"What's Next GenX?"

Gen X doesn’t have a visibility problem because we lack talent. We have one because we got too comfortable being the quiet workhorse — the one who adapts, carries it, and shrugs “whatever” when things don’t go our way. This conversation with Erin Mantz puts language to something a lot of us have been feeling: the “whatever” mindset that once made Gen X resilient can quietly make us forgettable in...

What if style isn’t vanity — but strategy? Renée Lindo is an executive image strategist, speaker, and founder of Let’s Get Dressed Now, shares about what it really means to show up powerfully in midlife. From boardrooms to Zoom rooms, Renée helps women rediscover the confidence hiding in their closets — and reminds us that how we present ourselves isn’t superficial, it’s strategic self-expression....

You want your next big move, but - that corporate PTSD is real. You’ve been laid off, passed over, or pushed out and now you're wondering if it's even worth trying again. The title doesn’t hold the same weight, and frankly… neither does the paycheck. But here’s the truth: You still have value. You still have fire. You still have a voice. This week, we’re naming the fear and reclaiming the...

We’re living through one of the most uncertain moments in modern work. Layoffs, AI, burnout, fear — and Gen X is feeling it all. In this episode, Nicole and Ann Marie talk with Jason Greer , national labor expert, former NLRB board agent, and “Employee Whisperer,” about what’s really happening inside corporate America — and what Gen X professionals can do about it. Jason has spent his career advoc...

In 1986, the Pet Shop Boys sang, “I’ve got the brains, you’ve got the looks — let’s make lots of money.” Decades later, that line feels less like pop irony and more like a wake-up call for GenX professionals staring down a shifting economy. In this episode, Ann Marie breaks down what it really takes to build financial security and meaning in midlife — beyond the corporate ladder. You’ll hear: The...

There comes a point in every successful career when the words that once opened doors start to feel… off. They’re polished. Professional. Perfectly acceptable. But they no longer sound like you. For years, you’ve spoken through systems — boardrooms, brands, and expectations. You’ve learned how to communicate what’s needed. Now, you’re being invited to communicate what’s true. This episode explores...

🎙 Episode: Everybody Hurts (with Janelle Miller Moravek) Mental health isn’t just personal—it’s generational. In this powerful episode, Nicole and Ann Marie sit down with Janelle Miller Moravek , Executive Director of Youth & Family Counseling and longtime leader in community mental health. For 25+ years, Janelle has been breaking down barriers, making counseling more accessible, and helping f...

Building something new doesn’t happen in one clean leap—it happens through iteration. In this special episode, Ann Marie flips the script and interviews her co-host, Nicole Gray , about her journey from corporate tech leader to confidence coach and founder of Shine AF. Nicole shares how being laid off became the unexpected push that set her in motion, and why iteration—not perfection—is the real k...

Our guest, Adele Curran , is a relationship and communication coach helping smart, successful people navigate major turning points in love and life. After going through her own divorce, she turned that season of growth into her purpose: guiding others to build the clarity, skills, and resilience to either rebuild their relationships or end them with respect and dignity. ✨ In this episode, Adele s...

What if leaving corporate didn’t mean walking away from security—but walking toward freedom? In this episode, Nicole and Ann Marie talk with Tania P. Brown , financial planner and job exit strategist, about how to design a corporate exit that doesn’t require a vow of poverty. Tania shares her own story of climbing the corporate ladder, hitting a breaking point, and creating a plan that gave her bo...

What happens when you realize the corporate map you’ve been following no longer leads where you want to go? In this episode, Nicole and Ann Marie sit down with coach and truth-teller Shelly McIntyre , founder of Burn the Map , to talk about why so many Gen Xers are waking up to the reality that the system is broken—and they’re not. Shelly shares why loyalty isn’t rewarded the way it used to be, th...

Rihanna said it best: “Work, work, work.” In this real-talk episode, Nicole and Ann Marie tackle Gen X’s #1 question: how to keep crushing it at your day job while quietly building your next chapter. You’ll hear why staying excellent at work protects your reputation (and your options), how to reframe your paycheck as “bridge funding,” smart ways to keep your side project discreet, what to check in...

