Rock Your Retirement Show

This episode is from the vault and was first released July 09, 2018

Let’s talk about senior dating–how to date and build intimate relationships as we age

Walker Thornton is 63 years old with a background in Educational Psychology. She has been a writer for years, writing poetry and journaling. Walker started dating post-divorce in her early 50's and started writing about it. She realized there wasn’t a whole lot of information for older women when it came to dating and relationships.

Walker works with individuals to talk about relationships. She has conversations with men and women to revamp their dating profile. She is sometimes called “The Sex Whisperer”.

Senior Dating—As we age this is the first thing you need to do if you are ready to get out there:

Make sure you are ready and you are not rushing to fill a void. Your desire to go out with someone should be based on mutual interest. Often people rush into the dating world in a despair which can lead to not wise choices. Think about what you are looking for. As we age, are you looking for marriage, a long-term relationship, romance, sex or someone to do things with?

Are online dating services a positive or negative way to find people especially for senior dating?

It can be a great or awful way. It depends upon your goal. Be prepared to put in work and effort to find a good match.

Advice for someone getting into the online dating world:

* Be honest about yourself and share your real self.

* Show accurate photos and information so the other person can get a sense of who you really are.

* Talk on the phone prior to the first date.

* Make the first date short, leave yourself an out if it’s not going well.

Walker recommends open communication between sexual partners, especially around comfort levels and using protection. When it comes to flirting, you can simply make direct eye contact, smile and touch the other person’s hand to show interest. You don’t necessarily have to twirl your hair or bat your eyes. There are many ways to express a desire or interest subtly.

Words of wisdom for someone just getting back into dating:

* Make a list of the traits you want your ideal partner to have. What are you looking for?

* Get a good, recent picture of yourself you feel comfortable in made for your dating profile.

Walker’s Book:

Inviting Desire, A Guide for Women Who Want to Enhance Their Sex Life

Connect with Walker:

Website: https://www.walkerthornton.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wit62/

Facebook: https://vtfww.facebook.com/WalkerJThornton/

This post about retirement and retirement lifestyle first appeared on http://RockYourRetirement.com

This episode is from the vault and was first released April 23, 2018.

Let’s talk about longevity.

Judy Gaman is our guest for today’s episode. Judy is a graduate of the George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences and the School of Professional Studies. She is an age to perfection expert, longevity educator, author, and nationally syndicated radio show host of the Staying Young Show. Judy strives to educate and inspire people. She has four books and is currently working on two more.

What is the Staying Young Show?

Judy’s show is called “Staying Young” and it started when a radio station called her and said that they're closing. They asked her if she would like to take over the show. She happily accepted the offer. They grew in Dallas and got another offer in North Carolina and now broadcasting in 57 stations. The Staying Young show talks about anything that relates to health or longevity.

There are so many things that we do that impact our longevity.

On Today’s Show, we discuss:

* All things longevity

* 6 pillars of retirement

* Advice for socialization

* Nothing keeps you healthier than service

* Getting past the age thing

* Even in dark times, you can find a way to turn that around for the good

* The healing effect of turning a negative into a positive

* Importance of sleep

The Thing Judy Learned That Surprised Her About Getting Older:

The new science we have behind longevity that we didn’t have even when we started this show.

Judy underwent DNA testing at Executive Medicine of Texas. They do executive physical tests. Many people visit them to do tests and stay there for half a day. The patients will be given a map of the findings and information about the tests done.

Judy had a best friend who's 104 years old!

Judy also talks about a best friend she had who passed away when she was 104 years old. She learned a lot from her. Her friend was filled with incredible information and advice. They met when Judy was working on her book called, “Age to Perfection: How to Thrive to 100, Happy, Healthy, and Wise “. She needed resources and then realized why not just ask people who are over 100? Judy looked for people who were over 100 years old and she found her best friend. They spent a lot of time together and would have lunch every Friday. They had a blast!

Did you know?

Did you know that there are jobs that decrease your longevity? Doctors don't get enough sleep and you need at least 8 hours of sleep per day. Construction workers have a very physical job and are out in the sun all day. This can increase the chances of skin cancer. And, sports players have really low longevity because of sports-related injuries.

Connect With Judy: 

http://www.JudyGaman.com

Books

Age to Perfection: How to Thrive to 100, Happy, Healthy, and Wise

Stay Young – 10 Proven Steps to Ultimate Health

This post about retirement and Retirement Lifestyle first appeared on http://RockYourRetirement.com

This episode is from the vault and was first released April 16, 2018.

