I Used to Be Somebody: (Un)Retirement Lessons Learned

Back to Blog

Subscribe to the podcast on
Apple Spotify or More

Dan Blank Interview

Diana Landau | April 20, 2021

The Best Kind of Road Map

 

 

Carl had a fun chat with Dan Blank, CEO of WeGrowMedia this week. Although Dan isn’t retiring any time soon, the focus of his work is helping people in their (un)retirement to achieve their goals. Before founding WeGrowMedia, Dan worked in publishing and digital content development, and was in the perfect spot when those worlds collided. Just as he became even more successful, Dan took the bold step into launching his own business—during 2010! “I felt the recession was a great time to start a company, there were no expectations. I sort of wanted to see who wanted to hire me.” Over a decade later, Dan's company has helped thousands of writers and other creatives to launch their own successful projects.
 
“I was the art kid growing up,” Dan tells us.  Always the entrepreneurial family, Dan, his older brother and parents started a baseball card collector business on weekends, traveling the tri-state area, meeting people, sharing stories about their favorite players and cards. “I think my family's values of working hard, pursuing the creative and encouraging entrepreneurship had a big influence on me.”
 
In college, Dan had many ideas but wasn’t sure what he wanted to do. He always had side gigs however. He was a DJ and a cartoonist for the college newspaper, then went on to publish a music "zine" in the 1990’s. “I did it for the love of doing it,” Dan says. He profiled new CD’s in the zine and eventually had the opportunity to interview the members of Oasis and other bands he idolized.
 
After college, Dan began his career in publishing and eventually ran digital content for over 40 magazines. He started an internal newsletter for co-workers—the beginning of a weekly practice he has done for over 15 years now. “I have so many ideas, I can’t imagine not sending it (the newsletter) out!” In 2009-2010, his company diversified and his division was sold off. Dan was one of the last employees. He figured he had a network of his own because of his blog and newsletter and decided to leave the corporate life and launch his company, WeGrowMedia, using his knowledge and experience to help others achieve their goals. 
 
If you are in (un)retirement and working on your memoir, Dan can help you create a website, develop your marketing strategy and even plan the book launch. "For writers, I encourage people to listen intently to two things: 1) Your inner voice and taking action on those things you feel compelled to create, and 2) Learning about your readership, the folks you hope will be moved by your words. Both of these actions require a lot of empathy, and listening more than talking---like any good marriage!"
 
Dan Blank’s advice for starting a new Second Act in (Un)Retirement:
  • Communication: “What do you want your day to look like? What’s your purpose? Be really aligned with what you want it to be. If you have a partner, make sure that’s aligned too."
  • Collaboration: “As we get older, we get more and more fearful of failure. If you have a new idea for a venture/novel/project, talk to other people about it. Talk with your friends and colleagues and spitball ideas.
  • Clarity: “Keep doing what you love. Everything I do is because of who inspires me.”


For more about Dan Blank: https://wegrowmedia.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   Dan Blank   author   publishing   unretirement   memoir   entrepreneur   

