I Used to be Somebody

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

THREE for the price of one! What a deal. Yes, we're shaking things up in this episode with a little different format. Instead of just one guest who's had a really interesting second act, we're talking to 3 great minds in the (un)retirement world. With a little twist is that they are from three different age perspectives. 

Meet Paul Long a former TV newscaster, weatherman, film content creator who just created a movement "New Way Forward" (1:58). Gary Sirak is an author, speaker and financial advisor best known for writing How to Retire and Not Die (30.12) And Dr. Ron Kaiser a psychologist, coach, keynote and TEDx speaker, podcast host and author of REJUVENAGING. (51:04)

• More about Paul Long: https://www.newwayfwd.com/story/

• More about Gary Sirak: https://garysirak.com/about-gary/

• More about Dr. Ron Kaiser:  https://thementalhealthgym.com/meet-dr-ron-kaiser/

• Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Meet-the-Unretirement-Experts-Interview-Paul-Long-Gary-Sirak-and-Dr-Ron-Kaiser

• 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

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

In 1995, Mary-Lou Nash showed up in South Africa on a whim with just a backpack. And she never left. Today she is a Winemaster of her own brand, Black Pearl Wines, producing some of the best wines in the country and it's even sold in some high profile locations in the US.

She was born in England, grew up with a determined New England attitude and has thrived in South Africa. She had no experience in growing grapes, harvesting or making wine. In fact, before arriving in South Africa she was a beer drinker and who occasionally would drink cheap jug wine. 

Her story is one of taking chances, a lot of hard work and dogged perseverance. She even shares a recent harrowing experience that has led her to an entirely new lifestyle, which she explains and now loves. Mary-Lou Nash is a true inspiration!

• More about Mary-Lou Nash and Black Pearl Wines: https://blackpearlwines.com/

• Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Mary-Lou-Nash-Interview-Moves-to-South-Africa-and-becomes-a-Winemaster

• Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die: https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die/

• Capital Advantage: https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide/

• (Un)Retirement Travel with the Pro, Allan Wright from Zephyr Adventures and Taste Vacations: 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

This month's guest Stephanie Stuckey brings Carl down memory lane. He has great childhood memories of begging his mom for a Stuckey's Stop, a popular roadside oasis in the 60's! Apparently, there are millions of people that have the same memory. At its height, there were over 350 Stuckey's stores across the country filled with candy, novelty toys and their world famous pecan log rolls. 

Stephanie's grandfather sold the business in 1964 and over the course of time the Stuckey's stores were in a state of disrepair. The brand was practically extinct when Stephanie bought back the business in 2019. She and two business partners have totally rebranded and modernized the company.

The Stuckey's story and Stephanie Stuckey's personal life journey from a public defender to politician to entrepreneur are truly inspiring.

• More about Stephanie Stuckey: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephanie_Stuckey

• More about Stuckey's: https://stuckeys.com

• Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Stephanie-Stuckey-Interview-Rebuilding-Stuckeys-a-part-of-Americana

• 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 and Taste Vacations: 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

The Martinus Evans story is a very surprising one. As an adult he had many jobs, including a career  as a suit salesman at The Men's Warehouse. Being on his feet 10 hours a day caused him hip pain. He saw a doctor that said, "Your hip hurts because you're too fat. You should walk to lose weight." Martinus was shocked and angered by his doctor's words. And then he turned that into the goal to  run a marathon. He's never looked back.

Martinus launched a blog, 300 Pounds and Running, is an 8-time marathon runner, formed the Slow AF Run Club that now has 30,000+ members, graced the cover of Runner's World and is now a bestselling author of th book The Slow AF Run Club: The Ultimate Guide for Anyone Who Wants to Run. 

In his common sense, wickedly funny way Martinus inspires all of us to get off the couch and work toward for our dreams!

