In the first episode of Season 6 of 4-Quarter Lives, Avivah Wittenberg-Cox talks with Martin Frolander, the Founder and Chief Executive of Junoverse, a company with a mission to reimagine the future of seniors through the most comprehensive retirement platform yet built. Their conversation delves into Junoverse's three integrated platforms: Ready, Go, and Connect, each tailored to different stakeholders key to an individual's career and life.

* Ready supports employers in managing mid to late career employees aged 50-80. It features assessments, personalized plans, algorithm-based recommendations, and mentoring.

* Go assists individuals in retirement, helping them navigate post-work life effectively, with a series of resources and tools

* Connect aims to create and enable age-friendly communities, facilitating better integration and interaction among community members of varying ages.

Finally, Martin and Avivah discuss why there remains relatively low awareness and urgency among employers regarding the ageing workforce.

Martin Frölander is an international citizen with over 20 years of business experience ranging from founder of multiple startups, leadership positions in multinational companies as well as advisor to international Boards and CEOs. He has a track record of building and scaling successful companies in the Wellness/Health Ed and AgeTech industry. Martin is Swedish by birth, but Mozambican at heart.

Useful Links

* Junoverse website

In this episode of 4 Quarter Lives, Avivah Wittenberg-Cox summarises key points from the fascinating conversations she has had with a wide range of experts across the Season 5. Her aim this season was to dig deeper into the midlife transition issue, how to prepare people for longer careers, more change and the need for real longlife learning. She started with Richard Alderson of Careershifters and Victoria Tomlinson of NextUp, both of whom have launched businesses helping people with these momentous career moves. Richard described the 6 phases of career shifts that everyone goes through, while Victoria discussed evolving attitudes to late work, and how to better exit big jobs, while avoiding the sudden cliff edge of endings.

Avivah’s next guest was London Business School Professor Herminia Ibarra, author of the seminal book Working Identity, which focuses in on the particular challenges of changing careers in midlife. Following that was Helen Tupper, co-CEO of Amazing If, a company that introduced the concept of ‘squiggly careers’, helping corporates to flex their managers’ minds and systems, not least to retain good talent. This objective is also dear to the heart of Pedro Patella, or France’s SANOFI, with whom Avivah discussed their new global Generations Employee network. Another informative guest was Ann Francke, CEO of the UK’s Chartered Management Institute, who focused on the management competencies involved in working with inter-generational workforces and customers.

Also keen to drill down into the issue of how to influence decision-makers in organisations is Michael Clinton, former Head of Publishing of Hearst Magazines, and author of ROAR: Into the Second Half of Your Life. Meanwhile Bradley Schuman is author of The Super Age: Decoding our Demographic Destiny, as well as CEO of Human Change. Both brought their deep insights to the podcast.

Avivah ended the season with two pioneers in the longevity space. Chip Conley is the Founder of the Modern Elder Academy and his latest book is Learn to Love Midlife. He uses his own life as a radically honest exploration of the new shape of life. Finally, Avivah talked with Professor Andrew Scott, of London Business School, who has just followed up his massively impactful book The 100-Year-Life, with his latest, The Longevity Imperative. This is big-picture thinking, encompassing not just individual change but cultural, social and economic at a global level.

Some Useful Links

* The universities around the world running midlife transition programmes

* OECD report summaries

* Employers Don’t Care if You Have 25 Years Experience – Or 5

* Changing Jobs at Midlife is Good for Your Career – And Your Salary

Chip Conley is on a midlife mission. After disrupting the hospitality industry twice, first as the founder of Joie de Vivre Hospitality, the second-largest operator of boutique hotels in the U.S., and then as Airbnb’s Head of Global Hospitality and Strategy, leading a worldwide revolution in travel, Conley co-founded MEA (Modern Elder Academy) in January 2018 in Baja California, Mexico. Inspired by his experience of intergenerational mentoring as a ‘modern elder’ at Airbnb, where his guidance was instrumental to the company’s extraordinary transformation from fast-growing start-up to the world’s most valuable hospitality brand, MEA is the world's first ‘midlife wisdom school’ and has a campus opening on a 2,600-acre regenerative horse ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico in early 2024. Dedicated to reframing the concept of ageing, MEA supports students to navigate midlife with a renewed sense of purpose and possibility. A New York Times bestselling author, Conley's 7th book "Learning to Love Midlife: 12 Reasons Why Life Gets Better with Age" is about rebranding midlife to help people understand the upside of this often-misunderstood life stage. In 2023 he gave a TED talk on the “midlife chrysalis."

Some Useful Links:

* Website: Chip Conley

* Book: Learning to Love Midlife – or at Amazon

* Website: Modern Elder Academy

* Chip Copley’s Daily Blog: Wisdom Well

* Blue Zones Retreat at MEA

In this episode of 4 Quarter Lives we tackle the complexities of longevity, ageing populations, and the evolving business landscape that accompanies these global shifts. While longevity science progresses at a breakneck pace, societal norms and economic structures lag behind, posing significant challenges. Avivah Wittenberg-Cox talks with demographic strategist Bradley Schuman. Together they take a deep dive into how businesses that leverage age diversity can outpace the competition and why addressing the unique challenges women face in midlife could be a game-changer for innovative companies. They also explore the critical skills that will define success in the future workforce, highlighting the importance of curiosity, creativity, and compassion.

Bradley Schurman is Founder and CEO of Human Change – a global strategic research and advisory firm helping public and private organizations understand the challenges and harness the opportunities of demographic change, with a focus on population ageing. Human Change works to ensure that these subjects are considered across organizational strategies from human resources, marketing and communication, public policies, and product and service design. Schurman is also the author of “The Super Age: Decoding Our Demographic Destiny”, which examines how this shift is driving social and economic change around the world. Prior to launching his company and authoring the book, Schurman was Co-Founder and Managing Partner of EconomyFour, where he led business development in Asia and Europe. He also served at AARP – the world’s largest organization dedicated to improving the lives of older people – where he was Director of Global Partnerships and Engagements. 

