This week's episode is an interview with Val Haller, Music Fan-Genius. After raising a family, Val launched her music business at age 50 in Chicago. Now 63, Val has authored a weekly music post for NYT called "Music Match" where she pairs classic artists with new artists. She is also a music festival producer (Winnetka Music Festival, year 4, 15,000 attendance), has her own podcast “Band in the Basement”, plus she’s created programs at Wrigley Field and the Botanical Gardens, and has been featured in Oprah magazine. 

If you are reading this, you must check out her site, Valslist.com. Val realized all the way back in 2003 when the music world began to go digital, that people of the Boomer generation were still focused on careers and raising their families and had little time to learn about the exploding music universe. Val recognized there was a need and capitalized on it. She wants to help older people to be exposed to and appreciate new music. 

On her website, you will find curated playlists that combine the groups we know and recognize from our generation, but paired with brand new bands, plus a little bio about them. I don’t know about you, but this blogger wanted to learn more about new music and did not know where to start. With Val’s playlists, you are way ahead of the game. You expand your music horizon, keep up with the times and (possibly) impress your kids with your incredibly cool playlists.

Val was entrepreneurial at a young age. Growing up, her family’s conversation around the dinner table was not typical. Her father was an entrepreneurial engineer so the questions were not, “How was your day?” but instead, “What would you invent? What would you change to make the world a better place?” 

In college, she started a side business offering hair cuts to students. It grew it into a successful little side business, earning thousands. Ironically, Val gave a bad haircut to one particular student—who is now her husband and business partner.

Now, running a successful business takes up most of her time. On becoming an entrepreneur and working with your spouse, she offers these tips:

1) Define which rooms of the house you can talk business in. 

2) Let each person be heard.

3) Stay in your own lane. It’s hard to do when you are both “Type A” people working hard together on something--but it works.

Bonus tip: Val goes full throttle in the high-energy music business, and is a fan of power napping. (This blogger is too.) Commit to 20-30 minutes each afternoon and you will feel refreshed and ready to keep going.

"I tell music agents, bands, producers that we're not your sexy audience, but we're your lucrative audience. We are important!" Val’s mission has been to make the world a better place, one creative playlist at a time. We think she’s killing it!

• For more information about Val Haller: https://www.valslist.com/

• To subscribe to the "I Used to be Somebody" newsletter: https://pickleballmediahq.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   interview   val haller   music   entrepreneur   baby boomers   naps  

In your Second Act, no one manages your time except you! At first, a big, wide-open retirement calendar can be fun. But at some point you realize you really don’t want to waste your time. And we all need a sense of accomplishment, no matter where we’re focusing our energies. It can be easy to get overwhelmed looking at an ever-growing  list of all the things you want (or need) to do. On the other hand, running around with everything in your head slows you way down. 

So how do you best manage your days?

Desmond Tutu wisely said “There is only one way to eat an elephant: a bite at a time.” Here is a quick list of 10 tips to get you organized to meet your goals. The key here is to better construct your schedule so you can spend the majority of your time as you wish!

1. Assign a time limit for each task you want to accomplish. For example, if you want to clean your office, assign 2-hour increments. It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you break it up into manageable segments.

2. Itemize the “big ones”. For bigger tasks that may take longer, set up a to-do list tailored specifically to that goal.  Tackling each step gets you closer to that larger accomplishment.

3. Don’t abandon tasks. Take your list-crafting seriously and don’t ignore what you’ve written down. Procrastination is one of the biggest time-wasters. Don’t give in to it.

4. There’s an app for that. Believe it or not, there are many new apps out there to help with time management. For example, RescueTime helps you understand your time in a way you never have before.

5.  Set aside time to plan your attack. The night before, take 15 minutes to plan your day, and include in some down time. It’s important to be realistic. One solution could be to wake up an hour earlier.

6. Tackle very important tasks in the morning.  Although there are true night-owl exceptions, many of us have most of our energy in the morning, after a night’s sleep. 

7. Consider batching tasks that are similar. You can save time using the same skills for the same sort of to-dos. For example, don’t make one appointment or follow up call, make three. 

8. Delegate, outsource, even ask for help. TaskRabbit and Thumbtack are go-to resources when you need help. And although most of us don’t want to bother friends or family, you are missing out on an opportunity to return the favor. That’s what makes the world go-round.

9. Limit your time on social media and online surfing. Seriously. Set a timer on your phone and when the timer goes off, get up out of that chair and MOVE.

10. Celebrate each completion! Crossing items off your to-do list creates daily optimism and is empowering. Your valuable time is now free for tracking dreams. 

Jot it down, get it done and then go have fun!

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:    baby boomer   career   top 10 list   time management   time tracking app   task list   retirement     

1. No one told me that in retirement, no one wants your expertise about that work you did for the last 20+ years. (Not even your spouse. Maybe your dog.)
 

2. No one told me that in retirement, taking a nap isn’t as fun as it used to be. You lay down for a moment (or three) to rest a little…and you’re afraid you might not get up again!
 

3. No one told me that my significant other is so busy. Here I thought they’d drop everything and focus on ME when I retired.
 

4. No one told me that in retirement that I’d get around to that consistent exercise routine and finally get in shape…but I’d have injuries! Pulled muscles! Playing through the aches! I can go on…
 

5. No one told me that I’d have to make new friends at my age. Not so easy! I think it’s harder for guys and more so if you had an all-consuming career.
 

6. No one told me that in retirement, the two most powerful words are YES and NO. Yes, I would like to go to dinner or see that new play! No, I do not want to join your committee with 30 weekly phone calls/emails and 5 meetings each month!
 

7. No one told me that in retirement, people would assume I do nothing all day. Not true! What’s different is now I control what I want to do and when I want to do it.
 

8. No one told me that in retirement, I would actually want to work, but just in a different way.  (Less grind, more fun!)  In fact, 3 in 5 retirees plan to launch a new line of work that differs from what they have done in the past.*
 

9. No one told me that in my Second Act, I would find my new work life so rewarding!
 

10. No one told me that in (un)retirement, there are so many people just like me—people who actually feel younger, not older! *
 

* Work in Retirement: Myths and Motivations

**Growing Old in America: Expectations vs. Reality

Tags:    baby boomer   unretirement   career   lessons   second act   retirement