• More about Martinus Evans:  https://300poundsandrunning.com

• Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Martinus-Evans-Interview-Founder-of-Slow-AF-Run-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 

• (Un)Retirement Travel with the Pro, Allan Wright from Zephyr Adventures and Taste Vacations: https://www.zephyradventures.com 

• I Used to be Somebody World Tours -- Tuscany, Portugal and Arizona Pickleball Adventure:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour 

• Subscribe to the "I Used to be Somebody" Newsletter:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe 

Everyone please rise this week on I Used to be Somebody. Carl interviews his first judge ever! Jeannine Barr was an assistant district attorney who decided after 9 years to throw her hat in the political ring, (brave move) and then became a criminal district court judge for 24 years. She oversaw cases on "all the people you are afraid of." She tells us what it was like to have a high profile, elected position as a Texas judge.

In another big brave move, Jeannine left the bench and has created a fascinating second act as a storyteller/singer and songwriter. She has a beautiful voice and is also a talented writer. In this interview, she details her journey from confidently directing bailiffs in the courtroom to becoming a first-time singer-- scared to death at her first public singing appearance. I think we can all relate to being a newbie in a brand new environment and Jeannine is unstoppable.

Bonus: Jeannine surprises host Carl with a song she wrote just for him. Of course it's titled, "I Used to be Somebody". 

• More about Jeannine Barr: https://www.jbarrmusic.com/about

• Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Jeannine-Barr-Interview-Here-comes-the-Judge-Now-Singer-Songwriter

• 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 and Taste Vacations: https://www.zephyradventures.com

• I Used to be Somebody World Tours -- Tuscany, Portugal and Arizona Pickleball Adventure:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour

• Subscribe to the "I Used to be Somebody" Newsletter:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

Sky Bergman has a zest for life and wants to share it with you. Her positivity is infectious. An accomplished and award-winning photographer and professor, it is no wonder her university students love her! She's also on a passon mission to capture the beauty of life and wisdom of older people as they tell their stories. Sky released her debut documentary, Lives Well Lived to sold-out live audiences and has two more films in the works. There's no stopping this woman's positive energy!

Sky started pursuing her second act in her 50's as a filmmaker. She hit it big with her very first movie, now airing on PBS and all the other streaming services. Make sure you listen in for how she financed her documentary. Sky finds solutions in inventive and creative ways, to be sure.

• More about Sky Bergman: https://www.skybergmanproductions.com/about2

• Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Sky-Bergman-Interview-Professor-Turns-Filmmaker

• 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

• (Un)Retirement Travel with the Pro, Allan Wright: Zephyr Adventures: https://www.zephyradventures.com

• I Used to be Somebody World Tours: Tuscany, Portugal, Arizona Pickleball Adventure: https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour/tuscany

• Subscribe to the "I Used to be Somebody Newsletter:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

This month we have a very thought provoking conversation with award-winning journalist Adam Bryant. He worked for 30 years as a journalist including 18 years as a reporter, editor and columnist at the New York Times. He's probably most famous for his column at the NYT called, "Corner Office" where he interviewed 500+ CEOs.

What he learned during these interviews is fascinating and his insights can help everyone in creating their second act. Adam also shares his personal experience about what it was like to give up his dream job at the  NYT to start his own C-Suite position.

And this month we share the debut segment of "Pickleball Chronicles with Traver".

• More about Adam Bryant: https://adambryantbooks.com/about-adam/

• Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Adam-Bryant-Interview-NYT-Corner-Office-Columnist-moves-to-his-own-C-Suite

• 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 Tuscany + Portugal: https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour/portugal

• Subscribe to the "I Used to be Somebody Newsletter: https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

We start 2024 with a lot of laughs. You're going to love Patty Forehand who was an elementary school teacher for 32 years and now is a successful stand-up comedian who talks about marriage, sex, and growing older. And she is FUNNY!

Who doesn't like a 61- year old grandmother who can tell a good dirty joke? Tune in to hear about her chance to work with Michelle Pfeiffer and find out about her weirdest gig ever. Lots of laughs with a woman who has a heart of gold.

• More about Patty Forehand: https://www.backstage.com/u/patricia-forehand-1

• Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Patty-Forehand-Interview-Elementary-School-Teacher-becomes-Stand-Up-Comedian

• Sponsored by How to Retire and Don't 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 -- First Stop Tuscany: https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour

• Subscribe to our Newsletter:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe