Inspiration for the Second Half
Now a word from our frenemies.
We weren’t the first to recognize it’s only halftime, and that our increased lifespan would bring about both opportunities and challenges. So like any good pioneer, we sought to follow the footsteps of those already ahead of us, approaching our entrée into the 40+ space with humility, curiosity and reverence for the ones who’d led the way—many now featured in this very newsletter. We use the word frenemies in jest, because, well, freudenfreude. The ballers and shot callers we feature are secure enough in their ideas to be generous and collaborative with them—and so are we. Maybe the wisdom that comes with our age is the recognition that there is enough space for everyone to play.
Here are a few we’re inviting in our sandbox.
They’re not.
Ageist held one of the conferences we attended when starting The Verse, and gave us some of the very best advice: “If you build something cool, they will come.” Founder David Harry Stewart’s photography background is evident with strong images to accompany their always interesting profiles. The platform puts forward a new interpretation of what life looks like for grown-ups. Through their digital magazine, newsletter and podcasts, they seek to be “connectors of this new vital, vivid cohort who are living life with goals and ambitions not imagined even a generation ago.” Word.
A Modern Elder.
We know, you’re starting to wonder if we’re low-key running a Chip Conley fan club. He was one of the very first names uttered to us when we started communicating the idea of The Verse, and as they say, you never forget your first. He also turns out to be one of the most generous people, like, ever. In short, he’s just the type of person we’d like to be when we grow up. A prolific sharer of wisdom through several outlets for his wisdom, Chip’s roughly daily missives he posts to his Wisdom Well blog (and to his LinkedIn ) are among our faves.
Reinventing opportunity.
Pondering a transition from a 25-year career in business into what’s next is one thing; looking for a new verse as a woman who took a pause to raise children or to be a caretaker is another. As Reboot Accel founder Dianne Flynn explains, returners are facing the headwinds of being out of sync with their skill sets, disconnected from professional networks and, as a result, lacking in confidence. If that wasn’t enough, they are also up against ageism and sexism in hiring, with a hole in their resume. This prompted Flynn—who encountered these same issues as she herself tried to reenter the workforce—to found Reboot, to help women to get current and connected, build their confidence and to help companies with programs like “returnships” to access this talented workforce.
Guiding Gen X.
We first encountered Adrion Porter, a marketing executive and 40+ superfan, through his predecessor podcast Gen X Amplified. These days he is speaking about Mid-Career Mastery, highlighting career and personal growth over forty. He shares much of his content through his LinkedIn feed, including an in-app newsletter. Recently, he has been highlighting a host of rock stars he considers Fabulous over Forty, and while we usually dislike the basic listicle, he does put forward interesting, diverse and substantive people.
Acting their age.
We would be curious to know the actual average age of a SmartLess podcast listener; while we know they didn’t build it for people of a certain age, we can’t help but notice that hosts Will Arnett, Jason Bateman and Sean Hayes (51, 53 and 51 respectively) come to the table with a grown-up frame of reference, curiosity and the comfort that comes with having done some sh*t. The conceit is simple: One host brings on a guest who’s a surprise to the other two. This allows for in-the-moment questions and a spontaneity lacking in today’s overscripted everything. They do get some great guests, but it’s the interplay between the three obviously close friends that’s truly worth the listen.
