I Used to be Somebody

Carl talked to big-time entrepreneur Paul Giobbi about what it's like to build a company into a high tech power house, sell the business interest and then face a midlife retirement. It sounds easy but it's not. Paul has been on an amazing journey for the past 4 years and we take you with us on the ride. It all started when Paul was 11 years old and he went to work in the family publishing and events business. Instead of participating in school sports, he spent his time working. He eventually left the family business and worked in tech. In 2000, he co-founded Zumasys, a fast-growing technology company.  Over two decades later, Paul sold off his business interest. Like many people, the transition has not been an easy one for him. "When you decide to step away from your primary act in life, it challenges your relationships, your identity, your ego." He tried to find a peer group for mid-life advice to minimize the sudden isolation and lack of purpose but couldn't find one. So he started "The Exit Club", to connect with others going through the same transition.  Paul reflects on it all and says, "It took a while to learn who I am was not my business". • More about Paul Giobbi:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiobbi/  • More about Paul Walks: https://paulwalks.com/  • Episode Content:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Paul-Giobbi-High-Tech-Entrepreneur-Starts-The-Exit-Club • Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die: https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die/  • Sponsored by Capital Advantage:  https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide/  • I Used to be Somebody World Tour:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour/  • Subscribe to the I Used to be Somebody Newsletter:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe 

It took Carl 89 episodes but he finally found a former doctor who has created an amazing second act. Not just any doctor, "Doc G" has a super popular podcast (Earn & Invest) and is a best-selling author. His story is a dramatic one. After 15 years of being an internal medicine doc he found himself totally burnt out and had some sort of breakdown. He found his passion and voice in becoming a podcast star, talking about investing and giving people life advice on how to find true happiness and purpose.  He shares some of the best (un)retirement advice we've ever learned on the show gleaned from his new book "The Purpose Code". Great episode to end 2024! • More about Jordan (Doc G) Grumet:  https://jordangrumet.com/    • Doc G's Book The Purpose Code:  https://jordangrumet.com/#bookrelease    • Episode Content:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Jordan-Doc-G-Grumet-Interview-Hospice-Doc-Shares-How-to-Live-a-Regret-Free-Life  • Sponsored by Capital Advantage:  https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide/   • Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die:  https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die/     • I Used to be Somebody World Tour:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour/    • Subscribe to the I Used to be Somebody newsletter:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe 

How does a Tax Preparer from Minnesota end up moving his family to a little village in the French Countryside end up becoming an award-winning food writer and publishing his memoir about the experience with a big-time book publisher?    Today's guest Steve Hoffman's story is so unlikely. Back in 2012, Steve dreamed of living in France with images of swimming in the ocean on the coast and then sipping with a wonderful glass of Rosé. The reality was that he brought his wife and two children to a hard-working, hot and dusty winemaking village. No one spoke English. To say the beginning of this adventure was rocky is a understatement.  Once Steve and his family stepped back and let their French experience evolve on its own, it was transformative. It's all shared in his memoir, "A Season for That, Lost and Found in the Other Southern France".  Steve still lives two lives. For 6 months a year, he runs his self-stated "boring" job of tax preparation that pays well and the other half of the year is devoted to his creative life, winning a James Beard M.F.K. Fisher Distinguished Writing Award. • More about Steve Hoffman: https://www.sjrhoffman.com/ • Steve's book "A Season for That": http://tiny.cc/z37uzz • Episode Content:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Steve-Hoffman-Interview-Food-Writer-and-Author-of-French-Countryside-Experience • Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die:  https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die/ • Sponsored by Capital Advantage:  https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide/ • I Used to be Somebody World Tour:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour/ • Subscribe to the I Used to be Somebody newsletter:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

We've gone CAT crazy this month on the podcast. They say cats have 9 lives. Our guest Suna Kneisley is probably on life #5. Her story starts in Korea where she was born. She was raised in a small town in the Midwest where she was the only Asian kid in town. At 12 years old, she helped run her family's 24-hour donut shop. In her 20's, Suna lands in Silicon Valley as a marketing exec at Intuit and Oracle. Eventually, she launched her own real estate investment company. And this is when things get even more interesting. She sees an opportunity and pounces on the Cat business, running a non-profit and buying a successful boutique Cat Hotel as a third, maybe 4th act. It's a super fun story full of lots of twist and turns. Suna is full of optimism and has some great (un)retirement advice for you! • More about Suna Kneisley:  https://patsplaceforcats.com/about/meet-the-owners  • Pat's Boarding House for Cats: https://patsplaceforcats.com  • Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Suna-Kneisley-Interview-Kitty-Hotel-Second-Act-Success-Story  • Sponsored by Capital Advantage:  https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide  • Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die:  https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die  • I Used to be Somebody World Tour:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour/all-tours  • Subscribe to the "I Used to be Somebody" newsletter:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe 

Carl interviews "Stacking Benjamins" host Joe Saul-Sehy. Joe is a former financial advisor and has represented American Express and Ameriprise in media. He left his financial advisor career at age 40 and reinvented himself into what he truly wanted to do. He was the "Money Man" on WXYZ-TV in Detroit and has appeared in countless newspapers and magazines, including the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Sun-Times, Detroit News and more.  And now, his award-winning podcast is one of the most listened to in the personal finance sphere. Plus, he's funny as hell! (Full disclosure: Carl is a total fanboy of the show.) Joe's show Stacking Benjamins has the same tone as the former NPR show "The Car Guys". With Car Guys, you didn't need to be a car person to love listening to the show. Same can be said about Joe's show. You don't need to be financial investment aficionado to love listening. Joe and his cast of characters make it entertaining to listen to a subject matter that is generally perceived as dull to the general public. "Stackers" (reference to the listeners of the show) are anything but bored listening to him and his sidekick Josh Bannerman (AKA OG), Doc G, Paula Pant and of course Mom's Neighbor Doug. Oh, the running gag is that the show is produced in Joe's Moms basement. Joe is a perfect example of an (un)retirement success story. As a young man he was personally a financial disaster. Ironically, he became a very successful financial adviser. But at 40 he realized he liked his job but didn't love it. He sold his business. And 18 years later he's become a financial media star. Helping hundreds of thousand listeners stacking benjamins one at a time! • More about Joe Saul-Sehy:  https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/about/ • Joe's Book STACKED:  https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/stacked/ • Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Joe-Saul-Sehy-Interview-Stacking-Benjamins-in-his-Moms-Basement • Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die:  https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die/ • Sponsored by Capital Advantage:  https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide/ • I Used to be Somebody World Tour:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour/ • Subscribe to "I Used to be Somebody" newsletter:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

THREE for the price of one! What a deal. Yes, we're shaking things up in this episode with a little different format. Instead of just one guest who's had a really interesting second act, we're talking to 3 great minds in the (un)retirement world. With a little twist is that they are from three different age perspectives.  Meet Paul Long a former TV newscaster, weatherman, film content creator who just created a movement "New Way Forward" (1:58). Gary Sirak is an author, speaker and financial advisor best known for writing How to Retire and Not Die (30.12) And Dr. Ron Kaiser a psychologist, coach, keynote and TEDx speaker, podcast host and author of REJUVENAGING. (51:04) • More about Paul Long: https://www.newwayfwd.com/story/ • More about Gary Sirak: https://garysirak.com/about-gary/ • More about Dr. Ron Kaiser:  https://thementalhealthgym.com/meet-dr-ron-kaiser/ • Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Meet-the-Unretirement-Experts-Interview-Paul-Long-Gary-Sirak-and-Dr-Ron-Kaiser • I Used to be Somebody World Tour: https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour/ • Subscribe to the I Used to be Somebody Newsletter:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

Meet the remarkable Edward Hechter, a high school dropout full of surprises. Edward started his career in the high-tech world at 17 years old. He rose through the corporate ranks to executive level and ultimately played a key role in helping this company Website Pros go public. And retired. He missed the challenge of solving business problems but this time came back to the working world as first-time entrepreneur where he and his wife re-launched one of the first online party supply companies out of their garage. Starting with two orders a day, the company eventually grew into a $5 million dollar a year business. And he retired again. The next time he re-entered the biz world was a deep dive into the exploding sport of pickleball. He eventually served as CEO of Pickleball Central, the world's largest pickleball company. And Edward's story takes off from there! • More about Edward Hechter:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwardhechter/ • Episode Content:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Edward-Hechter-Interview-High-School-Dropout-Hits-it-Big-Time-as-an-Entrepreneur-and-in-Pickleball • Sponsored by Capital Advantage:  https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide/ • Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die: https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die/ • (Un)Retirement Travel with the Pro, Allan Wright from Zephyr Adventures: https://www.zephyradventures.com/ • I Used to be Somebody World Tours -- Tuscany, Portugal, Pickleball Adventure: https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour/ • Subscribe to the "I Used to be Somebody" Newsletter:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