Are Gen Xers playing it too safe with their dreams—just because we think time is running out? In this episode, we dig into the fears, excuses, and “what ifs” that keep so many professionals from starting something new in their 40s and 50s. From side hustles like baking or bookstores to full-on pivots like Pilates studios and coffee companies, they show how your corporate skills are more transferab...

Trying to teach your 20-something about money without sounding like a lecture? Start here: Julia Cancro (@jcancro on Instagram). Julia shares modern, judgment-free money lessons that actually land with your adult kids—especially if they’re just starting out. If you're a GenX parent who wants to pass on smart financial habits, but your kid rolls their eyes when you say “budget,” send them her w...

What if your next chapter wasn’t about starting over—but finally starting aligned? In this powerful conversation, we sit down with Cindee Williams , business lifestyle coach, DISC consultant, and founder of Lead My Life . After running a successful family business for over 30 years, Cindee found herself asking the same question so many Gen X women do: Who am I now? From empty nest awakening to leg...

What if your biggest breakdown was actually the start of your next breakthrough? In this powerful episode, Dr. David Hooper joins Nicole and AnnMarie to share his deeply personal journey from elite athlete to burnout, depression, and redundancy—and how he used rock bottom as a launchpad for purpose, performance, and reinvention. From rebuilding his body to running ultra marathons, starting a busin...

One Year In: What We’ve Learned (and Loved) from Building What’s Next? GenX We can’t believe it’s been a full year. In this special anniversary episode, we’re pulling back the curtain on how What’s Next? GenX went from an idea to a growing movement—with weekly episodes that have inspired thousands of mid-career professionals to finally ask: What else is out there for me? We talk candidly about: –...

Work-life balance isn’t a myth. You just haven’t seen it done like this. In this episode, we sit down with Kym Insana , founder of Always On Digital, who traded the grind of NYC ad life for something smarter—and saner. She didn’t just reinvent her own career… she built a company that supports real life, for everyone on her team. Kids, commutes, baseball games, caregiving—this is a workplace design...

🎙️ Riding to Work in 2025: What Time Has Taught Us About What’s Next In this solo episode, AnnMarie gets real about the silent urgency many Gen X professionals feel but rarely name: time is passing—and your current role may no longer fit who you’ve become. Inspired by the 1997 Flaming Lips song "Riding to Work in the Year 2025" , AnnMarie draws a sharp line from past to present to ask: A...

This episode is a wake-up call for Gen X women who’ve spent years keeping the peace, downplaying their wins, and staying quiet to make others comfortable. If you’ve ever felt overlooked, underestimated, or just plain tired of shrinking to fit—this conversation is for you. You’ll walk away with: A clear understanding of the subtle traps Gen X women fall into at work—and how to spot them Practical s...

Freedom isn’t the fantasy of walking away. It’s the strategy of deciding what you’re no longer available for. In this episode, we explore how high-performing Gen X professionals can redefine freedom—not as reinvention, but as elevation . Not as quitting, but as quietly reclaiming control over your time, energy, and vision. Because staying in your role isn’t the issue. Staying stuck is. Together, w...

Summer School (For You) Remember when summer meant freedom? No alarm clocks, riding your bike until the streetlights came on, and actual breaks? This week, we’re throwing it back — not with nostalgia, but with intention. If your summer schedule feels like just another round of deadlines, obligations, and saying yes to everything but yourself… this episode is your permission slip. We’re breaking do...

The Busy Trap: Why GenX Professionals Stay Overwhelmed — and What to Do About It You say you’re busy — because you are. And it's causing you to live "la vida loca" But what if all that busy is covering up something deeper? This episode explores how busyness becomes a default for high-achieving GenX professionals who’ve spent decades doing what’s expected — and are now starting to won...

Corporate life in 2025 isn’t playing by the same rules — so why are you still trying to succeed by the old ones? In this high-impact episode, Nicole and AnnMarie are joined by powerhouse executive coach and founder of Rock Career Development, Julia Rock , to talk about what GenX professionals really need to navigate leadership, layoffs, and legacy in a workplace that’s constantly shifting. Whether...

Angry? Burned out? Secretly dreaming of walking away from your corporate job but holding on because—bills? This episode is for you. We’re getting real about the hidden anger so many Gen Xers are carrying: Anger at companies that didn’t value your loyalty Anger at systems that told you to keep climbing a ladder that led nowhere Anger at yourself for not leaving sooner And the fear that maybe it’s t...