​​​​​​​Host Carl prides himself on finding people that have interesting and different kinds of careers. It took Episode #110 but he finally found his first ex-cop. It's a fun one to listen to and an extra bonus is you can enjoy the banter live from Carl's Tiki Bar. After decades in law enforcement, including high-stress work in narcotics investigation and hostage negotiations, Jim Beezley the former Police Captain is now realizing a childhood dream by working with Major League Baseball.

Jim grew up in Sacramento and sports were the main activity in his neighborhood. He says he was a stubborn and independent child. “I was self-sufficient fairly young.” He attended CSU, Sacramento and earned a master's degree in criminal justice. Jim also graduated from the FBI National Academy.

He joined the Sacramento police force and eventually worked his way up to Captain. He talks about the challenging transition from being “one of the guys” to management. There’s hiring, firing, big budgets and more. “90% of police work is communication,” Jim adds. “It’s also a great, rewarding job that you can be proud of after 35 years.”

Jim retired from the police force and went on to serve as Senior Director of Protective Services at Sutter Health, where he specialized in healthcare investigations, workplace violence prevention and systemwide security strategy. He retired from his second act in 2025. 

For Jim’s third act, he has combined his investigative background with his lifelong passion for sports—and more specifically the Oakland A’s. “When I was a kid in the early 1980’s, the A’s were MY team. It took another 45 years for this opportunity to present itself. What a great job!" It turns out the A’s left Oakland and are playing in Sacramento for three years. When Jim heard the team was coming to town, he started making calls to the right people and landed the position as an authenticator for Major League Baseball.

Jim loves being an authenticator. “It’s multi-tasking and negotiating with lots of people," he says. He gets to interact with his sports heroes all season and he's even traveled to Japan for the World Baseball Classic. Working with the A's is a dream come true for him. When not in the dugout, Jim is totally obsessed with pickleball. He plays almost everyday!

Jim's (Un) retirement advice:

• Financial planning: "I'm fairly frugal and (decades ago) I put together a big spreadsheet and tried to be as financially literate as possible. I look at all the trends, making sure it all pencils out and makes sense. I do it myself. I taught a class on financial planning for new recruits to set them up for success. I'm very proud of that."

• Health and Routine: "For me, I want to live as long and healthy as possible. See a doctor. Find something you like to do that's healthy. I guarantee there are days you don't want to get up and do it. But I say, 'Just 5 minutes.' And then you do another 5, and another 5, and soon you've got a workout." 

• More about Jim Beezley​​​​​​​

• Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die

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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.

Tags:    Blog   Jim Beezley   Police Captain   Carl Landau   MLB   Baseball   second act   third act   unretirement   careers   sports   carl's tiki bar  

When you meet Susan Stewart, you think right away that you must be friends. She really cares about people. A former golf prodigy then pro, a colleague along the way saw her promise and helped her build her resort merchandising career. Then in 2017, tired of corporate life, she risked it all (her wife was very supportive) and started her own retail store in 2017. Strapping sells funky, kitschy, relevant, irrelevant, unusual items and it’s been a big hit with two stores and a thriving online business.

Susan has a successful business in a neighborhood in a transition with a long history but no surprise--she has become a community leader and advocate. She's advocate for everyone! She just opened in her second store during a pandemic—and she’s excited about it! (You’ll see in the podcast episode.) She is inspiring and inspires others with her infectious energy.

This budding yet savvy entrepreneur grew up in Hudson Valley in New York. Her parents were chefs and eventually the family moved to Palm Springs. As a child, Susan loved golf. After high school she had a job with Paramount Studios as a runner, meeting Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope and one of her golf heroes, Arnold Palmer.

A couple of careers later, Susan decided to go for it. “In January I had the idea, in February I found the space, in March I got the key and in April I opened!” she says. “I’m a doer. I think most entrepreneurs are. You jump in with both feet!” Now she is a successful shop owner who really views her business as a way to be an integral part of the community. Susan is hoping to hire some extra management and play a little more golf, looking for that sustainable life balance.

Susan’s advice on becoming an entrepreneur in your Second Act:

• “Failure is okay, it brings you to where you are.”

• “People always ask me; how did you pay for this? Be prepared that banks aren't going to loan you the money.”

• “Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart. You have to be adaptable. You have to really see your failures and grow from it.”

• “You don't know that you don't know something until you (eventually) know something!”

• More about Susan Stewart and Strapping Store: https://www.strappingstore.com/

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” weekly blog.

Tags:    blog   susan stewart   interview   unretirement   golf   retailer   lgbtq   second act   third act   entrepreneur