Categories

Show All (8)
(Un)Retirement (0)
(un)retirement (0)
2022 (0)
Adam Bryant (0)
adversity (0)
advice (0)
ageism (0)
Alan Newman (0)
Americana (0)
andy levine (0)
andy robin (0)
Anheuser Busch (0)
anne da vigo (0)
anniversary (0)
Apidone (0)
architectural designer (0)
Arnold Schwarzenegger (0)
art gallery (0)
Artist (0)
artist (0)
ascenium (0)
Ask The Experts (0)
attorney (1)
Audrey Hitchcock (0)
author (1)
baby boomer (2)
baby boomers (0)
baking (0)
banking (0)
barry pincus (0)
bary pincus (0)
baseball (0)
baseball cards (0)
basketball (0)
beer (0)
best-seller (0)
bestseller (0)
best selling (0)
bestselling (0)
bestselling author (0)
Bistro (0)
Blog (0)
blog (5)
blog (0)
Blogger (0)
Bob Franceschelli (0)
bob tuschman (0)
Bob Tuschman (0)
Bob Vogel (0)
Bob Wolfe (0)
bonus episode (0)
book (0)
Bookstore Owner (0)
boomer (2)
bo sacks (0)
brewing (0)
brian smith (0)
budget (0)
Build-A-Bear (0)
business (0)
Business Owner (0)
business tips (0)
C-Suite (0)
caffeine (0)
cancer (0)
career (7)
Career change (1)
Carl (0)
Carl Landau (0)
carl landau (0)
Caroline Ceniza Levine (1)
Cat Welfare (0)
CEO (0)
ceo (0)
cfo (1)
CFO (0)
challenges (0)
changes (0)
charity (0)
cheesemaker (0)
chef (0)
Chris Farrell (0)
chris welles (0)
cinde dolphin (0)
Clark (0)
club change (0)
coach (0)
coffee (0)
coffeehouse (0)
collector (0)
collegescholarship (0)
comedian (0)
comedy (2)
comfort zone (0)
community (0)
Consulting (0)
content marketing (0)
coors (0)
Corky Logue (0)
cpa (0)
craft brewing (0)
crazy money (1)
creativity (0)
cycling (0)
Dan Blank (0)
Dan Kennedy (0)
Dan Rudd (0)
dartmouth (1)
Dat Truong (0)
dealers choice (0)
Debb McColloch (0)
debb mccolloch (0)
Deborah McColloch (0)
denise cerrreta interview (0)
Detroit (0)
devon zagory (0)
Dewey Forward (0)
director (0)
Doctor Who (0)
documentary (0)
Donald Trump (0)
Donna (0)
doug villhard interview (0)
Dr. Ron Kaiser interview (0)
dream job (1)
dreams (0)
Drew Evans (0)
Dr James Beckett (0)
Duke (0)
Ed Casey (0)
editor (0)
Edward Hechter (0)
embracing change (0)
Empower (0)
entertainment (0)
entreprener (0)
entrepreneur (0)
entrepreneur (0)
Entrepreneur (0)
entrepreneur (0)
Entrepreneurial Journey (0)
Entrepreneurship (0)
episodes (0)
Europe (0)
Event (0)
Exec (0)
executive (1)
Executive (0)
executive editor (0)
EZ Pawn (0)
facebook (1)
farm to table (0)
film (0)
Filmmaker (0)
finance (2)
finances (1)
financial advisor (0)
financial planning (0)
financial security (0)
first woman (0)
five year plan (0)
food (0)
food network (0)
Food Network (0)
foundation (0)
future (0)
Gary Sirak interview (0)
General Manager (0)
Georgetown (0)
giants (0)
Giants (0)
golf (0)
grace (0)
Grandma's Secret (0)
halloffame (0)
health (0)
henry schulman (0)
high times (0)
hope (0)
horses (0)
Hospice Doctor (0)
Host (0)
hotel (0)
Hot to Retire and Not Die (0)
housing (0)
How To Retire and Not Die (0)
How to Retire and Not Die (0)
humor (0)
hypnotherapy (0)
improv (0)
interview (2)
interview (2)
Interview (0)
investor (0)
ironman (0)
ironman competitor (0)
Italy (0)
I Used To Be Someboday (0)
I Used To Be Somebody (0)
I Used To be Somebody (0)
I Used to be Somebody (0)
I Used to Be Somebody (0)
Jack Gallagher (0)
james beard award (0)
Jeannine Barr Interview (0)
Jed Smith (0)
Jill Baker (0)
jim roddy (0)
Joan Ryan (0)
joan ryan (0)
job (1)
joe pulizzi (0)
Joe Saul-Sehy (1)
Jordan (Dog G) Grumet (0)
journalism (0)
Judge (0)
Kerry Hannon (0)
keynote speaker (0)
