thriving business of selling awarding-winning art pieces, opening her own solo show and donating art to raise money for nonprofits. What makes the interview truly special is that Carl and Anne met for the interview live, at the Landau Tiki Bar. It's a super fun, free- spirited conversation that will inspire anyone who is interested in how to take a leap of faith and try something completely new and different. And then just totally going for it! More about Anne C. Del Core: https://www.storyglassmosaics.com/artist More about Anne's business Storyglass Mosaics: https://www.storyglassmosaics.com Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/anne-del-core-interview-tv-exec-turns-professional-artist Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die Video Series: https://howtoretireandnotdie.com Sponsored by Capital Advantage: https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide Subscribe to the the I Used to be Somebody Newsletter: https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

Have you ever thought about your dream second act? Something you enjoy doing and you imagine what it would be like to run a fun business where you'd love to be a customer? Most of us wake up the next day and forget about that dream or talk ourselves out of it quick. This month's guest, Pat Belding is actually doing it. In his mid-sixties, he's running Frankie's Sports bar in San Francisco. Quite a change from owning and operating his high tech marketing company. Rather than dealing with Fortune 100 companies like 3M, Cisco and Google, he's behind the bar (managing a team of 20 employees, dealing with food and beverage vendors and keeping the bathrooms clean) while serving San Francisco Giants fans beer, cocktails and great food before and after games. And he's loving it!  Pat is pushing way beyond his comfort zone. Three years ago, with no prior experience in the food and beverage industry, he started helping out at Frankie's, a cool sports bar on the South Beach marina. It's located just a stone's throw away from Oracle Park, where the SF Giants play. Frankie's, originally named the "Java Hut", has a special history--it's the Embarcadero's oldest operating eatery for over a century.  His story is inspirational. Told with humor and humility. A true (un)retirement success story! • More about Pat Belding: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patbelding  • More about Frankie's Sports Bar: https://www.frankiessf.com • Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/pat-belding-interview-operating-a-sports-bar-in-retirement  • Sponsored by Capital Advantage: https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide  • Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die Video Series: https://howtoretireandnotdie.com  • Subscribe to the the I Used to be Somebody Newsletter: https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

What's the most fun thing to do in (Un)Retirement? Everyone has their favorites. But top on many lists is TRAVEL.    This month's guest is Andrew Motiwalla, who Carl calls "Mr. Travel" since he's been traveling the world since he was a child. Travel with his family planted the seed and he joined the Peace Corps at 20 years old. Since then the "immersion" theme has carried through his life. Andrew has been an globe-trotting tech entrepreneur and even launched his own specialized travel experience companies. Andrew built a travel organization focused on expanding the horizons of high school students. Now he's developed a very cool experience called "The Good Life Abroad," created for active adults who want to live for a month or two in Europe with a built-in community and concierge service. In the interview, he offers great travel tips and also life experience advice about slowing down, avoiding "tourist mode" and pushing yourself past your comfort zone. In the right environment, we can all do some amazing things with our lives!  Andrew is a very interesting guy who has created an adventurous second act for himself.  More about Andrew Motiwalla: https://thegoodlifeabroad.com/about-us  Andrew's venture The Good Life Abroad: https://thegoodlifeabroad.com Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/andrew-motiwalla-interview-mr-travel-the-good-life-abroad Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die Video Series: https://howtoretireandnotdie.com Sponsored by Capital Advantage: https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide Subscribe to the the I Used to be Somebody Newsletter: https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

Host Carl Landau was so enthusiastic after watching the new documentary "The Power of Pickleball" that he reached out to the director Alex Jeffery and put out this bonus episode. If you're part of the pickleball "cult" or just interested in learning about the sport you will love this movie. About 3 years ago Alex was hanging out with his Mom and Aunt who are pickleball fanatics, and they said, "What if we made a documentary about Pickleball?". Not knowing anyone in the industry, Alex says they started reaching out to people to learn more. What struck him was how welcoming everyone was. "People opened their arms to us and started telling us their stories and wanted to share more about the sport." Alex does an amazing job of highlighting the spirit and pure joy of the sport. He's a very talented filmmaker and has a great story of his own. The movie was just released on Prime Video, Apple TV and Doc+. More about Alex Jeffrey: https://bespokeworksllc.com/about-us  Alex's movie The Power of Pickleball: https://www.thepowerofpickleball.com  Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Alex-Jeffery-Interview-Director-of-The-Power-of-Pickleball  I Used to be Somebody World Tour: https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour/all-tours  Subscribe to the the I Used to be Somebody Newsletter: https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

