Alex Jeffery Interview: Director of The Power of Pickleball
Diana Landau | March 24, 2026
Bonus episode! Carl combined his two passions in this interview with Alex Jeffery -- Pickleball and Documentaries. Alex is an accomplished documentary filmmaker who recently released an in-depth documentary called the The Power of Pickleball. Alex co-owns the production company Bespoke Works with his friend and long-time collaborator, Paul Petersen. His first feature film, “A Chance Encounter,” won the audience choice award at the Heartland Film Festival in 2020 and then was released by Samuel Goldwyn Films.
His film “The Power of Pickleball” captures the essence and spirit of one of the country’s fastest-growing (and evolving) sports and it just was just released on Prime Video and Apple TV. Alex points out that although many people think pickleball just happened overnight, it has a history going back to the 1960’s.
A few years ago he was spending time with his Mom and Aunt, who are pickleball fanatics, and they said, “What if we made a documentary about Pickleball?” Not knowing much about it, 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.”
The documentary, which took several years to make, starts at the beginning of the sport in Bainbridge Island, WA, weaves very personal stories of how the sport has changed players’ lives, covers the controversies and also the growth of the professional circuit. “The response has been overwhelmingly positive,” Alex adds. “It’s really cool to see people from all walks of life discover pickleball and it gives them purpose again.”
Alex originally wanted to be an actor and moved to LA after college. Realizing LA was not right for him, he created his second act as a low-budget, independent film director. Based in Shreveport, LA, Alex loves mentoring film and acting students of all ages and experience. He also strives to a life-long student of the world and an avid traveler.
Diana Landau is the Content Wrangler for Pickleball Media. After 15 years in corporate marketing, in 2012 she pivoted to write and wrangle content for Niche Media's weekly blog. She now manages the "I Used to be Somebody" blog.
Jillian Johnsrud Interview: Learn How To Take Mini Retirements
Diana Landau | January 13, 2026
How can you retire soon, and often? Carl talks with author/speaker/coach Jillian Johnsrud about the how’s of taking mini-retirements and why they're so good for you. Jillian is the author and host the popular podcast “Retire Often” that helps individuals, companies and financial advisors make sabbaticals a reality—through coaching, consulting and training. Jillian is also an in-demand speaker on the subject of taking multiple mini-retirements.
Jillian grew up in a small town in Montana and after many years away has been back in Montana for over a decade. She grew up in a blue-collar family and she didn't really have big dreams back then. She was an anxious, shy kid with dyslexia. But she says one firm, earnest high school teacher inspired her. She told Jillian, “The spelling doesn’t matter, it’s a low skill set. A better skill set is to be able to tell a good story.” This concept had a huge impact on Jillian.
She worked her way through college, juggling various retail positions. After marrying, living very frugally and saving, she felt she had the financial independence at age 32 to take the leap to become a professional writer. And yes, she also has 5 kids. “I just truly enjoyed the process of writing,” she says, not worrying so much about financial gains from it at that time.
Jillian has personally taken a dozen mini-retirements. She tells us why it's important to do it, and how to create a sabbatical for yourself, including how to talk to your employers, even what to say to your questioning family and friends about it. For example, she says to develop a positive story around your time off, not just the "I'm so stressed out" approach. Think through how it might also work for your employer and how they can manage while you're out and benefit when you get back. She says it may even take a year to plan it. But it can be done!
Jillian says the first mini-retirement she took gave her time to refresh, regroup and find her creativity again. One of her mini-retirements included a 10-week road trip to 10 National Parks with her family. “So often we recognize there’s this window of time to do something, and if we don’t do it now, we will have missed the opportunity.” Now with teens at home, Jillian still finds time to take mini-retirements for extended travel, improving her mental and physical health, and more.
Jillian Johnsrud’s Tips for the Mini-Retirement Life:
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“Give yourself permission to pause from the life you've created. Taking off one, two or three months can change everything—including your perspective and goals for your future.”
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“View your retirement as a non-judgmental science experiment. Try new things, try other things, observe and discover what works best for you.”
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“Schedule some, but less in mini-retirement. Just winging it doesn't work. Experiment with different plans, routines and boundaries to help you realize the outcome you’re looking for.”
Diana Landau is the Content Wrangler for Pickleball Media. After 15 years in corporate marketing, in 2012 she pivoted to write and wrangle content for Niche Media's weekly blog. She now manages the "I Used to be Somebody" blog.
Kevin Blake Interview: Mystifying Second Act as an Illusionist
Diana Landau | December 09, 2025
Carl is amazed when he interviews the one and only Kevin Blake. Kevin is different from most of our podcast guests in that he is only in his 30’s. But he definitely took a big risk to dive into his very successful second act and he shares what he learned with the rest of us. Kevin is a former marketing exec who left a successful career to follow his dream of becoming a magician/illusionist/mentalist. He now has a wildly popular show in San Francisco at the Palace Theater.
Kevin grew up in suburban Sacramento, CA. A big part of his childhood was spent going to swim practice and becoming a star swimmer in high school and the collegiate level (He would later go on to swim in the Trials for the 2012 and 2016 Olympics!)