In 1995, Mary-Lou Nash showed up in South Africa on a whim with just a backpack. And she never left. Today she is a Winemaster of her own brand, Black Pearl Wines, producing some of the best wines in the country and it's even sold in some high profile locations in the US. She was born in England, grew up with a determined New England attitude and has thrived in South Africa. She had no experience in growing grapes, harvesting or making wine. In fact, before arriving in South Africa she was a beer drinker and who occasionally would drink cheap jug wine.  Her story is one of taking chances, a lot of hard work and dogged perseverance. She even shares a recent harrowing experience that has led her to an entirely new lifestyle, which she explains and now loves. Mary-Lou Nash is a true inspiration! • More about Mary-Lou Nash and Black Pearl Wines: https://blackpearlwines.com/ • Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Mary-Lou-Nash-Interview-Moves-to-South-Africa-and-becomes-a-Winemaster • Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die: https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die/ • Capital Advantage: https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide/ • (Un)Retirement Travel with the Pro, Allan Wright from Zephyr Adventures and Taste Vacations: https://www.zephyradventures.com/ • I Used to be Somebody World Tours -- Tuscany, Portugal, Pickleball Adventure:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour/ • Subscribe to the "I Used to be Somebody" Newsletter: https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

This month's guest Stephanie Stuckey brings Carl down memory lane. He has great childhood memories of begging his mom for a Stuckey's Stop, a popular roadside oasis in the 60's! Apparently, there are millions of people that have the same memory. At its height, there were over 350 Stuckey's stores across the country filled with candy, novelty toys and their world famous pecan log rolls.  Stephanie's grandfather sold the business in 1964 and over the course of time the Stuckey's stores were in a state of disrepair. The brand was practically extinct when Stephanie bought back the business in 2019. She and two business partners have totally rebranded and modernized the company. The Stuckey's story and Stephanie Stuckey's personal life journey from a public defender to politician to entrepreneur are truly inspiring. • More about Stephanie Stuckey: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephanie_Stuckey • More about Stuckey's: https://stuckeys.com • Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Stephanie-Stuckey-Interview-Rebuilding-Stuckeys-a-part-of-Americana • Sponsored by Capital Advantage: https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide • Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die: https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die • (Un)Retirement Travel with the Pro, Allan Wright from Zephyr Adventures and Taste Vacations: https://www.zephyradventures.com 
 • I Used to be Somebody World Tours -- Tuscany, Portugal, Pickleball Adventure:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour • Subscribe to the "I Used to be Somebody" Newsletter: https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

The Martinus Evans story is a very surprising one. As an adult he had many jobs, including a career  as a suit salesman at The Men's Warehouse. Being on his feet 10 hours a day caused him hip pain. He saw a doctor that said, "Your hip hurts because you're too fat. You should walk to lose weight." Martinus was shocked and angered by his doctor's words. And then he turned that into the goal to  run a marathon. He's never looked back. Martinus launched a blog, 300 Pounds and Running, is an 8-time marathon runner, formed the Slow AF Run Club that now has 30,000+ members, graced the cover of Runner's World and is now a bestselling author of th book The Slow AF Run Club: The Ultimate Guide for Anyone Who Wants to Run.  In his common sense, wickedly funny way Martinus inspires all of us to get off the couch and work toward for our dreams! • More about Martinus Evans:  https://300poundsandrunning.com • Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Martinus-Evans-Interview-Founder-of-Slow-AF-Run-Club  • Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die:  https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die  • Sponsored by Capital Advantage: https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide  • (Un)Retirement Travel with the Pro, Allan Wright from Zephyr Adventures and Taste Vacations: https://www.zephyradventures.com  • I Used to be Somebody World Tours -- Tuscany, Portugal and Arizona Pickleball Adventure:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour  • Subscribe to the "I Used to be Somebody" Newsletter:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe 

Everyone please rise this week on I Used to be Somebody. Carl interviews his first judge ever! Jeannine Barr was an assistant district attorney who decided after 9 years to throw her hat in the political ring, (brave move) and then became a criminal district court judge for 24 years. She oversaw cases on "all the people you are afraid of." She tells us what it was like to have a high profile, elected position as a Texas judge. In another big brave move, Jeannine left the bench and has created a fascinating second act as a storyteller/singer and songwriter. She has a beautiful voice and is also a talented writer. In this interview, she details her journey from confidently directing bailiffs in the courtroom to becoming a first-time singer-- scared to death at her first public singing appearance. I think we can all relate to being a newbie in a brand new environment and Jeannine is unstoppable. Bonus: Jeannine surprises host Carl with a song she wrote just for him. Of course it's titled, "I Used to be Somebody".  • More about Jeannine Barr: https://www.jbarrmusic.com/about • Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Jeannine-Barr-Interview-Here-comes-the-Judge-Now-Singer-Songwriter • Sponsored by Capital Advantage: https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide • Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die: https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die • (Un)Retirement Travel with the Pro, Allan Wright from Zephyr Adventures and Taste Vacations: https://www.zephyradventures.com • I Used to be Somebody World Tours -- Tuscany, Portugal and Arizona Pickleball Adventure:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour • Subscribe to the "I Used to be Somebody" Newsletter:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

