I Used to be Somebody

Carl Landau
I Used to be Somebody

I Used to Be Somebody inspires 50+ year olds to build their (Un)Retired good life. Each month we interview cool, inspiring people about their retirement challenges and why and how they figured it out—turning this phase of life into an incredible, rewarding reality. It's for people who don't want to retire--they just want to do something new that is more fun, less grind, and more meaningful. Our guests have created amazing Second Acts! Oh, and there's a little talk about Pickleball.

  1. Rebecca Davis: Co-Creator of "Join or Die"

    4 DAYS AGO

    Rebecca Davis: Co-Creator of "Join or Die"

    How can you not be drawn in by that title? What the heck? "Join or Die" is a hit documentary playing on Netflix right now. Carl watched the movie and was such a fan of the movie and it's message. It brought back to him some wonderful memories when he was part of a club that he loved -- the Odd Fellows. He was very fortunate and was able to connect with the movie's co-creator, Rebecca Davis. Rebecca was inspired by the work of political scientist and author Robert Putnam, whose earlier work, "Bowling Alone" went viral. Americans had stopped joining clubs and civic organizations. Even the number of dinner parties and picnics had declined. His research showed that those "joining" activities correlated to how Democracy is doing. Rebecca's personal story is an interesting one. She has had a successful career working as a producer with NBC News. "Join or Die" was a passion project for Rebecca. She worked on this film with her brother and co-creator Pete Davis for eight years, working on the movie on weekends and whenever she had time between her busy NBC duties. Initially they were thinking it would be a short Youtube piece, but it grew into what is now an award-winning full-length documentary that is inspiring thousands of people to get off their phones and couches and join or start clubs. You will be totally inspired by this interview and by watching the film. • More about Rebecca Davis: https://www.rebeccadavisvideo.com/  • More about Join or Die: https://www.joinordiefilm.com/  • Episode Content:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Rebecca-Davis-Interview-Co-Creator-of-Join-or-Die  • Sponsored by Capital Advantage:  https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide/  • Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die:  https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die/  • Join the "I Used to be Somebody World Tour":  https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour/  • Subscribe to the "I Used to be Somebody" newsletter:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

    47 min
  2. Paul Giobbi: High Tech Entrepreneur Starts "The Exit Club"

    JAN 14

    Paul Giobbi: High Tech Entrepreneur Starts "The Exit Club"

    Carl talked to big-time entrepreneur Paul Giobbi about what it's like to build a company into a high tech power house, sell the business interest and then face a midlife retirement. It sounds easy but it's not. Paul has been on an amazing journey for the past 4 years and we take you with us on the ride. It all started when Paul was 11 years old and he went to work in the family publishing and events business. Instead of participating in school sports, he spent his time working. He eventually left the family business and worked in tech. In 2000, he co-founded Zumasys, a fast-growing technology company.  Over two decades later, Paul sold off his business interest. Like many people, the transition has not been an easy one for him. "When you decide to step away from your primary act in life, it challenges your relationships, your identity, your ego." He tried to find a peer group for mid-life advice to minimize the sudden isolation and lack of purpose but couldn't find one. So he started "The Exit Club", to connect with others going through the same transition.  Paul reflects on it all and says, "It took a while to learn who I am was not my business". • More about Paul Giobbi:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiobbi/  • More about Paul Walks: https://paulwalks.com/  • Episode Content:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Paul-Giobbi-High-Tech-Entrepreneur-Starts-The-Exit-Club • Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die: https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die/  • Sponsored by Capital Advantage:  https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide/  • I Used to be Somebody World Tour:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour/  • Subscribe to the I Used to be Somebody Newsletter:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

    46 min
  3. Steve Hoffman: Food Writer and Author of French Countryside Experience!

    11/12/2024

    Steve Hoffman: Food Writer and Author of French Countryside Experience!

    How does a Tax Preparer from Minnesota end up moving his family to a little village in the French Countryside end up becoming an award-winning food writer and publishing his memoir about the experience with a big-time book publisher?    Today's guest Steve Hoffman's story is so unlikely. Back in 2012, Steve dreamed of living in France with images of swimming in the ocean on the coast and then sipping with a wonderful glass of Rosé. The reality was that he brought his wife and two children to a hard-working, hot and dusty winemaking village. No one spoke English. To say the beginning of this adventure was rocky is a understatement.  Once Steve and his family stepped back and let their French experience evolve on its own, it was transformative. It's all shared in his memoir, "A Season for That, Lost and Found in the Other Southern France".  Steve still lives two lives. For 6 months a year, he runs his self-stated "boring" job of tax preparation that pays well and the other half of the year is devoted to his creative life, winning a James Beard M.F.K. Fisher Distinguished Writing Award. • More about Steve Hoffman: https://www.sjrhoffman.com/ • Steve's book "A Season for That": http://tiny.cc/z37uzz • Episode Content:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Steve-Hoffman-Interview-Food-Writer-and-Author-of-French-Countryside-Experience • Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die:  https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die/ • Sponsored by Capital Advantage:  https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide/ • I Used to be Somebody World Tour:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour/ • Subscribe to the I Used to be Somebody newsletter:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

    56 min
  4. Suna Kneisley: "Kitty Hotel" Second Act Success Story!

