Tom Marks Interview: Survived 40+ Years in the Ad Biz to a Coming of Age in Retirement
Diana Landau | February 10, 2026
Discovering "the new you" after you retire and defining your true purpose takes many people by surprise. Carl interviews successful advertising executive, best-selling author/speaker and one of the leading voices on Retirement Happiness, Tom Marks.
Tom founded his own advertising agency, TMA+Peritus way back in 1983. He has written the bestseller "The Second-Best Business Book Ever Written" and his latest book is "Coming of Age in Retirement: An Advertising Executive's Story of Enlightenment and Revelation."
Tom was born in Chicago. His mother was a designer with her own company and his father was an advertising executive. His dad's biggest claim to fame was that he was the marketing genius behind Orville Redenbacher's Gourmet Popping Corn. "It was an idyllic childhood," he says. Growing up he always wanted to be in the advertising biz like his father and after graduating from Claremont McKenna College, he founded his own agency. He says he made the mistake of not having any clients at the start. "It was hard in the beginning but once you turn a corner, it's a dream." His clients included McDonald's, Footlocker, Honeywell and California Avocados to name just a few.
After working very long hours and weekends for decades, Tom had a retirement AHA moment. "I just felt like I was losing my mojo. I didn't want to work weekends or nights anymore. I could feel myself slowing down." His transition into retirement did not go well, however. "In a word, it was horrible! I made a lot of mistakes." He tells us he just started doing what other people were doing and lost his individualism. Tom made lots of lists. "I was on a hamster wheel and I needed to get off."
So he consulted friends for suggestions and one said he should write a memoir. "I discovered the writing process was fun for me." His latest best-seller is about finding your own path to happiness in retirement combined with a poignant, funny memoir. Tom lives in Tucson with his wife and has two more books coming out this year.
Tom Mark's Advice to Finding Happiness in (Un)retirement:
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"Be careful about what you read (about retirement.) So many of the books on retirement are about the "how" and not the "why."
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"In retirement, we are no longer defined by our professions. We shouldn't be defined by our possessions. We can be whoever, whatever, whenever we want to be. It's the part of life when individualism is at its greatest opportunity and importance."
• 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.
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
Who Am I Now? Or Weirdly, Strangely Delights You Discover in (Un)retirement
Carl Landau | February 29, 2024
It's been a few years now since I ended my full-time career and (un)retired. I have had more time for myself and everything else in general with not so many stressful demands on my time. I've noticed my perspective about some things has changed. Am I a weirdo or do you notice it in (un)retirement too?
In my full-time career, I felt like my schedule was always at warp speed, even bringing my laptop on vacation. (Ok, I still do that.) But I'm actually enjoying becoming sort of "Zen-like" about very ordinary things that I either hated to do or rushed through to do.
I'm a different guy now! Here's what I mean:
Trash/Recycle Guy: Once a week, we need to put out the trash can at the curb and every-other-week the recycling. I find that now I'm somehow in some sort of a contest with my next- door neighbor, Norman, who can get the cans out faster than anyone on the street. (Full exposure, I'm sure my neighbor has no idea about this supposed contest.) And when I take a walk around the neighborhood now, I'm even picking up the knocked over empty trash cans that are laying in the street. I'm this guy now?
Laundry/Football Guy: I hate doing laundry. Yet somehow I'm now looking forward to doing laundry and folding clothes while I watch football/basketball/baseball. (Did you know there is actually only 18 minutes of live action during a typical NFL game?) My wife appreciates this new laundry guy very much.
Stretch/Meditate Guy: I am an A-personality type guy that never allowed down time for anything. Now I find myself every morning spending at least 15-20 minutes of mindful stretching on a yoga mat and meditating to some music. My 17-year old cat, Felix, joins in on the yoga-mat-fun and "stretches" with me. He thinks this is his new daily routine too. (Imagine him waving his tale in my face, jumping over me and generally bothering me to the beat of the tunes.) So even the cat likes this guy.
Breakfast Tea Guy: I drank glasses of Diet Coke every morning for 45 years. A month ago, I decided to stop. I feel so much better now! I really can't believe the difference. Since I don't care for coffee, I am now a cup or two, tea-drinker with honey and a little-spoon to go with it. Yep, that's me now. I start the day relaxed and calm, vs. hyped up on diet coke. Everyone likes this guy.
Feelings Guy: I don't end any phone call or visit with my daughters without saying "I love you so much." I'm telling my college friend and roommate from 45 years ago that I love him. What in the hell is happening to me? But I think I like this empathetic, Kumbaya guy.
I sure hope this continues. I wonder what changes will happen next. What about you?
Drew Evans Interview: Creates his own (Un)Retirement -- The Pickleball Librarian
Diana Landau | December 13, 2022
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Carl interviews Andrew Evans, JD, MLS, MAT this week. Drew is a man of many talents and the secret's out--librarians are tons of fun! After getting a law degree, Drew was Head of Reference and Adjunct Professor for the Washburn University of Kansas Law Library for 16 years. He also happens to be a black belt in the martial arts and taught self-defense and martial arts at Washburn's Kinesiology department. Among his many other accolades, Drew served as Parliamentarian for the Kansas Library Association and has been the recipient of the prestigious Kansas Library Association Presidential Award.
But Drew didn't stop there. After pivoting from law librarianship, he started his own Martial Arts studio, plus he's a legal research/editor/ law book reviewer and wait for it...............The Pickleball Librarian, a popular video influencer of all things Pickleball. His videos and blog posts reach players all over the world. He says he started saving for retirement as a young person and now that has allowed him to pursue all his passions.
Drew's father was in the military and this family has lived all over the world. Drew lived in Malaysia, Hawaii, Arizona, New Jersey and Colorado--all before college in Kansas. (Fun Fact: At least 50% of our podcast guests either are from military families or who had fathers who moved the family often for work.) Drew credits that experience with always being able to welcome the newcomer in the room.
He says being a martial arts expert helps his pickleball game. (The inherent eye-hand coordination and keen ability to anticipate opponents' moves in martial arts are a definite advantage on the courts.) Always a teacher and wanting to help others, Drew continues to teach martial arts and now also teaches pickleball. He's also still very busy as the Pickleball Librarian. "I'm a little resistant, but I'm exploring new developments in tech and social media. You have to try new things!"
At 52, Drew has already had a few careers. He says he might someday want to have a sales career in pickleball at the national level, but he's having too much fun at the moment. "Enjoy (un)retirement and embrace it!"
Drew's (Un)retirement Tips:
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"It's good to develop a routine and it's easy to get caught up in playing pickleball (or other pursuits) all the time. But make sure to always schedule a physical rest day each week."
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"Don't get "stuck" when you try new things. If it isn't fun, go on to something else."
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"You have to find mentors at every stage of life. We still have those opportunities now--be humble and willing to learn."
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.