Sky Bergman has a zest for life and wants to share it with you. Her positivity is infectious. An accomplished and award-winning photographer and professor, it is no wonder her university students love her! She's also on a passon mission to capture the beauty of life and wisdom of older people as they tell their stories. Sky released her debut documentary, Lives Well Lived to sold-out live audiences and has two more films in the works. There's no stopping this woman's positive energy! Sky started pursuing her second act in her 50's as a filmmaker. She hit it big with her very first movie, now airing on PBS and all the other streaming services. Make sure you listen in for how she financed her documentary. Sky finds solutions in inventive and creative ways, to be sure. • More about Sky Bergman: https://www.skybergmanproductions.com/about2 • Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Sky-Bergman-Interview-Professor-Turns-Filmmaker • Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die • Sponsored by Capital Advantage: https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide • (Un)Retirement Travel with the Pro, Allan Wright: Zephyr Adventures: https://www.zephyradventures.com • I Used to be Somebody World Tours: Tuscany, Portugal, Arizona Pickleball Adventure: https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour/tuscany • Subscribe to the "I Used to be Somebody Newsletter:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

This month we have a very thought provoking conversation with award-winning journalist Adam Bryant. He worked for 30 years as a journalist including 18 years as a reporter, editor and columnist at the New York Times. He's probably most famous for his column at the NYT called, "Corner Office" where he interviewed 500+ CEOs. What he learned during these interviews is fascinating and his insights can help everyone in creating their second act. Adam also shares his personal experience about what it was like to give up his dream job at the  NYT to start his own C-Suite position. And this month we share the debut segment of "Pickleball Chronicles with Traver". • More about Adam Bryant: https://adambryantbooks.com/about-adam/ • Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Adam-Bryant-Interview-NYT-Corner-Office-Columnist-moves-to-his-own-C-Suite • Sponsored by Capital Advantage: https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide/ • Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die: https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die/ • I Used to be Somebody World Tour Tuscany + Portugal: https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour/portugal • Subscribe to the "I Used to be Somebody Newsletter: https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

We start 2024 with a lot of laughs. You're going to love Patty Forehand who was an elementary school teacher for 32 years and now is a successful stand-up comedian who talks about marriage, sex, and growing older. And she is FUNNY! Who doesn't like a 61- year old grandmother who can tell a good dirty joke? Tune in to hear about her chance to work with Michelle Pfeiffer and find out about her weirdest gig ever. Lots of laughs with a woman who has a heart of gold. • More about Patty Forehand: https://www.backstage.com/u/patricia-forehand-1 • Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Patty-Forehand-Interview-Elementary-School-Teacher-becomes-Stand-Up-Comedian • Sponsored by How to Retire and Don't Die:  https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die • Sponsored by Capital Advantage:  https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide • I Used to be Somebody World Tour -- First Stop Tuscany: https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour • Subscribe to our Newsletter:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

We're ending 2023 on a very high note with Dewey Forward. He was a highly regarded concert promoter and nightclub owner that organized over 4,000 concerts. He's worked with with groups like Pearl Jam, REM, Donovan, Bon Jovi and countless others. Dewey started and owned Peabody's DownUnder in Cleveland where he created the precursor to the House of Blues concept. After living the crazy music and restaurant business for over 40 years, he now owns and operates the iconic Chagrin Falls Popcorn Shop. He's a great storyteller and just funny as hell. What a great way to wrap up year! • More about Dewey Forward and the Chagrin Falls Popcorn Shop: https://www.chagrinfallspopcorn.com/about • Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Dewey-Forward-Interview-Night-Club-Owner-Pivots-to-Popcorn-Shop • Sponsored by Capital Advantage:  https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide • Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die: https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die • I Used to be Somebody World Tour -- First Stop Tuscany: https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour • Subscribe to our Newsletter:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

