MEaningful MEtirement™

What if the secret to a meaningful 3rdTHIRD isn't retirement at all?In this episode, real estate investor and lifelong learner Pete Madden challenges the conventional idea of retirement and shares why curiosity, health, community, and staying engaged matter far more than stepping away from work.From raising two daughters and embracing life as an almost-empty nester to discovering the power of better sleep, eliminating ultra-processed foods, leveraging AI, and caring less about what others think, Pete offers a refreshing perspective on creating a life that stays vibrant, relevant, and fulfilling.This conversation is filled with practical wisdom, humor, and a powerful reminder: the goal isn't to stop living—it's to keep growing. About Peter MaddenPeter is a seasoned real estate investor and industry leader known for his disciplined, client-first approach and decades of experience navigating complex investment decisions. A graduate of Skidmore College, Pete has built a career rooted in curiosity, independent thinking, and a willingness to challenge conventional wisdom.Today, he continues to explore new ideas, technologies, and opportunities while focusing on what matters most—family, health, meaningful relationships, and lifelong learning. Pete brings a candid, practical, and often humorous perspective on how to live fully, stay intellectually engaged, and create a life of freedom and fulfillment in the 3rdTHIRD.

What if retirement wasn't about slowing down—but finally having the freedom to become more of yourself?

After an extraordinary global career leading commercial organizations across some of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies, Renee Tannenbaum discovered that the greatest reward wasn't leaving work—it was gaining the freedom to choose how she wanted to live.

In this heartfelt conversation, Renee shares how she gradually transitioned into MEtirement, why purpose matters more than titles, and how staying curious, active, and connected has allowed her to create a life filled with joy, fulfillment, and freedom.

Together, we explore why waiting until "someday" can be one of life's biggest regrets, how our identity naturally evolves beyond our careers, and why health, relationships, adventure, and giving back become the true measures of success in our 3rdTHIRD.

If you're wondering what comes next after a successful career—or simply want to make the most of the years ahead—this conversation will leave you inspired to start living intentionally today.

• Redefine retirement as a season of freedom and possibility

• Shift your identity from career success to purposeful living

• Create fulfillment through service, mentoring, and giving back

• Prioritize your health so you can enjoy the life you've worked so hard to build

• Let go of "stuff" and focus on experiences that truly matter

• Build new friendships and community at every stage of life

• Stop waiting for someday—and start living today

Whether she's mentoring future leaders, serving on advisory boards, helping families experiencing homelessness, skiing the mountains of Colorado, or planning her next adventure, Renee reminds us that growing older isn't about becoming less—it's about becoming more fully ourselves.

If you enjoyed this conversation, please subscribe, follow, rate, and share the podcast. Every download helps us inspire more people to consciously create lives filled with joy, fulfillment, and freedom.

About Renee Tannenbaum

Renee is a globally respected pharmaceutical executive, board director, advisor, and mentor whose leadership career has spanned organizations including Bristol Myers Squibb, Merck, Novartis, Elan, AbbVie, Halozyme, and Bench International. A pharmacist by training, Renee has spent decades helping organizations grow while developing leaders and advancing patient care.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Renee is known for her unwavering commitment to family, mentorship, lifelong learning, and adventure. Whether she's skiing, horseback riding, traveling the world, serving on boards, or giving back to her community, Renee exemplifies what it means to intentionally create a meaningful life in your 3rdTHIRD.

Her story reminds us that retirement isn't the end of our contribution—it's an opportunity to choose how we want to make our greatest impact.

What if the secret to a meaningful 3rdTHIRD isn't retirement at all?

In this episode, real estate investor and lifelong learner Pete Madden challenges the conventional idea of retirement and shares why curiosity, health, community, and staying engaged matter far more than stepping away from work.

From raising two daughters and embracing life as an almost-empty nester to discovering the power of better sleep, eliminating ultra-processed foods, leveraging AI, and caring less about what others think, Pete offers a refreshing perspective on creating a life that stays vibrant, relevant, and fulfilling.

This conversation is filled with practical wisdom, humor, and a powerful reminder: the goal isn't to stop living—it's to keep growing.

About Peter Madden

Peter is a seasoned real estate investor and industry leader known for his disciplined, client-first approach and decades of experience navigating complex investment decisions. A graduate of Skidmore College, Pete has built a career rooted in curiosity, independent thinking, and a willingness to challenge conventional wisdom.Today, he continues to explore new ideas, technologies, and opportunities while focusing on what matters most—family, health, meaningful relationships, and lifelong learning.

Pete brings a candid, practical, and often humorous perspective on how to live fully, stay intellectually engaged, and create a life of freedom and fulfillment in the 3rdTHIRD.

What happens when the identities you've built your life around are suddenly taken away?Dr. Kimberly Harms knows that question all too well.After losing her son to suicide, supporting her husband through a liver transplant, and being forced into an early retirement from a successful dental career, Kimberly faced a choice: remain trapped by loss or reinvent herself once again.In this powerful and deeply moving conversation, Kimberly shares how she climbed out of what she calls the "grief pit," discovered new purpose, and learned that retirement isn't a retreat from life—it's an invitation to become more fully yourself.You'll learn:• Why resilience is more than simply surviving• How to move through grief without becoming defined by it• The difference between a life of achievement and a life of significance• Why purpose evolves throughout every stage of life• How service, gratitude, and self-love create lasting joyMost importantly, Kimberly reminds us that even after life's greatest losses, it is still possible to create a future filled with meaning, connection, and hope.Because your next chapter isn't about what you've lost—it's about who you're becoming.About Dr. Kimberly HarmsKimberly is a dentist, author, speaker, grief counselor, humanitarian, and advocate for widows navigating life's transitions. A former national spokesperson for the American Dental Association, Kimberly has transformed profound personal losses into a mission of helping others find hope, healing, resilience, and purpose. Through her writing, speaking, humanitarian work, and devotion to her children and six grandchildren, she continues to create a legacy of service while inspiring others to embrace joy, significance, and possibility in their 3rdTHIRD.

What happens when everything you thought defined you… is suddenly gone?

In this deeply honest and inspiring episode, Taren Grom shares what it looks like to rebuild your life after back-to-back “life quakes”—selling her company, losing her mother, and losing the identity she had carried for decades.

There was no roadmap. No plan.Just a blank page—and a choice.

Taren opens up about:

• Moving through grief, numbness, and uncertainty

• Letting go of identity tied to career and titles

• Choosing herself—her health, her time, her joy

• Rebuilding a life rooted in energy, freedom, and intention

From double hip replacement… to daily movement… to preparing to jump out of a plane—this is what it looks like to come back to life.

Because the truth is: Your next chapter doesn’t begin when things are perfect—it begins the moment you decide to rise.

About Taren Grom

Taren is the co-founder of PharmaVOICE and a respected industry storyteller who spent more than two decades elevating the voices of innovators and changemakers across the life sciences sector.

After a pivotal period of personal and professional transition, she stepped into a new chapter defined by resilience, reinvention, and self-prioritization. Today, Taren is focused on living fully—investing in her health, exploring new experiences, and finding meaningful ways to give back, particularly in support of women and community impact.

She embodies what it means to move forward—not by having all the answers, but by having the courage to keep going and transitioning.

#metirement #thirdthird #3rdTHIRD #60for60 #LifeDesign #NextChapter #cecizak

You've checked all the boxes. Built the career. Achieved the success. Reached the milestone.So why does it still feel like there's something more?In this episode, entrepreneur and former CEO Rich Wartel shares the mindset shift that changed everything after selling a successful company. We talk about identity, purpose, family, health, and the surprising truth about fulfillment: it's not found in what you achieve—it's found in who you become.If you're wondering what's next in your 3rdTHIRD, this conversation will challenge you to stop chasing success and start designing a life you truly love.About Rich WartelRich Wartel is a healthcare entrepreneur, investor, executive coach, and former CEO of Two Labs. After building and successfully exiting one of healthcare's leading consulting firms, Rich now dedicates his time to mentoring leaders, advising businesses, and helping others navigate growth, reinvention, and meaningful success. His passion today is helping people create impact—not just achievement.

What do you do when life doesn't go according to plan?After losing loved ones, navigating unimaginable lifequakes, and walking away from a career she loved after 28 years, Carol Brannigan made a courageous choice: keep moving toward joy.In this heartfelt conversation, Carol shares how she reinvented her life in her 3rdTHIRD, moved across the country, built a thriving community, embraced adventure, and learned that joy isn't something you wait for—it's something you actively create.If you're facing change, loss, caregiving responsibilities, or wondering what's next, this episode will remind you that resilience isn't about avoiding hardship—it's about continuing to live fully in spite of it.You'll learn:• Why finding joy is a choice• How community can transform your next chapter• The surprising power of starting over• Why your best life may be waiting on the other side of changeBecause sometimes the bravest thing you can do is simply keep on keeping on.About Carol BranniganCarol spent nearly three decades helping bring Broadway productions to life before creating an entirely new chapter in her 3rdTHIRD. An avid skier, tennis player, hiker, traveler, and lover of the performing arts, Carol embraces life with resilience, adventure, and gratitude. Through profound personal loss, caregiving, and multiple lifequakes, she has remained deeply committed to family, community, and finding joy in every chapter. As the proud mother of two children and a cherished friend to many, Carol inspires others by proving that it is never too late to consciously create a life filled with purpose, connection, and possibility.

Most people spend decades building a successful career.

Few take the time to thoughtfully design what comes next.

In this episode of MEaningful MEtirement, Ceci Zak sits down with Nick Colucci—former CEO of Publicis Health, Medical Advertising Hall of Fame inductee, HBA Honorable Mentor, philanthropist, and lifelong leader—to explore what happens when professional success gives way to something even more meaningful.

After a remarkable career mentoring leaders, building organizations, and transforming healthcare communications, Nick made a conscious decision to retire on his own terms. But rather than slowing down, he redirected his time, talents, and energy toward family, philanthropy, education, and helping others succeed.

In this conversation, you'll learn:

• How to navigate the transition from professional identity to personal purpose
• Why mentorship may be one of the most meaningful legacies we leave behind
• The importance of intentionally designing your next chapter
• How service and contribution evolve throughout life
• What it means to continue growing after achieving career success

Nick's story is a powerful reminder that retirement isn't an ending—it's an opportunity to apply a lifetime of wisdom, experience, and leadership in ways that create lasting impact.

Because the greatest measure of success may not be what you accomplish, but the people you inspire along the way.

About Nick Colucci

Nick is the former CEO of Publicis Health and a respected leader in the healthcare communications industry. A Medical Advertising Hall of Fame inductee and Healthcare Businesswomen's Association Honorable Mentor, Nick is widely recognized for his extraordinary commitment to developing future leaders. Today, he continues to give back through philanthropic efforts, educational initiatives, community leadership, and dedicated time with his family. His journey offers a compelling example of how purpose, service, and mentorship can continue to flourish throughout the 3rdTHIRD of life.

What if the biggest opportunity in your 3rdTHIRD isn't slowing down—it's finally becoming who you were meant to be?

In this episode, accomplished executive, board leader, traveler, and adventurer Ellen Keszler shares how life's unexpected transitions became the catalyst for extraordinary growth.

After leaving corporate life at 44 and navigating a major life reinvention, Ellen chose curiosity over fear, adventure over comfort, and possibility over limitation.From climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and moving to the Colorado mountains to embracing photography, lifelong learning, and a year of intentional adventures at age 60, Ellen's story is a powerful reminder that the best chapters of life can still be ahead of us.

This conversation is filled with wisdom about confidence, resilience, purpose, and how to use the gift of time to create a life filled with joy, fulfillment, and freedom.

About Ellen Keszler

Ellen is an accomplished corporate director, advisor, and former executive whose career has spanned travel, technology, entrepreneurship, and corporate governance. She has held leadership roles with companies including Travelocity and has served on numerous public and private company boards, helping organizations grow, innovate, and thrive.

Today, Ellen is known for her adventurous spirit, lifelong curiosity, passion for travel and photography, and commitment to living fully. Whether she's exploring a new corner of the world, learning a new skill, or encouraging others to embrace life's next chapter, Ellen embodies what it means to create a meaningful and vibrant 3rdTHIRD.

What if retirement isn’t about slowing down… but finally creating a life that feels like you?

At 65, after decades of leadership and breaking barriers in corporate America, Charlotte Sibley faced a question many avoid:

Who am I when work is no longer my identity?

In this conversation, Charlotte shares the surprisingly simple process that helped her step into MEtirement with intention—before fear, loss, or uncertainty took over.

We talk about:

• The 3 lists that changed her future
• Why financial planning alone isn’t enough
• Finding purpose beyond your title
• Learning to say no—and finally learning to just be
• How community carried her through grief, caregiving, sobriety, and reinvention

Her message is clear:

Don’t wait until life forces change.
Create your next chapter while you still have the health, curiosity, and freedom to live it.

About Charlotte Sibley

Charlotte Sibley is a former global pharmaceutical executive, public company board member, mentor, and longtime advocate for leadership development and women in healthcare.

After a 40+ year corporate career—including pioneering roles for women in healthcare and finance—Charlotte intentionally redefined her third third through board service, mentorship, travel, community, and purpose-driven living.

Now approaching 80, Charlotte embodies what MEtirement can look like at its best:
living with curiosity, giving back generously, and continuing to grow long after traditional retirement begins.

#3rdTHIRD #MEtirement #60for60#LifeDesign #NextChapter #cecizak