After college and a degree in Psychological and Brain Science, Kevin landed at Wells Fargo and pretty quickly felt he wanted something different. Walking around one day in SF he saw a sign for a “Creative Agency” and knew he would rather be following a much more creative path. As a marketing exec, he created brand identities through digital, print, motion and video for big brands such as Lagunitas Brewing Company, Duraflame, JanSport Backpacks, Intel, and more.
While Kevin enjoyed that career, he always had a passion for magic and performing shows. He developed a side gig of online magic shows for companies all the while honing his craft. The pandemic actually became a big new opportunity for him. “I was making more (money) in two months than I was making for my yearly salary.” (You'll have to listen to the podcast to learn more about that!) “It gave me the freedom to be able to quit,” he tells us. He decided to go for it and work in magic full-time. His family and friends were nervous for him and supportive. “Nervous? Yes. But I was confident.”
Kevin has performed and has competed on a national level -- America's Got Talent and Penn & Teller: Fool Us. Now he performs for sold-out, live magic shows at the Palace Theater as well as for corporate business events. “I’m lucky I have a marketing background so I can sell tickets and promote my business,” he adds. When not performing, Kevin is constantly working on his show, and also spending time with his family. And yes, he’s still swimming.
Kevin Blake, on beginning a Second Act:
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“Your time is open. What do you do with that time? We all have to fill our time with things that create meaning for us.”
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“If you've always had a passion sitting in the back of your mind, try it as a side gig. Go for it, try it, experiment and see what you find. The only thing that can happen is that you'll learn a lot.”
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“If it (second act) was really, really comfortable I wouldn't have that same fire to hustle!”
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“Finding or creating your own small network of people who do what you do is critical.”
Diana Landau is the Content Wrangler for Pickleball Media. After 15 years in corporate marketing, in 2012 she pivoted to write and wrangle content for Niche Media's weekly blog. She now manages the "I Used to be Somebody" blog.
Fritz Gilbert Interview: Mr. Retirement -- Author of "The Retirement Manifesto"
Diana Landau | October 21, 2025
Ok, this is a BIG DEAL! Carl interviews a retirement legend in this 100th EPISODE!
Carl chose retirement expert/book author/speaker/do-gooder Fritz Gilbert as his 100th podcast guest. Fritz's award-winning blog, The Retirement Manifesto, is focused on helping people achieve a great retirement. Since 2015, Fritz has written 441 articles and 1 million words about how to live your best life in retirement. Fritz retired after more than three decades in corporate America, where he progressed through the various levels of a multinational corporation serving the global aluminum industry. He's still changing lives, read on!
Fritz grew up in the small town of Hillsdale, MI with his parents and two older sisters. His father was a college professor and his mother a teacher. This meant their summers were free to explore the great outdoors, one of Fritz's true passions. It's no surprise that Fritz was a curious, hi-energy kid. He says he wanted to be an NFL punter growing up, then to be a doctor. He attended Wittenberg University in Ohio. He says, "My father always told me I could be whatever I wanted to be." On a whim as a senior, he interviewed with an aluminum industry exec that evolved into a highly successful 33-year career.
Tired of the corporate world's politics, he retired in 2018. But, three years before retirement and this is important, he started thinking and strategizing about what his ideal retirement life would look like in 2015. "I got out at 55," he tells us. He started a blog, which he had never done before and kept on writing. He wrote the 10 Commandments of Retirement, which focuses on attributes to keep in mind daily in retirement, such as; have a great attitude, pursue your passions, stay flexible to change, try new things and more. "I would have never dreamed that 10 years later the blog would become so successful with over 16,000 followers. I was curious and I took that first step!"
He wrote and wrote about not just the financial parts of retirement, but the equally (if not more so) purpose parts of retirement. "I love the relationships I've had too. It's a deep subject, I'm still writing. It's turned into something I love to do." Recently Fritz decided not to do a full-time blog after 10 years so he has time to pursue other passions. He loves to mountain-bike in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia, spend time with family, work in the garden, and lots more.
Fritz is also helping his wife with her passion, Freedom for Fido, a community group that builds fencing for low-income families that have dogs chained in the yards. They've built 187 fences in 6 years with the coordination of several hundred volunteers. "It's created this incredible network, we're getting exercise building fences, and I can't even begin to tell you about the impact we're making on the community." Just like that little kid in Hillsdale, Fritz is still high-energy, loving the outdoors and still curious!
Fritz Gilbert's (Un)Retirement advice:
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"Learn to listen and follow your curiosity. Look for things that might interest you and take that step."
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"The path to fulfillment and enjoyment is to just try new things. Do as many as you can. Some will hit and some will miss. But enjoy the ones you like and keep going!"
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The 90-10 Rule: People focus 90% on the financial part before retirement. It's amazing--once you're in retirement, you spend about 10% thinking about the financial part and 90% thinking about what you are going to do now. It's the purpose side of retirement that people need to think about before they retire."
Diana Landau is the Content Wrangler for Pickleball Media. After 15 years in corporate marketing, in 2012 she pivoted to write and wrangle content for Niche Media's weekly blog. She now manages the "I Used to be Somebody" blog.