Carl gets his Sideways fix in with his interview with Bob Wolfe. In the movie, actor Paul Giamatti plays a serious Pinot fanatic. In real life, Bob Wolfe is one of the foremost Pinot Noir experts. In fact, people simply refer to Bob simply as The Pinot Guy! There is something for everyone in this fun-filled interview, besides Pinot Noir talk. You'll learn what it's like to grow up in a tiny rural farming town, working on a nuclear submarine, and even what it's like to get a 4:30am call with Donald Trump way back in the day. Bob is totally forthcoming about finding himself at a crossroads in his life. He's figuring out how to step away from the day-to-day of his successful wine business, while also embarking on a completely new second act as a professional pickleball instructor traveling the world. You're going to love this pinot to pickleball story! • More about Bob Wolfe:  https://oregonpinotnoir.com/about-1 • Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Bob-Wolfe-Interview-Pinot-Guy-now-Pickleball-Guy • Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die:  https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die • Sponsored by Capital Advantage: https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide • I Used to be Somebody World Tour -- First Stop Tuscany: https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour • Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

We've all been on vacation to some wonderful places in the world and said to ourselves, "I wonder if I could live here?" That is as far as most of us go. Jed Smith -- actually did it! He made the move to Italy in his mid-50's and has thrived there ever since.  Jed transformed himself from marketing exec into an accomplished painter, photographer and writer. He loves his new-found Italian culture and lifestyle so much that now he helps others who are interested in moving to Italy. He has truly an inspirational story of a boy who grew up in the South with little confidence and now has taken on the world! • More about Jed Smith: https://italywise.com/contact • Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Jed-Smith-Interview-Creative-Marketing-Exec-Thrives-in-Italy-as-Artist • Sponsored by Capital Advantage: https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide • Sponsored by Mike Ownbey COMPASS: https://www.mikeownbey.com • Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die: https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die • I Used to be Somebody World Tour -- First Stop Tuscany: https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour • Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

This is one of the best interviews we've ever had. Talk about an unlikely story! Dat Truong grew up in Vietnam and at 5 years old escaped just days before the fall of Saigon. He had careers on Wall Street and Silicon Valley but it wasn't until he moved to Portland, OR that he found his way to a life that he feels truly fits who he is today. What is "Grandma's Secret"? You're going to need to listen to find out! • More about Dat Truong:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/datlinkedin • Lela's Bistro: https://www.lelasbistro.com • Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Dat-Truong-Interview-High-Tech-Exec-to-Best-Pho-and-Grandmas-Secret • Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die: https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die • Sponsored by Capital Advantage: https://capitaladvantage.com/promotion/retirement-planning-guide • Sponsored by Mike Ownbey, COMPASS: https://www.mikeownbey.com • I Used to be Somebody World Tour -- First Stop Tuscany: https://pickleballmediahq.com/tour • Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

It took 72 episodes, but Carl finally got a politician on the show. And he got a big time Congressman in Steve Israel. He was an eight-term congressman out of New York who is proud to have been a bi-partisan representative who brought both sides of the aisle together. Since leaving congress, Steve has been a political commentator on CNN, MSNBC and HBO and the author of two critically acclaimed political satires. In 2021, he became a first-time entrepreneur and launched a new dream job--as the owner of an independent bookstore, Theodore's Books in Oyster Bay, NY. Former Congressman Israel is very candid about his political life. He is devastated that his district in New York is currently represented by the infamous George Santos. And he sheds some light on the antics of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis while they both were in Congress together. Steve ran for office 8 times and won 8 times(!) and has managed to retain his great sense of humor. His slogan when leaving office was "unindicted and undefeated". • More about Steve Israel: https://government.cornell.edu/steve-israel • Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Steve-Israel-Interview-Eight-Term-Us-Congressman-Now-Cool-Bookstore-Owner • Sponsored by Mike Ownbey, COMPASS:  https://www.mikeownbey.com/ • Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die:  https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die/ • Sponsored by Capital Advantage:  https://capitaladvantage.com/podcast • Subscribe to the I Used to be Somebody newsletter:  https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe

We have a celebrity sighting this month on the show......Maxine Clark. She is one of the true innovators in the retail industry. At age 48 she became a first-time entrepreneur and founded Build-A-Bear Workshop. Within just a few years, she took her company public on the New York Stock Exchange. Most importantly, she's had a big impact on millions of children and adults from their Build-A-Bear experience. What makes her story even more amazing is what Maxine is doing now her 70's... • More about Maxine Clark: https://clarkfoxstl.com/team/maxine-clark  • Episode Content: https://pickleballmediahq.com/blog/Maxine-Clark-Interview-Build-A-Bear-Mega-Founder-Turns-to-Social-Entrepreneurship  • Sponsored by Capital Advantage: https://capitaladvantage.com/podcast  • Sponsored by Mike Ownbey, COMPASS: https://www.mikeownbey.com  • Sponsored by How to Retire and Not Die: https://garysirak.com/how-to-retire-and-not-die  • Subscribe to the I Used to be Somebody newsletter: https://pickleballmediahq.com/contact/subscribe