If you're into pop culture, great stories and some outstanding (un)retirement advice, you will love this episode! Mitch got his start as a producer for The Larry King show. He also shares a hilarious on air experience with Howard Stern. There's also his experience as a contestant on a new show (at the time) called Love Connection and his work on the Love Boat.  When Mitch hit his 30's his dad suggested that he may want to get a "real job." He went on to have a very rewarding career in Financial Services for 35 years. But what about now? What Mitch is doing in his 3rd period (he likes to break his life into hockey terms) is very cool. He's combining his accumulated skills from his days in the entertainment broadcasting with all his financial advising background to teach financial advisors the modern day skill of storytelling through podcast, video and social platforms. At 65, Mitch finds his 3rd career is very fun and rewarding. • More about Mitch Slater: https://www.ubs.com/content/dam/assets/wma/us/insights/events/documents/mitch-slater-bio.pdf  • Mitch's YouTube Page: https://www.youtube.com/@mitchslater191  • Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/mitch-slater-interview-from-broadcasting-producer-to-advisor-to-digital-creator  • Sponsored by Capital Advantage: https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide • Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die: https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die  • I Used to be Somebody World Tour: https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour/all-tours  • Subscribe to the the I Used to be Somebody Newsletter: https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

Hang onto your hat this month because Carl interviewed former ad wiz Tom Marks. We go on a wild retirement story. Tom's first couple of years in retirement he summed up in in one word "horrible". He moved into a 50+ community that he hated. He made a rigid list of activities that he "thought" he should be doing in retirement. He felt like he was on a hamster wheel and didn't know how to get off. It wasn't until he figured out that writing was what gave him peace and purpose. He just completed his second best-selling book, Coming of Age in Retirement, An Advertising Executive's story of Enlightenment and Revelation. It's full of insights into how to find your path to true happiness in retirement. He does so with candor and great humor. A bonus is hearing about Tom's father Melvin Marks who was a true celebrity in the advertising world. He was the marketing genius behind the success of Orville Redenbacher's Gourmet Popping Corn. • More about Tom Marks: https://thepeacefulretiree.com/author/tom-marks • Tom's newest book: https://www.comingofageinretirement.com • Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/tom-marks-interview-survived-40-years-in-the-ad-biz-to-a-coming-of-age-in-retirement • Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die: https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die/  • Sponsored by Capital Advantage: https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide • I Used to be Somebody World Tour: https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour/all-tours • Subscribe to the the I Used to be Somebody Newsletter: https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

Take a mini-retirement during your career? Take a retirement during your retirement? What? These are crazy ideas. But are they? Author Jillian Johnsrud explains this concept and why it's so good for you. Host Carl is a believer and has personally taken 3 long breaks during his career. It helps you avoid burnout and gives you time and space to really think about what you want to do next in your career and life. Jillian has personally taken a dozen mini-retirements in 20 years. She explains how to create your own sabbatical, including how to talk with your employer about it, how to financially afford the sabbatical and even how to to plan for it. For entrepreneurs, she talks about how you can take a break without hurting your business, too. Jillian goes on to talk about the many benefits of taking a mini-retirement during your retirement. What? You'll need to listen in.  • More about Jillian Johnsrud: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Jillian-Johnsrud-Interview-Learn-How-To-Take-Mini-Retirements  • Jillian's book Retire Often: https://retireoften.com/book/ • Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Jillian-Johnsrud-Interview-Learn-How-To-Take-Mini-Retirements  • Sponsored by Capital Advantage: https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide/  • Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die: https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die/  • I Used to be Somebody World Tour: https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour/all-tours  • Subscribe to the the I Used to be Somebody Newsletter: https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