Carin Stutz Interview: Restaurant Industry Icon Pays It Forward
Diana Landau | September 23, 2025
Carin Stutz has been Somebody -- an icon in the food service and restaurant world for decades. Carl interviews her about her meteoric career starting in service and working her way up to Division VP for Wendy's International, Exec VP for Applebee's, President of Global Business Development for Brinker International (Chili's Grill & Bar, Maggiano's Little Italy, etc.) and now the good work she is doing to give back to the restaurant industry she loves. Her industry awards and accolades are a very long list.
After college she started as a management trainee for Wendy's and quickly fell in love with the restaurant biz. "I think I learned early on that you have to advocate for yourself," she says. Carin has held top-level positions at seven different restaurant organizations, where she led hundreds of franchises across multiple brands in 34 countries.
Carin (un)retired two years ago at age 67. Her Mom was ill and she says she started realizing that quality of life can deteriorate quickly. "You start thinking about how much time you have left. It was a wake-up call." Carin now sits on nine boards and has founded a global network called GLEAM, which is 100% volunteer-run and provides mentoring and career enhancement opportunities to those in the restaurant industry. "I feel so much has been given to me. I wanted to give back," she adds.
When not mentoring, volunteering, and speaking all over the country, Carin spends time traveling with her husband, enjoying family and friends and tries to attend two concerts a week. She says, "Just say YES to more things. Get outside. Do something. Stay active!"
Carin Stutz's (Un)retirement Tips:
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"What do you do when the applause dies? (After a big career.) You ultimately have to recognize your own accomplishments because it really does stop and you need to be okay with that."
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"I was working all the time so I didn't have hobbies when I (un)retired. I started thinking about what I didn't have in my life and what I could have now."
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"Have friends! There's something about friendship that lifts you up and just enriches your soul."
• I Used to be Somebody World Tour: Croatia
Diana Landau is the Content Wrangler for Pickleball Media. After 15 years in corporate marketing, in 2012 she pivoted to write and wrangle content for Niche Media's weekly blog. She now manages the "I Used to be Somebody" blog
Jordan (Doc G) Grumet Interview: Former Doc Shares How to Live a Regret-Free Life
Diana Landau | December 10, 2024
Want to hear wisdom and insight on finding purpose from a former internal medicine doc who is now a writer, speaker, and podcast host? This week Carl interviews Jordan (Doc G) Grumet has made many significant pivots in his life. After becoming a doctor of internal medicine and practicing for 15 years, Jordan had an "aha" moment where he realized that although his medical career had served him well, he wanted something new, something different, something more meaningful.
Jordan grew up in Evanston, Illinois. His doctor father died suddenly when Jordan was only 7 years old. "I came to this cosmic conclusion that the way to make up for this horrible thing that happened to all of us was for me to become a doctor." Despite learning disabilities, Jordan met obstacles head on and learned to persevere. (Qualities that have helped him throughout his life.) His mother became a CPA and successful in business and remarried. He says both his parents modeled responsible saving.
After 15 years of practicing medicine, he felt totally burnt out. "Medicine served me well financially and gave me a purpose and identity. It worked until it didn't," he tells us. In 2018 he stopped everything and became depressed. The years of building walls around himself to deal with the stress and tragic situations as a doctor took their toll. He realized he had co-opted his father's dream of being a doctor for his own.
Jordan looked at the parts of his life he wanted to keep doing, like hospice care. In addition, he had an "AHA" moment when he attended a conference for writers, bloggers and podcasters. "I immediately felt more connected to them than the doctors I had worked with for years." He read the book "The White Coat Investor" and discovered he could be financially independent enough to pursue other paths that excited him.
Now Jordan is the podcast host of the award-winning "Earn & Invest" podcast, he's a speaker and also the author of two books. His first book, "Taking Stock: A Hospice Doctor's Advice on Financial Independence, Building Wealth, and Living a Regret-Free Life" is about Jordan's journey, intertwining medical insight and financial wisdom and resonates deeply with those seeing a balanced, meaningful life.
His second book, "The Purpose Code" will be published in January 2025 by Harriman House Press. Jordan also continues to serve as an associate medical director at Unity Hospice. He lives with his family back in Evanston, Illinois where he grew up. Doc G says, "You don't have to change the whole world. You just have to change yourself. Grow and learn!" Wise advice for all of us.
Doc G's (un)retirement tips for self-reflection:
• "It's much easier staying at a job rather than exploring your purpose. I think that's a mistake. We need to re-imagine what purpose is for us, take the time and space to learn what it really looks like."
• "Don't be afraid of (finding a new) purpose. Purpose is abundant. It doesn't have to be difficult to find your "anchors" and build a life of purpose around them. Find a lot of stuff you like and just start doing it."
• "Most of the things that light us up have nothing to do with money.......How do we build a better life without waiting for some financial benchmark?"
Diana Landau is the Content Wrangler for Pickleball Media After 15 years in corporate marketing, in 2012 she pivoted to write and wrangle content for Niche Media's weekly blog. She now manages the "I Used to be Somebody" blog
Suna Kneisley Interview: "Kitty Hotel" Second Act Success Story
Diana Landau | October 08, 2024
This Month I Used to be Somebody has gone to the CATS! Meet Suna Kneisley, who consistently combines her passions with success throughout her life. A former Marketing Exec in high tech for Intuit and Oracle, she began investing in real estate and helping her colleagues do the same. That has led to a 20+-year successful career in investing, as Founder of Freedom Investments. Along the way, Suna also fell in love with cats. After volunteering for a local non-profit cat adoption organization, Suna eventually became Executive Director in her spare time. In 2019 Suna bought Pat's Boarding Place for Cats, which she has improved on and expanded and they now have kitty condos for up to 78 cats. (Are we seeing a pattern here?)
