I Used to be Somebody – Details, episodes & analysis

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

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