Let's talk about Forced Retirement

Marianne Oehser is our guest for today's podcast episode. She came on our show to discuss forced retirements and how to cope if it happens to you.

One example of Forced Retirement that Marianne gave us is “Rich” one of her clients. Here's his story:

Rich worked for the government and handled one of the largest and most important departments. All of a sudden, that department was eliminated. Now when this happened, it created a lot of challenges for him. Like many, he is facing a forced retirement. When Marianne and Rich started working together, it became really clear how depressed he was. He had trouble getting up in the morning and by mid-afternoon, he barely had the energy to read the paper.

When Marianne talked to him, it seemed like he had lost his sense of purpose in his life. “This happens when you're not ready to retire,” Marianne said.

A forced retirement can bring up a lot of emotions.

One of the first few emotions you might feel is anger then resentment. What Rich did after acknowledging what he was feeling is to forgive the person that made it happen.  Together he and Marianne worked on letting go of the resentment and pain until he was able to start focusing on the present.

They worked on building his “happiness”  portfolio. Rich needed to figure what he wanted the 8 important areas in his life to look like and be like. During this process, Rich awakened his desire to write. He took some creative writing classes and thought about doing his memoir. Then he uncovered a short story he wrote in the past.  He published it and now being reviewed as a script for a movie.

Rich now writes screenplays and books. This man no longer tries to figure out how to get out of bed every morning. He no longer has to think about what he wants to do at 3 in the afternoon. Rich now gets out of bed with gust, vigor, and enthusiasm and has lots of things going on. He was able to tap back into his sense of purpose.

8 Areas of Happiness

* Self-development – Continuing to grow and understand that you can be excited about wherever you are in this in your life and embracing what is now and continuing to be a better person as a result of the things that you choose.

* Health and Well-being – If you don't have your health, nothing else matters.

* Primary Relationship – Relationships are central to who we are as human beings. Having a strong primary relationship is important. Examples, marriage relationship, long-term life partner relationship, strong friend relationship, family relationship.

* Social Networks – As we move further along in our lives, our social connections become more and more important. When you move out of retirement, it may change. Not the same people we used to work with. It's all about building relationships. Building new relationships.

* Spirituality and Religion – As we progress in our life, we become aware of the fact that at some point, our physical body isn't going to work anymore.

* Leisure – About being balanced.

* Community – What are you doing for the people around you? How are you giving back?

* Vocation or Profession – More of us are either having to work or choosing to work

How does all of this fit into the balance? How do these 8 work together?

Marianne says that we need to have balance so at the end of the day you can say that this is the life that you will be living.

You may reach Marianne Oehser through her website Retire and be Happy or via email: Marianne@RetireAndBe...

This episode is from the vault and was first released March 26, 2018.

Have you thought about creating your own Adventure in Retirement?

This podcast episode falls under the 2nd pillar, Significant Other (Be adventurous with your spouse), in the Six Pillars of Retirement. Jim Palmer is a marketing and business building expert and in-demand coach. He is the founder of the Dream Biz Academy and Dream Business Coaching and Mastermind Program. Jim is the host of Newsletter Guru TV, the hit weekly Web TV show watched by thousands of entrepreneurs and small business owners and he is also the host Stick Like Glue Radio, a weekly podcast based on Jim’s unique brand of smart marketing and business building strategies.

Jim started thinking about and living his retirement lifestyle before retirement age. Instead of waiting for his retirement, he is living out a dream now while he continues to work. He and his wife sold their house and put the contents in storage. They are currently living on their boat, which they named Floating Home and traveling up and down the east coast. They are enjoying a more simple life.  He has created a dream business where he works with clients only 3 days a week and travels the rest of the time. He hopes to continue working for many years, beyond typical retirement age and says it will be possible because he hasn’t worn himself out with a work that is unfulfilling.

It's time for a big adventure in retirement!

It was Jim's wife's idea to live on a boat, but it's Jim who is the “boat guy” as he grew up on boats.

When Jim married his wife, they wanted to have their own boat. However, between work, raising four children, and maintaining a home, they never had the chance to buy one. Once their children got married and moved on, and Jim's wife Stephanie said she is done with her job, suddenly they were no longer “landlocked.” They spent a few years trying to decide what they would do and where they would live, They did get a small boat which was big enough to sleep on but not that big. Eventually, his wife suggested they live on a boat. Jim's initial thought was, “We will need a bigger boat.”