Suna grew up in the Midwest, first in Indiana and then in Illinois to a U.S. military father and Korean mother. As a kid she was very social, up for any sport. She knew her father hated his career as a CPA. Her mother, who possessed keen business intuition, turned her focus to a very busy local Mr. Donut Shop. She kept after the owner until he sold it to her family. Working at the donut shop growing up, doing all kinds of shifts, instilled a sense of entrepreneurship in Suna.
She attended Northwestern and UC Berkeley and after considering a career in medicine, she was hired by Intuit and never looked back. After personally investing in real estate, she began pooling resources with her fellow employees and began managing various investments. "I don't like doing things alone. I love to share what's exciting and what opportunities there are with friends and family."
She started volunteering for Cats About Town Society (CATS) in 2008 and realized they had organizational problems. Suna took them on with mounting debt and turned CATS around. They now care for and adopt out 400-600 cats per year. When Pat's Boarding Place became available in 2019, Suna pounced on the opportunity. In addition to running her real estate investing firm, volunteering and managing the kitty hotel, Suna loves to travel, just about every month. She also loves to play pickleball. "The path is interesting. It kinda unfolds!"
Suna's (unretirement) tips:
• "Find what it is that gives you joy. Use your skillset. Or do something completely different!"
• "Keep moving! Movement for your body. Pickleball is the great equalizer--most everyone can play."
• "It can also be really helpful to just sit and be still for your mind. Meditate. It will help you find what you want to do."
• "Be open. Be clear about how you want to feel--the kind of person you want to be at your best. What does that look like? What does that smell like? What does that taste like? Be clear about that and then be open to the opportunity, whatever it is. Then follow, say YES to things."
Diana Landau is the Content Wrangler for Pickleball Media After 15 years in corporate marketing, in 2012 she pivoted to write and wrangle content for Niche Media's weekly blog. She now manages the "I Used to be Somebody" blog
Meet the (Un)Retirement Experts: Paul Long, Gary Sirak and Dr. Ron Kaiser
Diana Landau | August 27, 2024
We're celebrating the end of summer with a special bonus episode, Meet the (Un)Retirement Experts. It's a little different from the typical I Used to be Somebody episode. Instead of just one guest who's had a really interesting second act, we're talking to 3 great minds in the (un)retirement world. A little twist is that they are from 3 different age perspectives too. Paul is in his 60's, Gary is in his 70's and Ron is in his 80's!
Paul Long
As founder-creator of New Way Forward, Paul helps retired people pursue a new life of relevance, impact and income that is aligned with what they truly want. Paul grew up in Dallas, Texas and says he literally grew up in the radio business, going with his dad to work. He had careers as a TV reporter and TV weathercaster.
After 20 years, Paul pivoted to the production side of the business and founded Paul Long Productions, developing Emmy-award-winning content, executing video, live, events, campaigns and more. In his 50's, Paul noticed more and more people were looking to pivot their lives from the default one to a life that was right for them. Now, as an experienced storyteller and journalist, New Way Forward has given Paul his own fulfillment as he helps people transition and realize their best life.
Paul's Tips on Unretirement:
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"Take some time, self-evaluate, look for relevance and purpose."
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"When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change."
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"Ask yourself: What do I want holistically in my life, not just professionally or about earning income?"
Gary Sirak
Gary is an author, speaker and financial advisor from Canton, Ohio. Growing up his parents struggled financially for years until his dad turned his American dream into a reality, becoming very successful in the insurance business. "I got to see both sides, having a little and a lot," Gary tells us. After graduating from Miami University in Ohio, Gary worked so hard that he realized he was at the peak of his career and he wasn't happy. A friend told him to look back to where he came from. Gary says he had been pushing so hard he never took the time to celebrate his successes. "That really opened up a light I hadn't seen."
He lost some friends almost right after retirement and Gary felt there must be a better way. He wrote the successful book, How to Retire and Not Die, to help others have a better life in retirement. When not consulting, writing or speaking, Gary also enjoys mentoring and writing songs--he's written 35 so far. Gary says, "If I can impact people in a positive way, how important is that!"
Gary's Tips on Unretirement:
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"Look for someone you know who is successfully retired, and take them to lunch, or coffee. I call them 'retirement mentors.' You can learn from them."
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"Have a purpose, a passion, a plan" Stay active, be involved in community service and have financial peace of mind."
Dr. Ron Kaiser, Ph.D.
"Dr. Ron" is 87 and lives in Philadelphia, PA where he is now the Chief Immersion Officer at Better Age. He is a psychologist, coach, author, podcaster, keynote and TEDx speaker. He is author and host of the podcast of REJUVENAGING: The Art and Science of Growing Older with Enthusiasm.