Carl gets to talk about "magic" for the first time ever on the show. Kevin Blake made a 180-degree change in his working life. He moved from a promising career in digital marketing, working with big time clients (JanSport Backpacks, Lagunitas Brewing Company, Duraflame, Intel and more), to working as a professional Illusionist / Entertainer. He always had a passion for performing magic and took the big leap, turning his fun side gig into a lucrative and totally rewarding career. His AHA moment came during the pandemic, when he performed online magic shows multiple times a day for companies. He made an insane amount of money in just one month -- December of 2020 (you'll need to listen to believe). Kevin has competed and performed on a national level -- America's Got Talent and Penn & Teller: Fool us. He is the star 3-4 nights a week as The Illusionist at The Palace Theater. And he's absolutely living his dream! More about Kevin Blake: https://kevinblakemagic.com Kevin's Show, The Illusionist at The Palace Theater: https://sanfranciscomagicshow.com Episode Content: Thttps://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/kevin-blake-interview-mystifying-second-act-as-an-illusionist Sponsor by Capital Advantage: https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide Sponsor by How to Retire and Not Die: https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die I Used to be Somebody World Tour: https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour/all-tours Subscribe to the I Used to be Somebody Newsletter: https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

This month we tackle a topic we haven't talked much about...Forced Retirements. Anthony Napolitano had a very successful career in the high-tech world. Then he was laid off not once, but twice by two big corporations right around when he was 50 years old. That was two years ago, and since then he has plunged into the world of early retirement with great enthusiasm, (which is an understatement.) His friends joke that he doesn't have a "Type A personality," he has a "Type-Anthony personality".  Anthony has an analytical mind and devised a personalized Life Retirement Plan. He bases his plan on the four pillars of Health, Mindset, Purpose and Relationships. He even grades himself every year. He was a star baseball player in high school and then went on to play four years of college division 1 baseball at Loyola-Marymount College. So in (un)retirement, Anthony is a natural as a high school coach. He loves being the assistant coach for the girls volleyball team. He also works as a wine educator at a local winery in his tiny mountain town of Julian, CA, just outside of San Diego. He does a little bit of everything at the winery, from picking grapes to hosting wine tasting events. You will love Anthony. He's full of wonder and personality. Although Carl points out that he is the star of the podcast, Anthony clearly steals this month's show. • More about Anthony Napolitano: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonynapolitano • Anthony's Blog "For the Napos": https://forthenapos.com • Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/anthony-napolitano-interview-rorced-into-early-retirement-and-now-a-renaissance-man • Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die:  https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die • Sponsored by Capital Advantage: https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide • I Used to be Somebody World Tours:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour/all-tours • Subscribe to I Used to be Somebody newsletter:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

It takes a long time to hit 100 episodes when you're a monthly podcast. So we're pretty excited. Carl wanted to get the perfect guest. He chose Fritz Gilbert the OG, who is the top voice in the modern retirement movement. Fritz is a retirement expert/book author/speaker/do-gooder and the author of award winning "The Retirement Manifesto". He's written 400+ articles and 1 million words about retirement and how to live your very best life in this next phase of life. Fritz totally delivers! He's high-energy, funny and gives incredible insights into helping you plan a smooth transition to and once you're in that retirement how you can make it even better.  • More about Fritz Gilbert:  https://www.theretirementmanifesto.com/about/  • Fritz's Fritz's Retirement Manifesto "Ten Commandments of Retirement: https://www.theretirementmanifesto.com/the-ten-commandments-of-retirement/  • Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Fritz-gilbert-interview-mr-retirement-author-of-the-retirement-manifesto  • Sponsored by Capital Advantage:  https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide/  • Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die: https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die/  • I Used to be Somebody World Tour: https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour/all-tours  • Subscribe to I Used to be Somebody newsletter:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

Who doesn't like to go out to eat? Carin Stutz gives you a behind the scenes look into the restaurant business. She is a true icon in the industry spending 40+ years as a C-level Exec. She started as a manager trainee at Wendy's International and she worked her way up to Division Vice President.  She shares stories of working with the celebrity Dave Thomas, the founder of Wendy's, as well as her brush with fame by meeting movie star George Clooney. The rest of her career was in the hot trend of "fast casual" dining, with C-Level positions at Applebee's, Chili's and another half dozen other successful chains.  Carin shares what the restaurant business is really like, as in the long hard hours, the missed vacations and family events. Yet she truly loves the industry and the people. She is making up for lost time now with lots of international travel and attending concerts every week. She is also giving back to her industry. She helped start a wildly successful non-profit and serves on lots of very worthwhile boards. She has dedicated her (un)retirement to giving back! More about Carin Stutz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carin-stutz-832b766 Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Carin-Stutz-Interview-Restaurant-Industry-Icon-Pays-It-Forward Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die: https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die Sponsored by Capital Advantage: https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide "I Used to be Somebody World Tour" -- SOLD OUT! https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour Subscribe to the "I Used to be Somebody" newsletter:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe