Refirement Life - Where thriving, purpose, and reinvention meet.

We review Julian Treasure's pointers on How to speak so that people want to listen." He discussed several key tools to improve communication and make speeches more engaging. It's not just how you say it but what you say. Julian shares his four-part analogy for speaking which he calls the HAIL Method. We'll provide a few examples of people who embody these characteristics for further reflection. Fo...

Drawing parallels between jazz improvisation and effective leadership, Frank Barnett has authored several influential books, including "Yes to the Mess: Surprising Leadership Lessons from Jazz" and "The Power of Improvisation: Exploring the Lessons of Jazz in Work and Life." Muge and I discuss what businesses can learn from how jazz music is created. Takeaways for our listeners Take a listen to th...

In this podcast, we welcome back the financial team of Jim and Lisa Burns come back to provide our listeners with helpful information on planning beyond the accumulation of assets. Thinking about: Diversification Strategies Knowing your options on distributions and tax implications Creating, monitoring and communicating your strategy. There is much to think and act on in this informative discussio...

Christine and Muge reflect on the words of Dr. Cynthia Barnett who has a few secrets to living a more purposeful life. 1. Secret #1 - Take 100% Responsibility for Your Life: ·       Definition and Understanding: Taking 100% responsibility mean acknowledging that you are the primary creator of your life experience. It involves accepting accountability for your thoughts...

In this podcast session, Muge and I speak and reflect on World Economic Forum's study "Who do Americans spend most of their time with each day? | World Economic Forum ( weforum.org )" The findings may be surprise and encourage you to be more proactive with your time and relationships. We will touch on the reality of: Having Older Parents and what this means for time together. How your time with yo...

Whether you approach New Year Resolutions with a "Go Big or Go Home" attitude or you like to think of NY Resolutions as casual promises to yourself that I'm under no legal obligation to fulfill, I think you will get helpful tips and enjoyment out of this episode. Tune in to learn: The best way to make small changes and keep yourself improving each year. Differences between men and women and the re...

In this podcast, we visit with Paul Zmuda, a practicing attorney in the State of Maryland and Christine's husband of 28 years. Paul shares his perspective from being both a prosecuting and defense attorney. Paul also shared what his dream job will be post retirement and it may surprise you. Muge also takes the opportunity to learn a bit about Paul's home and married life. Muge and I have had fun w...

This is a very special holiday edition. Muge and I talk about some fun Christmas and holiday traditions around the world. Several of which may surprise you! We also talk about our favorite holiday memories, music, movies, and more. We invite you to explore the other holiday traditions that we didn't have a chance to cover here. Check it out - https://www.travelandleisure.com/holiday-travel/christm...

Robbie led a very successful career in homebuilding and real estate in the Windy city of Chicago. He had a yearning though to do more of what he always loved as a kid. Learn a bit about Robbie's journey and how his next chapter has been his best chapter as a professional artist. To learn about Robbie's art, please visit rfrankelart.com .

In this episode, we visit with Brad Wood, Founder of UTMA-All Stars, a not for profit focused on promoting financial literacy for disadvantaged youth. UTMA All Stars will provide young people not only the knowledge but a path to develop capital which will enable participants to benefit from compounding interest. At the age of 18, participants will have access to their funds and have a nice little...

In this session, we visit with Brad Wood, Founder of UTMA All Stars, a program that strives to develop financial literacy for disadvantaged youth. UTMA All Stars is a not for profit which arms young people with both the financial knowledge and the capital to benefit from compounding interest. Listen in to learn how Brad and his team: Founded a Not For Profit and the learnings that they have gained...

Women now make up 40 percent of new entrepreneurs in the United States — the highest percentage since 1996. women often say the No. 1 attribute of what they're looking for in their work is purpose . They want to feel compelled by the mission of the organization and understand that they're helping make the world a better place. Women are managing to try their hand at business while still balancing...

In this session, we visit with Andrew Schultz, High Performance Coach. Andrew Schultz is known for his ability to create life-changing experiences through coaching Andrew B. Schultz is a passionate and dedicated High Performance Coach based in the United States. With a profound commitment to helping individuals unlock their full potential, Andrew brings a unique blend of deep listening and thought...

While many professionals might consider winding down their careers, Claire Markwardt is winding up. This is not however, without looking at life and work from a different lens than perhaps her first and second chapter of life. Claire was a successful partner at Accenture for 20 years (first chapter) and then ran her own professional services firm for another 12 years. This was also while raising h...

Muge and I both had some time away. with individual European vacations. On this episode, we speak about the importance of unplugging and experiencing new things. We also share some interesting stats that might surprise you about the connection between taking your vacation and being more upwardly mobile professionally. This is a fun episode and welcome you to listen in. Key Takeaways: Take your vac...

This is an incredible "must listen" episode which demonstrates the power of following your calling. I sit down with Karen Sherman . Karen L Sherman is the Co-founder and CEO of Virunga Mountain Spirits , a premium craft distillery based in Rwanda, where she has worked for close to two decades. The business will employ and upskill Rwandans at every level of operations, with an emphasis on creating...

Our guest Dr. Tomika Greer talks to us about her career transitions from corporate life to the world of academia. In her current position as Professor of Human Resource Development at University of Houston and researcher, Tomika helps train the next generation of Human Resource Professionals. In this episode, you will learn about: How Dr. Greer tapped into sources of joy in her life and the doors...

Christine Zmuda visits with entrepreneur and Professional Home Organizer Lisa Malone. ( Lisa-malone.com ). Lisa channeled her passion for living in organized spaces into a luxury, concierge-style organizing business, specializing in luxury closet organizing. In this episode, listeners will: Understand the social, mental and physical benefits of being better organized. Learn about how Lisa moved fr...

With a prolific career spanning over two decades, Michael Thomas has emerged as a luminary in the realms of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Social Media.. Beyond his professional pursuits, Michael a photographer, historian, educator, and visual storyteller based in Atlanta, GA. Through MWT Photography, Michael captures life's beautiful and sometimes trying moments. Michael has two sides...

In this week's podcast we visit with Andre Leideheimer Ruiz Soler who is an expert in Diversity, Inclusion and Equity. Andre has the opportunity to explore these topics in the business world while working at Microsoft for more than 20 years and more recently in completing his master's degree at Harvard University. Andre's thesis at Harvard explored a simple idea with profound findings. Could we ra...

The Barbie movie franchise, which has spanned multiple storylines, worlds, and characters, is often dismissed as mere child’s play. The recently released movie of Barbie has surpassed $1.03 billion globally, making Greta Gerwig the first solo woman director with a billion-dollar film.. Christine and Muge spend time discussing a bit about why the film has some controversy and what the embedded and...

Our guest Mark Congdon has studied the way the chemical reaction that our brains undergo when setting and achieving goals. He has studied people at the peak of their performance and coached many on how to live the life they were meant to be by asking a simple question "Who is the person you want to be at the end of your life?" His company "The Ideal Life" has been helping people achieve fulfilling...

Portfolio life is a term coined by the business guru Charles Handy in his book "The Age of Unreason" in 1989. Mr. Handy explained the concept as "a portfolio of activities - some we do for money, some for interest, some for pleasure, some for a cause. Living a Portfolio Life means you have multiple interests and can apply them in a variety of fields and contexts. When Charles Handy first coined th...

In this week's podcast, we're going to touch upon Longevity Secrets from Intermittent Fasting to Laughing Therapy. In our endless quest for the proverbial fountain of youth, the answers might come from unexpected areas. The combination of intermittent fasting, Pilates, ice baths, and laughing therapy might seem unusual. Yet, these practices offer potential benefits that could contribute to longer,...

Last month, the US surgeon general released a 85-page advisory declaring loneliness a new public health epidemic. The report stated that more than half of Americans are chronically lonely and noted that the health effects of social disconnection can be significant, including increased risks of anxiety, depression, heart disease, dementia, and stroke. Some blame the pandemic for the rise in isolati...