Ron grew up in Minneapolis in a middle-class, close-knit community. He had a successful, decades-long career in psychology, (he's still doing it in addition to everything else), but in his 60's he noticed that some of his peers seemed to thrive after retirement while others thought retirement meant decline. "We've now got the science that people are retiring and living 30 years or more. I felt an obligation to spread the word." He tells us that after he wrote his book, he assumed everything would fall into place, which it did not. "I needed to learn social media, use my voice for good, be more assertive and teach," he says.
Dr. Ron's Unretirement Tips:
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"You have to discipline yourself. When you're retired, you don't have to go somewhere at a certain time, eat at a certain time, etc. But if you want to be productive, the stuff that got you there is the same thing that's going to get you further in life."
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"Age is a number, not an excuse!"
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"If you're looking for purpose, you have to find it within yourself. It's important to set goals through every stage of life."
There's a common thread with these wise guys. They all have a driving force to help people live their best life. How cool is that? 
Diana Landau is the Content Wrangler for Pickleball Media. After 15 years in corporate marketing, in 2012 she pivoted to write and wrangle content for Niche Media's weekly blog. She now manages the "I Used to be Somebody" blog.
Mary-Lou Nash Interview: Moves to South Africa and becomes a Winemaster!
Diana Landau | July 01, 2024
What a fascinating story about Mary-Lou Nash who arrived in South Africa with just a backpack and eventually becomes a winemaster. Her Black Pearl winery is in the Paarl valley, near Cape Town. Her story is one of curiosity for the world, taking chances, a lot of hard work and dogged perseverance. In 1995 she had been a teacher traveling the world and decided on a whim to take her backpack and meet her dad in South Africa. She had no idea then that choosing to go to South Africa would set her life on a completely new course.
Mary-Lou was born in England and grew up in Canada and Maine. Both of her parents were doctors and she was one of 4 children. "Everywhere I've lived in my life was in the countryside." As a teen, Mary-Lou says she partied hard, played hard at sports and studied hard. (Even at an early age, her passions were her driving force.) She graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a B.A. in Anthropology, summa cum laude and then taught English in Japan, traveling the world in her spare time.
Her father had remarried, went to South Africa for a honeymoon and then purchased a farm, not realizing it had 40 acres of Chenin Blanc. Mary-Lou visited him there. "I knew nothing about grapes," she tells us. They had no laborers and decided to harvest the grapes themselves. They picked 3 tons on a Friday and with an aching back recruited more workers and finished the harvest. Mary-Lou was hooked. She told her dad she would stay on as the manager. In 1997, they planted grapes for red wines.
Always determined, she is a self-taught winemaker that faced real discrimination in the 1990's male-dominated wine industry. She worked hard and never gave up, always reaching out and befriending other winemakers to continually learn more. She received her Cape Wine Masters degree in 2011 from the University in Stellenbosch. In 2001 she created her first vintage herself. "I had bottled, created a label and had never given a thought to selling it!" Today, Mary-Lou's winery produces 7,300 barrels of red in addition to white wine.
Fun Fact: Mary-Lou met a wine distributor along the way that helped her get her label into Disney. Turns out Jack Sparrow's pirate ship (Pirates of the Caribbean) is also named "Black Pearl." Her Cabernet is the #1-selling South African red in Disney World.
Unfortunately, Mary-Lou was involved in a harrowing experience being robbed at knifepoint in her home at the winery and she decided to move to a home in Stellenbosch recently. "Everything happens for a reason. I was isolated at Black Pearl. Now I have moved into town, I have a whole new group of friends, I can walk everywhere, I take a yoga class on the beach and I've joined a sailing club. I love my life now!"
Mary-Lou's life advice:
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"Don't always take the easy route. Don't be scared of taking chances."
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"Put yourself first and do what makes you happy. We can't waste any time at our age!"
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"Always accept invitations--get out there! You never know who you might meet." (Her dad told her this one but she firmly lives it.)
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"It's all about the F-Word, as in FUN!"
• (Un)Retirement Travel with the Pro Allan Wright, Zephyr Adventures
Diana Landau is the Content Wrangler for Pickleball Media. After 15 years in corporate marketing, in 2012 she pivoted to write and wrangle content for Niche Media's weekly blog. She now manages the "I Used to be Somebody" blog
Stephanie Stuckey Interview: Rebuilding Stuckey's a part of Americana
Diana Landau | June 11, 2024
Carl interviews the unstoppable Stephanie Stuckey, the CEO of Stuckey's. The brand is known by generations as a highway oasis serving up pecan log rolls and kitschy souvenirs. Many Boomers fondly remember family road trips throughout the U.S. when stopping at Stuckey's was a tradition. Reviving her family's company is just the latest in a long list of Stephanie's accomplishments. She's been a Public Defender, a Georgia State Representative, a Director of Sustainability and Resilience for the City of Atlanta and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Georgia School of Law. Stephanie's story has recently been featured in The New York Times, the TODAY Show and the Washington Post.
Stephanie was born in Easton, Georgia and was surrounded by family. "It was a fun childhood!" Her father was a U.S. Congressman, so the family split their time each year between Washington D.C. and Easton. Going back and forth between two very different homes, Stephanie says, "You grow up very resilient and you have to learn those social skills to survive."
After college and law school, Stephanie spent over 14 years as a Public Defender. She then served for 7 years as an elected Representative for the Georgia State Legislature. in 2012 she left politics and became the Executive Director of GreenLaw, an environmentally focused law resource center in Atlanta. (Another one of her passions.)
Stephanie's grandfather sold Stuckey's way back in 1964 for $16 million (the equivalent price in today's value would be $158 million). She purchased back her family's company in 2019 with no prior entrepreneurial experience. "I didn't even know how to read a balance sheet!" she tells us. Stephanie learned what she had to do--and that didn't include upgrading the actual physical stores, which were on the decline. Only a dozen out of 300+ stores were left. Instead, she realized people still wanted to be able to buy their pecan snacks and candies. Undaunted, she found two partners, (one a pecan farmer and one a marketing exec) and the brand now has an online store, a distribution center and just two years later, the company's sales have gone from $2 million to $14 million.
In addition to running the company and raising a family, Stephanie just wrote her memoir, UnStuck: Rebirth of an American Icon this year. In her spare time, Stephanie enjoys traveling by car to explore the backroads of America and pulling over at every boiled peanut stand. She says she follows her grandfather's and father's advice: Work hard, be fair and have fun!"
Stephanie's advice on starting a second (or third) act:
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"You are not alone! I think a lot of times it's very lonely, I know it is, it can be isolating when you're trying to put something out there."
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"Go out there and find your community so you can support each other. Just reach out!"
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"Embrace your weaknesses as opportunities to learn and celebrate your strengths!"
• (Un)Retirement Travel with the Pro Allan Wright, Zephyr Adventures
Diana Landau is the Content Wrangler for Pickleball Media. After 15 years in corporate marketing, in 2012 she pivoted to write and wrangle content for Niche Media's weekly blog. She now manages the "I Used to be Somebody" blog.
Martinus Evans Interview: Founder of Slow AF Run Club
Diana Landau | May 13, 2024
Carl interviews the remarkable Martinus Evans this week. Martinus is an 8-time marathon runner, author and award-winning speaker who has empowered thousands of people to embrace the body they have right now, lace up their shoes and MOVE. His passion and his own personal journey inspired him to become the founder of the Slow AF Run Club, a global community who is challenging the preconceived notions of what a runner should look like. His mission is to inspire one million people of all backgrounds, shapes, sizes, colors and creeds to start running. Martinus and his powerful story have been featured in the New York Times, LADBible, The New York Post, Huffington Post, Wall Street Journal and more.
Martinus learned how to face and overcome challenges in his youth. He grew up in a blue-collar family on the Eastside of Detroit, He witnessed shootouts and drug deals from his bedroom window. Carl asks him what he was like as a kid. "I was short, fat and somewhat active. In dealing with certain situations, I was also a chameleon!" As an adult he worked as a suit salesman, working 10 hours days and his hip began to hurt. His doctor said, "Your hip hurts because you're too fat. You should walk to lose weight." Martinus was shocked by his doctor's words but turned that into a goal to someday run a marathon.
With sheer determination, courage and a trip to a running shoe store on the way home from the appointment, Martinus embarked on a journey to become a runner. Eighteen months later, he ran his first marathon. Once while running on a bridge during a race, a man taunted him for running as "slow as f%*k." He decided then and there to inspire others to keep going no matter what and decided to wear "Slow AF" proudly when he ran.
Martinus has served as a global ambassador for Adidas and partnered with many brands and has earned a BS in Exercise Science from Central Michigan University, an MS in Health Promotion Sciences and an MA in Digital Media and Design from the University of Connecticut.
Now Martinus has 30+ thousand members to his Slow AF club, an app, a new book. The Slow AF Run Club: The Ultimate Guide for Anyone Who Wants to Run and just finished a 41-stop book tour. He just launched a non-profit, and he's looking forward to building that up. When not running races, Martinus lives in Brooklyn, NY with his wife Char, and enjoys playing fetch with his dog Mabel.
Martinus Evan's life advice:
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Stick with it. "It's been ten years and I still want to quit! You have to outlast the newness of doing something to keep going."
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Having a routine: "Having a routine goes hand-in-hand with 'keep moving'. You need a routine so you CAN keep moving."
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Try new things. "Try new things you didn't think you could ever do in your younger years."
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Have a delusional belief in yourself. "You have to believe in yourself when no one else will."
• (Un)Retirement Travel with the Pro Allan Wright, Zephyr Adventures
Diana Landau is the Content Wrangler for Pickleball Media. After 15 years in corporate marketing, in 2012 she pivoted to write and wrangle content for Niche Media's weekly blog. She now manages the "I Used to be Somebody" blog.
Jeannine Barr Interview: Here comes the Judge — Now Singer / Songwriter!
Diana Landau | April 05, 2024
A criminal district court judge takes up the guitar and never looks back. Carl interviews Jeannine Barr, who says a dream one night "really spoke to her" and she knew she wanted to become a musician. And unlike most people, she left her big career to follow her big dreams and actually took the leap.
Jeannine was born in Baton Rouge, LA as the youngest of three girls. Her father was an electrician and her mother was a nurse. "There were lots of rules in our house," she tells us.
As a student she was very competitive in academics, sports, cheerleading and more.
After college and teaching high school English briefly, she went to LSU law school and eventually became an assistant district attorney for nine years.
Unafraid to take chances, (as you will learn in this episode), Jeannine threw her hat in the political ring in 1994 and was elected as a judge. She moved up to overseeing felony and death penalty cases. She went on to be re-elected five more times, serving 24 years on the bench and retired in 2018.
In 2015, Jeannine said having to run for re-election every four years, plus the uncertainty of it was frustrating. One night she had a vivid dream that she had died creatively and that she was supposed to play the guitar. She announced to her husband the next day that she made a decision to learn to play the guitar at age 54 and he said, "Don't buy anything too expensive!"
After connecting with an encouraging teacher, Jeannine kept learning and challenging herself. She initially thought she'd learn some Christmas songs to play for family. Her teacher suggested she try to write songs and keep on doing it. "Suddenly I was a student and a virtual nobody in the music scene," she adds. She kept playing and writing. In 2018 her teacher introduced to Grammy-winning producer Billy Dorsey. That led to her first recorded song, "The Color Red," and eventually she released a 7-song EP titled, "Late to the Party."
Today Jeannine continues to record new songs and has been featured on the "Women of Substance" podcast. She loves to bowl with a league every week and lives with her husband, cats, (and guitars) in Houston, TX. She says, "At the end of the day, we're going to regret what we didn't try."
Jeannine Barr's (un)retirement tips:
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"Going to my first guitar lesson was incredibly humbling. I found it very difficult. The beauty of it was that I was vulnerable and it would be ok."
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"I went from directing bailiffs to having zero idea of what to do. It was a total role-reversal for me. Yet also---- a whole new gig!"
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"Just try it. Follow the dream. Try not to be too impatient with yourself."
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Jeannine was so inspired by being interviewed that she wrote Carl a song "I Used to be Somebody". Listen here! 
• (Un)Retirement Travel with the Pro Allan Wright Zephyr Adventures
Diana Landau is the Content Wrangler for Pickleball Media. After 15 years in corporate marketing, in 2012 she pivoted to write and wrangle content for Niche Media's weekly blog. She now manages the "I Used to be Somebody" blog.
Sky Bergman Interview: Professor Turns Filmmaker
Diana Landau | February 29, 2024
Carl interviews filmmaker Sky Bergman. Sky's directorial debut, "Lives Well Lived" is currently airing on PBS, Amazon, iTunes and Kanopy. The documentary is a collection of fascinating interviews with about a dozen older adults sharing historical perspectives, their advice for future generations ad reflections on living a life well lived. Making documentaries is her second act as she is also an accomplished, award-winning photographer and still teaches photography at Cal Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, CA.
Sky's parents were divorced so she grew up in Philadelphia, Florida and spent summers in upstate New York. She says she had the good fortune of living in a four-generational household. Her father was a geriatric physician. "He would come home and tell me these amazing stories about his patients. I know that colored my consciousness to want to be part of older people's lives and tell their stories."
In school, she was a bit of an introvert and a band geek. She found her passion for photography at an early age. "I fell in love with the dark room!" she says. After college she traveled the world as a professional photographer. Her artwork is included in permanent collections at the Los Angeles Museum of Art, Brooklyn Museum, Seattle Art Museum, the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, among others. Her commercial work has appeared on book covers for Random House and Farrar. She says a highlight of her photography career has been the cover of the Smithsonian Magazine in 2001. "I loved traveling and photography so I could follow both passions at the same time."
After teaching for many years, Sky (un)retired at age 56. "I wanted to make a movie about older generations and share their stories with the world." She put together a list of interesting people and a list of 20 questions for them. Carl asks her how she was able to fund the movie. "I have never let money stand in the way of what I want to do," she tells us. Sky decided the grant submission process was too lengthy for her, so she came up with a revenue-generating plan by renting out rooms in her home. She tells her visitors they are helping to fund her movie and they end up excited supporters as well. "A crazy, wonderful way to fund a film!" she acknowledges.
"Lives Well Lived" debuted to a sold-out audience of 850 with her grandmother and many of the film's subjects in attendance. It was a true highlight for Sky. She is now working on two new projects, "What is Mochitsuki?" a film celebrating family, tradition and mochi, and a documentary about the "Prime Time Band", a band of musicians aged 40 to 90 who are reigniting old passions. Sky says, "The only way to combat ageism is to make generational connections!"
Sky Bergman's (un)retirement advice:
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"Pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone makes for a more interesting life."
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"Develop a new sense of purpose after you retire. Who are you now and what do you still want to do? Whatever it is, you have to plan and think about your future. Remember, finding your sense of purpose is life-long, and can change over time."
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"Have a good support system--not just family but also friends."
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"Attitude and resilience go hand-in-hand. There are so many times in our lives when we cannot control what's happening around us. But we can control our attitude about it."
Diana Landau is the Content Wrangler for Pickleball Media. After 15 years in corporate marketing, in 2012 she pivoted to write and wrangle content for Niche Media's weekly blog. She now manages the "I Used to be Somebody" blog.