Then their adventure in retirement began. They sold their house, found a bigger boat, and moved on April 15th, 2017. They initially agreed to an an18-month plan. First, they went to New England to see their daughter and grandkids. Then they went to Chesapeake Bay, which is their home port, and they will go to Florida for their first winter.

So, at the time of this interview, they were almost a year into their adventure in retirement. How is it?

They love it so much! Jim feels living on a boat is like an everyday vacation. It's very relaxing, and it is just a simple life. They are now talking about a 5-year plan to continue their retirement adventure on their boat.

What is it like living on a boat?

I know very little about boats and tend to think of it as somewhat similar to living in an RV. Jim and Stephanie's boat is 50 feet long and 14.5ft wide. It has 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. It's a motor yacht with almost 1000 horsepower. Jim said they don't want to go on a camping in the waters, they want to feel comfortable. They wanted to have a separate space if they needed it so it isn't too cramped.

We talked about all the amenities in Jim's boat and the maintenance and repair that goes along with it. It is quite fascinating! An interesting fact is that you don't have to have your captain's license. The fact that you own a boat and can drive it means you are a captain. Both he and his wife have taken courses through the Co...

This episode is from the vault and was first released March 19, 2018.

How to have a happy relationship with your spouse after retirement

This podcast episode falls under Significant Other in the Six Pillars of Retirement. Our guest is Nora Hall, a dedicated problem solver, set out to find solutions to the struggles she and her husband encountered after he retired. Numerous interviews with retirees revealed that most couples experience similar stress during their adjustment period in retirement. Nora shares their stories and offers proven solutions and inspiration for all retired couples to help them have a happy relationship and stay happily married.

Prior to writing full time, Nora worked as a teacher, arts administrator, fundraiser, and writing consultant.

Nora started writing her book and blog because when her husband retired, they didn't expect the change in their happy relationship. They didn't really expect anything about retirement but soon learned they weren't having fun and enjoying it. Nora started to wonder what was going on and decided she needed to find a resolution. In her research, Nora discovered that there were some common circumstances that almost every couple experiences when they start their retirement.

* Many times, husbands tend to become angry initially during retirement. Their identity is wrapped up in their careers and when they retire they feel they are losing their identity.

* Now that the husband is retired, he doesn't know what to do with himself.

* The change of being together all the time put a strain on relationships.

Another common problem Nora discovered in her interviews and in her own relationship is that when their husbands are retired there are suddenly always there. Women have a lot of structure in their day-to-day activities. Out of boredom, the husbands will check on them to see what they are doing throughout the day. Women perceive this as a sort of “butting in” if you will. In reality, the husbands are trying to be helpful and the women find it annoying.

It’s so important to be sensitive to one another’s needs.

Nora tells us a story about when her husband retired and she was still working as a freelance writer at home. She didn't have a door in her office and her husband would come in and start talking to her and distracting her. Her husband didn't understand why Nora would get angry and Nora couldn't understand why he didn't realize that she was busy. She discovered they weren't being sensitive to each other's feelings.

So what solved this problem? Their grandchildren solved the issue. They put a sign on the pantry door that led to Nora's office that said: “Do Not Enter”. When she didn't want to be disturbed she would open the pantry door with the sign on it.

Having a happy relationship with your spouse after retirement might be difficult because of the adjustments you both have to make. 

Nora also talked about the 5 types of husband:

* Bossy Husband

– These are husbands who are in a managerial position (managers, directors, CEO, etc.). They are used to being the boss, so when they come home it's natural for them to expect that they are the boss.

* Always There Husband

– His days are spent in his workplace then suddenly, he's at home all the time. This type of husband doesn't typically have many outside friends to go to lunch with or do things with.

* Dependent Husband

– Not the type of always-there-husband but really doesn't know how to fill his time throughout the day. For example, he wants to go out every Friday, but he expects his wife to plan the trip.

* Angry Husband

– Their identity is wrapped up in their work. There is more anger in men. These husbands don't know what to do with themselves after retirement.

This episode is from the vault and was first released March 12, 2018.

How to Find Meaning and Purpose in Retirement?

Fritz Gilbert is the founder of The Retirement Manifesto, a personal finance blog focused on helping People Achieve A Great Retirement.  Fritz will retire in the summer of 2018 at 55, after 3 decades in Corporate America (most recently as a Commodity Trader).  He and his wife live in a cabin in the Appalachian Mountains of North Georgia, just a few miles from the start of the Appalachian Trail.  They have a 23-year-old daughter who married last summer and recently moved to Seattle.  After retirement, Fritz and his wife plan on traveling extensively with their 5th Wheel RV and working with local charities and “giving back” to their community.  They are active in a dog rescue charity and have 4 rescue dogs who will accompany them during their travels.

Although Fritz has a personal finance blog, he thinks all the other things to think about during retirement are even more important than finances. He calls it the softer side of retirement.

Fritz will be officially retiring June 8th of 2018 and both him and his wife are excited.

How do Fritz and his wife prepare for his retirement?

They are having discussions on how will they live their life after Fritz' retires and how they will find purpose in retirement. They come up with some things that both of them needed to decide.

Here are some examples:

* Develop an interest/hobby:

* What are we going to do individually?

* Fritz's wife started to grow an interest in pottery. Turns out she is a good potter. Fritz will join a group that swims 3 times a week.

* What are we going to do together?

* They put up a jar with a notepad next to it where each of them put in activities once a week so they have 2 years' worth of weekly activities. They call it their “Wednesday jar”. What comes out of the jar, they do together every Wednesday. I think the Wednesday jar is a great idea!

* Create a timeline together.

* As his retirement approaches, they have things planned out like healthcare;They also bought an RV because they wanted to explore new places and spend some time traveling. They have also built a list of each state and things they would like to see or do in each state.

* Build relationships

* Because they moved into a new area where they don't know anyone, one thing they wanted to do is build relationships. They wanted to build networks with their neighbors by, one example, walking their dogs. They met a few people who also walk their dogs. Another way for them to meet new people is through their church.

Be receptive to doing something that gives you passion and purpose in retirement, but don't obligate yourself to do something until you've settled into your new lifestyle.

What are some ideas you have to prepare for and to find purpose in retirement? Share your thoughts and ideas below in the comments.

Contact information for Fritz: Website– http://www.theretirementmanifesto.com/

Mentioned in this Episode:

(Seasonal employment) CoolWorks or Workamper

This post of Retirement and Retirement Lifestyle first appeared on http://RockYourRetirement.com

This episode is from the vault and was first released January 29, 2018.

Jenna Ryan knows signs of urinary tract infection (UTI).  She used to get them all the time.

Did you know that signs of urinary tract infection (UTI) include dementia?  This was a shock to me when I first found out.  I mean, what does one have to do with the other?

Jenna Ryan is with us today to educate us about signs of urinary tract infections and why she created a drink that can prevent/cure UTI.

Jenna is the CEO and Co-founder of Uqora, a company dedicated to urinary tract infection prevention. Uqora has developed a “pink lemonade with a purpose” that helps women flush out UTI-causing bacteria. She created this drink mix because she herself suffered from urinary tract infection. Jenna says she doesn't want to take antibiotics because it can develop resistance.

What is a UTI?

A urinary tract infection is an infection in any part of your urinary system — your kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. Most infections involve the lower urinary tract — the bladder and the urethra.

Women are at greater risk of developing a UTI than are men. Infections limited to your bladder can be painful and annoying. However, serious consequences can occur if a UTI spreads to your kidneys.

Doctors typically treat urinary tract infections with antibiotics. But you can take steps to reduce your chances of getting a urinary tract infection.

Here are some signs of urinary tract infection to watch out for:

* A burning feeling when you urinate

* A frequent or intense urge to urinate, even though little comes out when you do

* Pain or pressure in your back or lower abdomen

* Cloudy, dark, bloody, or strange-smelling urine

* Feeling tired or shaky

* Fever or chills (a sign the infection may have reached your kidneys)

The issue with older adults is that many times they don't get the same feelings of pain or burning sensations when they urinate so their UTIs often go undiagnosed.  But… then other issues can occur.

Did you know that signs of urinary tract infection can lead to misdiagnosis of dementia?

Here are some signs of urinary tract infection that are the same as dementia:

* Delirium

* Hallucination

* Dizziness

* Confusion

How to Prevent a UTI

Hydration is the key to preventing a UTI. If you're at risk of having a UTI, drink Uqora. If you're in the older generation, you have to drink it every day. Good hygiene can also prevent a UTI.

If you have signs of urinary tract infection, the Uqora might be able to help.  But be sure to speak with your doctor about the possibility of your parents having a UTI if they suddenly show signs of dementia.

References

* What is UTI?–Mayo Clinic

* Signs and Symptoms of UTI–WebMD

You may visit Uqora by clicking HERE.