Landau (0)
larana day interview (0)
Larry David (0)
law (1)
legend (0)
lessons (1)
lgbtq (0)
librarian (0)
licensing (0)
Life Lessons (0)
life lessons (0)
life of freedom (0)
Life Transitions (0)
local (0)
luck (0)
luxury (0)
magazine (0)
magazines (0)
major league (0)
Marketing (0)
marketing (0)
mark shaiken (1)
Mark Shaiken (0)
martial arts (0)
Martinus Evans (0)
Martinus Evans Interview (0)
Mary-Lou Nash (0)
Maxine (0)
meditation (0)
Melissa Davey (0)
memoir (0)
mental health (0)
mentor (0)
Mentorship (0)
merchandise (0)
Miami University (0)
michaela oconnor abrams (0)
michael clinton (0)
Michela OConnor Abrams (0)
Midtown (0)
mike branon (0)
mike drak (0)
mike krukow (0)
Mike Murphy (0)
mini-retirement (0)
moira mcgarvey black (0)
mo nard (0)
Money magazine (0)
Money management (1)
Move (0)
Mozzarella di Bufalo (0)
multi-media giant (0)
music (0)
naps (0)
naps (0)
NBA (0)
Neil Haley (0)
Neil the Real Deal (0)
new beginning (0)
new year (0)
Night Club (0)
nonprofit (0)
Nonprofit Leadership (0)
novel (0)
NPR (0)
nursing (0)
NYT Columnist (0)
NYU (0)
painter (0)
passion (0)
passions (0)
patrick mulvaney (0)
patty forehand (0)
Paul Long interview (0)
paul ollinger (1)
PBS (0)
People Magazine (0)
performer (0)
Personal finance (1)
Personal Growth (0)
Personal growth (1)
pet (0)
philadelphia (0)
Pho (0)
photography (0)
Pickleball (0)
pickleball (0)
Pickleball Media (0)
Pickleball Tour (0)
pilot (0)
Pinot (0)
pivot (1)
Podcast (0)
podcast (0)
poetry (0)
Political Campaign (0)
Popcorn Shop (0)
pottery (0)
power nap (0)
Princeton (0)
pro-wrestling (0)
Professor (0)
professor (0)
Pro Tips (0)
psychologist (0)
psychotherapist (0)
publishing (0)
quotes (0)
Ramini Mozzarella (0)
rancho la puerta (0)
ranch owner (0)
real estate (0)
rebellious (0)
recap (0)
recession (1)
redemption (0)
Regret Free Life (0)
resolutions (0)
restaurateur (0)
retailer (0)
retiree (0)
retirement (3)
retirement association (0)
retirement plan (0)
rhinos (0)
Richard Eisenberg (0)
richard turner (0)
Richard Turner (0)
risktaker (0)
Risk Taker (0)
robin pajaro (0)
rock (0)
Run (0)
Run Club (0)
Sacramento (0)
sacramento (0)
sacramento (0)
san francisco (0)
san francisco giants (0)
scott miller (0)
second act (1)
second acts (0)
September 2024 (0)
serial entrepreneur (0)
Silicon Valley (0)
Singer/Songerwriter (0)
Sky Bergman (0)
Slow AF Run Club (0)
Small Business (0)
small business (0)
smart living (0)
socal (0)
Social (0)
soul (0)
South Africa (0)
speaker (0)
sports (0)
stand-up (0)
Stanford (0)
star of the week (0)
Stephanie Stuckey (0)
Steve Israel (0)
steven petrow (0)
steve segner (0)
storyteller (0)
success (0)
Suna Kneisley (0)
superfan (0)
susan stewart (0)
task list (1)
Tasting Tour (0)
teaching (0)
ted bahr interview (0)
texas (0)
The Pickleball Librarian (0)
the tapas life (0)
third-act (0)
third act (0)
time management (1)
time tracking app (1)
Tim Jordan (0)
toastmasters (0)
top 10 list (1)
transformation (0)
Travel (0)
travel (0)
Travel Planning (0)
Travel Tips (0)
Trip (0)
try new things (0)
Tuscany (0)
UC Berkeley (0)
ugg (0)
unretired (0)
unretirement (4)
Unretirement (0)
unretirement (4)
UnRetirement (0)
update (0)
US Congressman (0)
vacation (0)
val haller (0)
vice president (0)
volunteer (0)
walk on (0)
water buffalo (0)
website (0)
wedding officiant (0)
Wine (0)
wine (0)
Winemaster (0)
WNBA (0)
work (0)
working (0)
world series (0)
World Tour (0)
worst jobs (0)
writer (0)
writing (0)
yoga (0)
zen (0)