Adam Bryant Interview: NYT "Corner Office" Columnist moves to his own C-Suite
Diana Landau | February 13, 2024
Carl interviews Adam Bryant this week. Adam is an award-winning (Including editing a Pulitzer story) journalist and had a weekly feature in the New York Times called Corner Office, where he interviewed business leaders across the globe. He was also Director of NYT Live, a global conference enterprise. He's had many different roles at the Times, including deputy editor in the Science department, deputy national editor and business editor at Newsweek Magazine. Adam says his 55th birthday gave him pause. "I thought if I wanted to do something else, I better get going." So he turned his side job into a new day job, writing books and coaching C-level execs.
Adam grew up in Montreal and Westchester, NY. He had a middle-class suburban childhood and his father was a journalist. (So of course, at first, Adam didn't want to pursue that course.) Adam was busy as a teen playing lots of sports and always having a part-time jobs. In college he worked as a reporter for small newspapers. He started working for the New York Times and his career took off in the 1990's. He had the Corner Office column for years and never missed a week.
After 30 years as a journalist, he realized he was going to leave the NYT at some point and there would be an "emotional blast zone" (as he calls it) of adjustment and the question was when. "I had to do some internal work to figure out what I wanted to do next." He recommends everyone who is contemplating making a leap to do just that. "Once you get out of the job/industry you're in, widen your lens. There's a big wide world out there. Time to experiment."
Over the course of 500+ interviews, Adam saw patterns and themes emerge in the business world and he started writing books about it. When he and his wife moved to New Orleans to be closer to their grown daughters and families, he says his wife gave him the third floor as his "office." You'll have to listen in to hear about the coolest office ever, which includes table tennis, foosball, and more.
Adam is now the Senior Managing Director at the ExCo Group, a company that mentors senior leaders to accelerate business impact. He is the author of four books, including his most recent ones, "The Leap to Leader" and "The CEO Test."
Adam's tips on making the leap to something new:
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OBOB: Optimal Band of Busyness
People should be aware of their optimal OBOB. How busy were you then and what level do you want now? For example, you can't assume if you're a CEO that all of a sudden you're going to be content playing golf twice a week.
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Common Pattern -- Want, Should, Need
We spend a great deal of our lives focusing on "should" and "need." At this stage of life, pause before you do something you "should." Stare down that difficult question of "What do I really want to do?" Give yourself some time.
Diana Landau is the Content Wrangler for Pickleball Media. After 15 years in corporate marketing, in 2012 she pivoted to write and wrangle content for Niche Media's weekly blog. She now manages the "I Used to be Somebody" blog.
Dewey Forward Interview: Night Club Owner Pivots to Popcorn Shop
Diana Landau | December 04, 2023
Carl interviews music promoter/serial entrepreneur Dewey Forward this week. Just some of Dewey's accomplishments include organizing and promoting over 4,000 concerts, opening Peabody's Cafe and Peabody's DownUnder in Cleveland Flats and also developing the Sohio/BP RiverFest, (which was Ohio's largest festival in history with over 1,000,000 attendees). He has produced concerts for Spyro Gyra, Pearl Jam, Etta James, Wynton Marsalis, REM, Donovan, Bon Jovi, Bo Diddley and countless others. Dewey is also now the proud owner of an iconic popcorn shop in picturesque Chagrin Falls, OH.
Like Carl, Dewey grew up in Shaker Heights, a suburb of Cleveland. "It was a 'Leave it to Beaver' childhood, " he says. Enterprising even at the age of 9, Dewey started a "canteen" in his basement, selling refreshments and a place to hang out to the neighborhood kids. He also says he was a troublemaker in school and was on a first name-basis with the Principal.
After trying out three colleges, Dewey settled on Hartford where he says he didn't learn much in class but learned a lot about producing successful events. "I learned how to organize and promote concerts and events and how to create a crowd." He founded SAW--a student organization against the Vietnam War, organizing bus trips to Washington D.C. to protest.
Fun Fact: Dewey Forward is a "Jr.", his last name of English descent. "No one forgets my name!"
Carl notes that being a concert and event producer is a high-stress, high-risk career. "Yes, my parents were aghast but I didn't listen to them." In 1977 Dewey opened Peabody's Cafe and Peabody's DownUnder, two successful ventures in the up-and-coming Cleveland Flats neighborhood. His mother gave him the money to start both businesses. "I paid her back and I'll forever be grateful." By the time Dewey moved on, the area had grown from 5 restaurants and bars to 53. "When I look back on it, it was a blast but also so stressful."
Dewey retired for the first(!) time at age 50. Not one to sit still, he started a new business every five years. Now at 74, he's learning not to add more stress into his life. He does a lot of physical activity, including bike riding. "It clears my head and is good for my heart!" He and his girlfriend love to travel and he's building a second home on Lake Erie. His five words for the (un)retirement good life: "Keep moving and no stress!"
Dewey Forward's (un)retirement tips:
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"Get rid of that negative voice in your head that tells you that you can't do things. We are a very capable generation!"
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"Don't be too old to retire. What I mean is, do not keep working until your body is too old to do anything else."
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"I'm not a planner. I just say, 'That looks fun!' and then I put blinders on and go for it!"
Diana Landau is the Content Wrangler for Pickleball Media. After 15 years in corporate marketing, in 2012 she pivoted to write and wrangle content for Niche Media's weekly blog. She now manages the "I Used to be Somebody" blog.