Jenna Ryan will give you a 15% discount when you purchase Uqora using the code “Rockit15”

Jenna's contact information: [email protected]

This post of Retirement and Retirement Lifestyle first appeared on http://RockYourRetirement.com

This episode is from the vault and was first released November 20, 2017.

Dr. Newton wants to educate people on how medications can cause dementia. Also, how to avoid these medications.

The only thing worse than having dementia is taking care of a loved one with dementia.

Many people do not realize that many medications can cause dementia.

Dr. Camille Newton is a home visiting physician. You may also know it as a traveling doctor or mobile doctor. It is such an important service for seniors that are not able to travel for the doctor’s appointments. She focuses on minimizing medications. Especially psychotropic pharmaceuticals, to help senior brains stay healthier longer.

Medications get tested by the FDA to see if they are safe. But those medications are not really tested to see if they cause brain failure.

While performing house calls, she has seen the effect psychotropic medications have on people who take them for a long period.

Some examples of psychotropic drugs are:

* Antipsychotics including Risperdal or Haldol

* Sedatives especially the benzodiazepines such as Ativan, Xanax, or Valium

* Anti-depressants

* Antihistamines

These are some staggering and scary statistics!

According to Dr. Newton, using Benzodiazepine increases the risk of Dementia. Nearly tripling risk within 3 years. Quitting reduces risk over time, to only 10% increase in risk 3 years after quitting. Benzodiazepine use quadruples the risk of suicide in the elderly. In one study, Benzodiazepines and hypnotics increased suicide risk by 14 times.

Antihistamines can have an anticholinergic effect. This means some of them block a certain neurotransmitter called acetylcholine. This can have a detrimental effect on the brain over a long period. This includes Benadryl.

In monkeys, laboratory rats, and humans, antipsychotics such as Haldol showed a huge measurable shrinking of the brain within 8 weeks of use.

A person goes to the drugstore and they have allergy symptoms. They could choose Claritin or Allegra (which are not anticholinergic). Also, they could choose Benadryl or Coricidin and end up with dementia within a few years.

Maybe less is more?

Dr. Newton tells a fascinating story about “Pam” who has a rare case of dementia reversed by getting her off of her medications. Although she has had only a few cases of ‘total cure’, she's had many patients improve when taken off from anticholinergics. These medications are so dangerous to our brains, and yet there is no warning label.  Many of them are over the counter.

A lot of people ask Dr. Newton, “What Can I take?” Her response is, don't look for something to take when you are having a problem. Don't look for a pill to solve your problem and question every medication given.

*Please note: Neither the Rock Your Retirement Show nor the host, Kathe Kline provides medical advice.  Please consult your own practitioner about any healthcare issues that you have.

About Our Co-Host

Dr. Newton cares for complicated elderly patients in their homes through her medical practice, Home Excel Physician’s Group. She is also the founder and former president of Pure Wick Corporation. It's a manufacturer of non-invasive, external urinary catheters for women. (Pure Wick was recently sold to C.R. Bard). An Attending Physician for Camp Pendleton Naval Hospital Residents in Family Medicine. Also, for Kaplan University School of Nursing. She is board-certified in family medicine. A Member of the American Academy of Home Care Physicians, and a Gulf War Veteran. She is also an Athena Pinnacle Award winner. This is an honor given to exemplary female executives in San Diego–for ‘Women who Champion Women’. She studied Genetics at U.C. Davis, where she graduated with honors. She completed her medical education at Saint Louis University and Residency at U.C. Irvine.

This episode is from the vault and was first released January 15, 2018.

This might be a hard question for some people, but let's face it, what does your retirement life look like?

Steve Cousins is one of our listeners. (Hi Steve!) After graduating from college Steve joined an oil company at a refinery in Arkansas where he worked as an engineer, manager and eventually as the VP and General Manager.  He stayed with the same company for his entire career and remained at the same location.

Last year Steve retired upon turning 60 and immediately stepped into a retirement career designed to be part-time, low stress and lots of fun.  After a year, the plan is working great!  I wanted to discuss with him his choice in a “semi-retirement”.

“You Shouldn't run away from something, you have to run towards something.”

Steve always thought he would be working until he was 70 or later because he really enjoyed his job. The last few years, things changed he did not enjoy it very much, but he hung on because frankly, he was afraid of retirement. There were several reasons he was afraid of retirement and I think a lot of people can relate.

* Steve thought if he was leaving work because he didn't enjoy it anymore that didn't necessarily mean he would enjoy retirement either.

