Posts in Innovation
The End of Retirement as We Know It - An Interview with Economist and Journalist Chris Farrell
The End of Retirement as We Know It - An Interview with Economist and Journalist Chris Farrell

Chris Farrell has worked as a journalist for national publishers and public radio for decades. Throughout his career, Chris has taken a hard look at how Baby Boomers have redefined work and how they are now redefining the concept of retirement. In this interview, Chris looks at what retirement has been historically, how it is evolving, and what organizations can do to continue to leverage the talent of their most experienced people. Chris also shares his thoughts on the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement that is becoming popular among younger, affluent workers. In this interview, Chris discusses:

Part I: Unretirement and the Future of Retirement

Traditional retirement and its evolution, the relationship between continued work and mental acuity, doing meaningful work, the importance of relationships at work, health benefits as the primary reason some employees stay with their organizations, the importance of building having a thriving network for older workers, advice for those considering a career change, the FIRE movement, retirement in Europe, workforce disruption, the 55-64 year-old entrepreneur, encore careers.

Part II: The Future of Work, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship

Disruption and the future of work, creation of new jobs, the increasing rate of technological developments, adapting skills for the future, training employees for a strong and valuable workforce, career changes later in life, how to remain relevant towards the end of your career, the 50+ entrepreneur, women and entrepreneurship, immigrant entrepreneurs.

Organizations, People and Resources mentioned: Unretirement (Book and Podcast), FIRE Movement, Purpose and a Paycheck, AARP, PBS Next Avenue, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Financial Times, Encore.org, Desk Set with Katherine Hepburn, Michael Mandel with the Progressive Policy Institute, Herman Miller, Toyota, Bloomberg Businessweek

Chris’ publications are available on amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/Chris-Farrell/e/B001HMRRYW?ref=dbs_p_pbk_r00_abau_000000

Unretirement Podcast online: https://www.apmpodcasts.org/unretirement/

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Change Management, Leadership, Innovation, Retirement, Entrepreneurshipdon macphersonInnovation, Retirement, change management, Training & Development, The FIRE Movement, mentoring, entrepreneurship, baby boomers, Work, Job Hunt, Giving Back, Aging, Personal Reinvention
The Future of Energy in America - An Interview with Energy Expert Lauren Azar
The Future of Energy in America - An Interview with Energy Expert Lauren Azar

Imagine life in the year 1900. Imagine how people heated their homes. Think about how people got from place to place. Yes, there was the steam engine, but personal travel was walking or with a horse and buggy. The world is better than ever and one of the foundational reasons for this is because of access to energy. On a daily basis, the average person is estimated to use about 41 pounds of coal in energy per day…that’s 15,000 pounds a year. But that is changing quickly. In this interview, energy expert Lauren Azar talks about her 25 year career in the energy field and what the future of energy in America will look like. Lauren discusses:

Part I: Working in the Field of Energy

Mentorship, young people entering the energy field, energy industry law, working in the Department of Energy, working for the federal government, working for Secretary Chu, navigating hard power and soft power in decision making, working in a male dominated industry

Part II: Planning for Changes in Energy Sources and Overall Consumption.

Energy policy planning, security vulnerabilities in the electrical grid system, the future of coal in America, the future of renewable energy, energy storage methods (battery, compressed air, etc), solar panels, internet of things and AI’s impact on energy, solar roads

Organizations, People, and Resources Mentioned: Former Secretary of the Department of Energy Steven Chu, Xcel Energy

“Once energy storage becomes cost effective, we no longer need to have just-in-time infrastructure. That is going to fundamentally change this industry. It’s going to fundamentally change this nation.”

Lauren Azar on the impact energy storage capabilities will have on our future energy supply.

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Change Management, Leadership, Energy Sector, Innovationdon macphersonenergy, the internet of things, battery storage, big data, artificial intelligence, STEM Fields, mentoring, alternative energy, LGBTQ+, Women in Leadership, Work, Technology