Flourish After Fifty

In this episode, I sit down with governance geek, community builder, and founder of Take On Board , Helga Svendsen , to demystify what board work is really like for women in the second half of their careers. If you’ve ever imagined a board role as the “natural next step”, a meaningful way to contribute, shape strategy, and maybe create more flexible work, this episode will help you decide whether...

In this very special episode, I’m joined by 57‑year‑old Kerry Pietrobon, a fashion consultant, plus‑size model and storyteller, as she reads a powerful letter to her younger self about growing up in a bigger body, discovering plus‑size fashion, and learning she was never the problem. In the conversation that follows, Kerry shares how she’s navigating hard endings and exciting beginnings in her lat...

In this episode, I talk with career change specialist and author Robyn Greaves about how to design your “third chapter” of work and life so you can work as long as you choose, on your own terms. We explore the rise of portfolio, interim and fractional roles, and Robyn’s 5D framework for imagining and building a more energising next chapter. You’ll hear practical ideas for experimenting while you’r...

In this episode, I sit down with Susan Metcalf to explore what happens when the CEO role of your dreams comes to an end, and there’s no tidy roadmap for what comes next. In the aftermath of COVID, Susan faced a difficult but necessary transition, stepping away without another role lined up and no clear sense of who she would be without the inbox, the calendar and the title. Susan shares how the de...

Earlier this year, I sat in the audience at a women’s comedy line‑up and realised something confronting: I didn’t see myself anywhere on that stage, and I left wondering, “Where are all the comedians over 50?” So I went searching and came across new comedian, academic and “hobby hard” enthusiast Mandy Scotney. In this episode, I talk with Mandy about how she found her way into stand‑up in her mid‑...

80% of women over 50 who dream of starting their own business never take the first step. Money worries. Fear of failure. Lack of confidence. Sound familiar? In my latest podcast episode, I sit down with Bambi Price, co-founder of Seniorpreneurs and War on Wasted Talent, who started her first business at 55 and has since helped thousands of mature-age entrepreneurs make the leap. This conversation...

In this episode, I talk with Kathy Wood, a former Relationships Australia leader who resigned just before she turned 70 and is now consciously “living into later” on her own terms. Kathy shares how a long-planned trip to the UK, becoming a hands-on grandmother, and her love of structure helped her navigate the profound identity shift of leaving a 15–year role without “retiring” from purpose, growt...

In this episode, Sue talks with coach and author Jane Moffett about her book What Next? The Savvy Woman’s Guide to Redefining Retirement , exploring how professional women can design life beyond traditional work on their own terms—blending purpose, identity, money realities, and joy. They discuss why the word “retirement” feels so wrong for many women today, what Jane’s research with women in thei...

Most of us have a someday list. A version of ourselves we keep putting off until we feel more ready, more confident, or just a little less afraid. Kim Payne has spent years listening to women’s stories of change and learning what happens when women stop waiting for someday — and choose to act with courage instead. In this special crossover episode — published on both the Flourish After Fifty and C...

Explore how to transform your birthday into a meaningful, joyful milestone with Tamar Hurwitz‑Fleming, author of How to Have a Happy Birthday . She invites you to consciously design celebrations that reflect who you are now and who you’re becoming, rather than relying on old habits, expectations or other people’s plans, especially when you’re facing those big “0” birthdays like turning 50, 60 or 7...

As life shifts in midlife—through career changes, new chapters, changing bodies or the end of long relationships—it’s easy to find that your clothes no longer feel like you . In this episode of Flourish After 50 , Sue West talks with personal stylist and Style Rises founder, Lucy Owens, about what it means to dress for the woman you’re becoming, not the one you used to be. Lucy shares her own jour...

In this episode, I have an honest conversation about friendship with my friend Sarah Hopkins. We share the joys and challenges of making new friends in our fifties and sixties and explore how vulnerability, authenticity, and courage can open the door to deeper connections and lasting joy. We discuss finding new friends, strengthening existing friendships, and letting go when a friendship no longer...

Raised on a remote Australian farm, Heather Cameron has lived through droughts, domestic violence, and reinvention. Her bestselling trilogy 'Never Underestimate a Woman' tells a story of courage and transformation. Heather shares how she found her voice and reclaimed her power - and she's now helping other women do the same. Guest: Heather Cameron , author of ' Never Underestimate a Woman ' Lower...

Ageism affects how others see us and how we see ourselves. Researcher and author Joanna Maxwell has spent years studying age beliefs and their impact on women’s work, confidence, and identity. In this conversation, she unpacks myths about ageing, internalised bias, and why it’s time to challenge the idea that life peaks before fifty. Guest: Joanna Maxwell Researcher and Author of 'Rethink Your Car...

In this bonus episode, Melissa Braden shares what it was really like to walk away from a big public service career after twenty‑five years in senior roles. In her mid‑50s, she accepted an early retirement package and stepped into the unknown. Eighteen months on, she talks about the wobbles, the wins and the identity shift that followed – and how, beyond all of that, she has created more choice, de...

Dr Katie Allen has lived multiple remarkable careers, from pioneering medical research to serving in federal parliament. In this episode, she takes us inside the moment she tore up her CV and jumped off the cliff into politics, driven by a desire to have an even greater impact through her work. Now living with stage four cancer, she speaks candidly about why the risk was unequivocally worth it and...

Whether you’re navigating an empty nest, rethinking your career, or simply facing a season of change, life after fifty is full of pivotal moments. In this episode, Kari Cardinale of the Modern Elder Academy offers a roadmap for embracing what’s next with clarity and intention. She explains the idea of “transitional intelligence” or TQ, and shares empowering strategies so you can meet transitions w...

Longevity and life stage expert Barbara Waxman is on a mission to redefine midlife as a time of awakening, not decline. Inspired by teenage adolescence, she's coined the term 'middlescence' as a new life stage brimming with potential. From energy as medicine to longevity life plans, Barbara shows how to live your most vibrant years yet. Guest: Barbara Waxman www.barbarawaxman.com Take the Seven Li...

After twenty years of marriage, ABC broadcaster Hilary Harper found herself single - and curious about dating again. Her hit ABC podcast Dated: Love Online After 50 explores what happens when midlife meets modern romance. Hilary talks candidly about fear, discovery, and finding love again, offering hope and humour for anyone thinking it might be “too late.” Guest: Hilary Harper, ABC Radio National...

Best-selling author and finance expert Bec Wilson calls midlife 'Prime Time'. It's a stage to reset, reimagine, and reclaim your power. Drawing on her bestselling book 'Prime Time: 27 Lessons for the New Midlife', Bec reveals how to master the six pillars of thriving after 45, from purpose and health to money and happiness. This is your invitation to make midlife your most epic chapter yet. Guest:...

Are you over 50 years of age and asking, "What do I want for myself now? Is there something more, beyond work, beyond family?" These days our years after 50 are not about winding down, they're about breaking out! Breaking out of limiting beliefs and habits, and embracing the road ahead as a time of reinvention. Let's start this journey together.