* He also looked at the compensation he was getting from work and it was painful for him to walk away from that after working so hard to get to that point in his career.

* His job was his identity, and he didn't want to lose that

Working to feel useful and productive in your retirement life

Even before retiring from his job, Steve decided what he wanted his retirement life to look like. He wanted to feel useful and productive. He started his side gigs which are pretty cool!

* Contract Lobbying

* Expert Witness Work

* Trade Association representation

Side gigs or semi-retirement not for you? Steve says, focus on volunteer work. He has a ton of volunteer positions! (As we tend to hear a lot, he is just as busy if not even busier than when he was working) His volunteer work includes:

* Chair the Board of Trustees for the local community college

* Local Hospital Clinic that helps people who are uninsured or underinsured

* State and local Chamber of Commerce

* State University mentoring students

* On the board of a local group called 50 for the future, where they solve problems in the city

It's not all work for Steve. He also spends time with his wife. They enjoy doing a lot of things together like running, hiking, off-road riding, discovering hidden waterfalls, and many more activities. Now that they are retired, they can spend a lot more time together but still spend time doing their own things.

Steve's advice from one listener of the show to another:

You should marry someone better than yourself and invest a lot of time in your relationship because if everything else went away and you still have each other, you will still be fine.

Widen your horizon's. Don't just do your job, volunteer to do other things. Reach outside of your comfort zone and practice public speaking because it helps boost your confidence. What great advice Steve!

Did you plan your retirement life? How did you do it? Leave a comment below and let us know!

This post of Retirement and Retirement Lifestyle first appeared on http://RockYourRetirement.com

This episode take you back on the 24th of October 2016 where I was a guest on The Podcasters Unplugged. In here we talk about how I got started into podcasting from seeing a need in the market and wanting to help others retire successfully and happily. Dusty Porter is the creator of Podcast Unplugged and has been podcasting for several years. Podcasters Unplugged is a place for Podcasters who wants to make a difference.

Where It All Began

As you all know, I was a financial adviser for 25 years. Then after being in that profession for so long, I decided that I needed a change. So, I basically went from a large practice to a very small one. I was looking at my clients and I thought, “Wow! Money does matter, but it’s not everything.” You can have millions of dollars and have a horrible retirement or you can have almost no money and completely rocking it. And I thought to myself, what is the difference between these two types of people? Then I thought I needed to learn more about this. That is why I started this show. The show is an interview format and I interview either experts or regular people on how to Rock Your Retirement.

Initial Steps to Starting the Podcast

The first thing that I did before starting this show is that I tried to find information online that I didn’t have to pay a lot for. Because I wasn’t planning on making the podcast my life’s work. I really wanted to do it for my benefit. I didn’t want to spend three or four thousand dollars attending a class, but I signed up for a podcasting class. Took some classes, but not all of them. But I continued to pay for the monthly fee because I wanted to support people who teach other podcasters how to podcast. Also, I like his methodology. That’s why I continued to work with him and still be a student of his.

I really wanted to get this started right away. So, I talked my husband into going to Fry’s with me and we found this decent microphone on sale for about thirty bucks and then my husband bought a recorder with a sound mixer. Then I backed up the interview process with “Pamela,” a Skype recording system.

How to Get People On the Show

When I first started the show, I pretty much bribe people to come over. I wanted to interview people who could help seniors because I worked in a sort of a senior world industry. I said that if you come to my show, I’ll give you a free advertisement on a different show. I gave them a free ad and then I said, if you get me a retiree to interview, I’ll give you a free advertisement. I kept on doing that until my interviews got stacked up.

Business Aspect of the Podcast

Over the last month or so I’ve been figuring out how to monetize the show because my audience is not your typical podcast audience member, they’re older. I also use an avatar. My avatar is named “Marla” and she is 62 years old, has two children, one grandchild, and has a living parent. So whenever I do an episode, I always think, what would Marla like? How could I reach Marla? My Marla doesn’t listen to a podcast; She doesn’t have an iPhone and probably has a flip phone. That is why it’s really difficult for me on how to reach Marla. So, what I did in the beginning and I still do this is that I have live events. The first thing that I needed to do is grow my audience.

Working, telling people face-to-face, having live events (I also have a Facebook group), and all these things are growing the show. They’re also growing the website. I had a 46 percent increase in website hits, from last month to this month. I’m thinking all of these is growing, things are great, how could I monetize it? To be honest, I don’t know yet. But I know that the juices are flowing. And I know that someday soon, I’ll figure out how to monetize it.