    10/08/2024

    Suna Kneisley: "Kitty Hotel" Second Act Success Story!

    We've gone CAT crazy this month on the podcast. They say cats have 9 lives. Our guest Suna Kneisley is probably on life #5. Her story starts in Korea where she was born. She was raised in a small town in the Midwest where she was the only Asian kid in town. At 12 years old, she helped run her family's 24-hour donut shop. In her 20's, Suna lands in Silicon Valley as a marketing exec at Intuit and Oracle. Eventually, she launched her own real estate investment company. And this is when things get even more interesting. She sees an opportunity and pounces on the Cat business, running a non-profit and buying a successful boutique Cat Hotel as a third, maybe 4th act. It's a super fun story full of lots of twist and turns. Suna is full of optimism and has some great (un)retirement advice for you! • More about Suna Kneisley:  https://patsplaceforcats.com/about/meet-the-owners  • Pat's Boarding House for Cats: https://patsplaceforcats.com  • Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Suna-Kneisley-Interview-Kitty-Hotel-Second-Act-Success-Story  • Sponsored by Capital Advantage:  https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide  • Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die:  https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die  • I Used to be Somebody World Tour:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour/all-tours  • Subscribe to the "I Used to be Somebody" newsletter:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

    47 min
  5. Joe Saul-Sehy: "Stacking Benjamins" in his Mom's Basement!

    09/05/2024

    Joe Saul-Sehy: "Stacking Benjamins" in his Mom's Basement!

    Carl interviews "Stacking Benjamins" host Joe Saul-Sehy. Joe is a former financial advisor and has represented American Express and Ameriprise in media. He left his financial advisor career at age 40 and reinvented himself into what he truly wanted to do. He was the "Money Man" on WXYZ-TV in Detroit and has appeared in countless newspapers and magazines, including the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Sun-Times, Detroit News and more.  And now, his award-winning podcast is one of the most listened to in the personal finance sphere. Plus, he's funny as hell! (Full disclosure: Carl is a total fanboy of the show.) Joe's show Stacking Benjamins has the same tone as the former NPR show "The Car Guys". With Car Guys, you didn't need to be a car person to love listening to the show. Same can be said about Joe's show. You don't need to be financial investment aficionado to love listening. Joe and his cast of characters make it entertaining to listen to a subject matter that is generally perceived as dull to the general public. "Stackers" (reference to the listeners of the show) are anything but bored listening to him and his sidekick Josh Bannerman (AKA OG), Doc G, Paula Pant and of course Mom's Neighbor Doug. Oh, the running gag is that the show is produced in Joe's Moms basement. Joe is a perfect example of an (un)retirement success story. As a young man he was personally a financial disaster. Ironically, he became a very successful financial adviser. But at 40 he realized he liked his job but didn't love it. He sold his business. And 18 years later he's become a financial media star. Helping hundreds of thousand listeners stacking benjamins one at a time! • More about Joe Saul-Sehy:  https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/about/ • Joe's Book STACKED:  https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/stacked/ • Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Joe-Saul-Sehy-Interview-Stacking-Benjamins-in-his-Moms-Basement • Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die:  https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die/ • Sponsored by Capital Advantage:  https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide/ • I Used to be Somebody World Tour:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour/ • Subscribe to "I Used to be Somebody" newsletter:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

    1h 2m
  6. Edward Hechter: High School Dropout Hits it Big Time as an Entrepreneur and in Pickleball

    08/13/2024

    Edward Hechter: High School Dropout Hits it Big Time as an Entrepreneur and in Pickleball

    Meet the remarkable Edward Hechter, a high school dropout full of surprises. Edward started his career in the high-tech world at 17 years old. He rose through the corporate ranks to executive level and ultimately played a key role in helping this company Website Pros go public. And retired. He missed the challenge of solving business problems but this time came back to the working world as first-time entrepreneur where he and his wife re-launched one of the first online party supply companies out of their garage. Starting with two orders a day, the company eventually grew into a $5 million dollar a year business. And he retired again. The next time he re-entered the biz world was a deep dive into the exploding sport of pickleball. He eventually served as CEO of Pickleball Central, the world's largest pickleball company. And Edward's story takes off from there! • More about Edward Hechter:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwardhechter/ • Episode Content:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Edward-Hechter-Interview-High-School-Dropout-Hits-it-Big-Time-as-an-Entrepreneur-and-in-Pickleball • Sponsored by Capital Advantage:  https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide/ • Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die: https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die/ • (Un)Retirement Travel with the Pro, Allan Wright from Zephyr Adventures: https://www.zephyradventures.com/ • I Used to be Somebody World Tours -- Tuscany, Portugal, Pickleball Adventure: https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour/ • Subscribe to the "I Used to be Somebody" Newsletter:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

    1h 1m
4.9
out of 5
89 Ratings

About

I Used to Be Somebody inspires 50+ year olds to build their (Un)Retired good life. Each month we interview cool, inspiring people about their retirement challenges and why and how they figured it out—turning this phase of life into an incredible, rewarding reality. It's for people who don't want to retire--they just want to do something new that is more fun, less grind, and more meaningful. Our guests have created amazing Second Acts! Oh, and there's a little talk about Pickleball.

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