Some Useful Links:

* Website - Human Change

* Book: The Super Age: Decoding out Demographic Destiny

* Newsletter: newrulesmedia.substack.com

In this episode, Avivah Wittenberg-Cox talks with Michael Clinton, a visionary leader and former President, Marketing and Publishing Director of Hearst Magazines. They discuss the evolving workplace, the benefits of age inclusivity, and the transformative power of media in shaping societal views on ageing. Michael shares his perspectives on how businesses and content creators can contribute to a more inclusive environment that values experience and longevity.

Michael Clinton is a writer, photographer and former magazine publishing executive. He was publisher of GQ magazine from 1988 to 1994, senior vice president and executive VP of Condé Nast until 1997. He then joined Hearst Magazines as senior VP and Chief Marketing Officer. From 2010, he was President, marketing and publishing director of Hearst Magazines and served on the board of The Hearst Corporation. He remains special media adviser to the CEO.

He has written many books and his latest, published in 2021, is his eleventh, ROAR: Into the Second Half of Your Life (Before It's Too Late). The book draws its title from an acronym:

* Reimagine yourself

* Own who you are

* Act on what's next for you

* Reassess your relationships

The book describes how people can transform themselves later in life and pursue a new career trajectory by "rewiring or 'refiring' for what could be another 30 or 40 years of life". Michael also runs a joint venture business with Hearst called roarforward.com.

Michael is also an avid traveler and runner. He has visited more than 123 countries, run races in over 60 and run marathons on all 7 continents, including Antarctica. A former board member and supporter of Starlight Children’s Foundation, he is also the founder of Circle of Generosity, a foundation that grants random acts of kindness to people in need. He has a degree in economics and political science from Pittsburgh University, an MBA from Pace University, an honorary doctorate from Pace and, after retirement, in 2021 earned a Master of Science in Non-Profit Management from Columbia University. He lives in Manhattan, New York, and Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Some Useful Links:

* Michael’s JV website: Roar Forward

* Michael’s book: ROAR Into the Second Half of Your Life

* Forbes article by Avivah Wittenberg-Cox: 5 Steps to Longevity Leadership – Is Your Business Ready?

In this episode of 4-Quarter Lives Avivah Wittenberg-Cox talks with Ann Francke, Chief Executive of the Chartered Management Institute, about the pivotal role of management skills in supporting and enhancing longer career spans. They uncover startling statistics, including that 82% of managers receiving no training upon promotion, resulting in what's known as "accidental managers", and the sobering reality that only 42% of managers are open to hiring workers over 50. Their conversation touches on the unique challenges women face as they enter the third quarter (Q3) of their careers and the huge importance of managers in shaping workplace culture and team member wellbeing. Ann describes CMI's extensive research on ageism in the workplace, strategies to support older workers, and the significance of leveraging the talents of a multi-generational workforce. Together Ann and Avivah explore how individual behaviours can influence organizational culture and how managers can become catalysts for an equitable and inclusive work environment.

Ann Francke is Chief Executive of the Chartered Management Institute, the UK's leading professional body for management and leadership with an international member community of over 200,000. She started her career at Procter & Gamble and has held senior executive positions at Mars, Boots, Yell and BSI. She is an expert in Management and Leadership in the workplace, speaks frequently in the media and at conferences and is a regular columnist for The London Times. She’s the author of ‘Create a Gender-balanced Workplace,’ published by Penguin, and the ‘Financial Times Guide to Management.’ She holds several Board positions and Honorary Doctorates for her work in management and leadership and is an ambassador for the 30% Club.

Some Useful Links:

* The Everyone Economy. A project, as part of CMI’s 75th anniversary, to understand the current state of inclusion in the workplace. Age was one of six characteristics looked at.

* Age in the Workplace. As part of the Everyone Economy, CMI published a discussion paper examining the evidence base around age inclusion.

* The Workplace in Review: Age. Part of CMI’s documentary series on barriers to fairness and inclusion in the workplace. This 20 minute episode focuses on age in the workplace.

* Over-50s at work: 'You feel your usefulness has passed'. A BBC article from January 2023 citing CMI research into managers' openness to hiring older workers.

In this episode of 4-Quarter Lives, Avivah Wittenberg-Cox talks with Pedro Pitella to explore the innovative work of global healthcare company Sanofi in fostering an inclusive work environment through Generations+, its intergenerational Employee Resource Group (ERG). Pedro is Head of People and Culture for Sanofi Brazil, and global lead for Generations+. The conversation explores the importance of age diversity in the workplace and the valuable insights Sanofi has gained in shaping the way for a diverse and inclusive future. From tackling age justice awareness to updating company policies to serve an ageing customer base, Avivah and Pedro discuss why a multi-generational workforce is not just a social justice issue, but a business imperative, and the practical steps Sanofi is taking to make an impact both locally and globally.

Pedro Pitella has 20 years of business operational experience followed by 18 years in positions with increasing responsibility in Human Resources. Prior to joining Sanofi he worked in multinational companies including C&A, Citibank, Procter & Gamble, Mondelez, Johnson & Johnson and Makro. His first-hand business operational experience has been invaluable for developing HR strategies to support organizational growth and transformation. He holds a Production Engineering Degree from Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro and an MBA from Fundação Getúlio Vargas, and has lived and worked in Brazil, Mexico and Puerto Rico.

Some Useful Links:

* Sanofi’s Employee Resource Group approach

* Sanofi’s ERG ‘Allyship Guides’