David Marlow is known as the Ikigai Guy. I didn’t know that when I first came across his writing. What I did know was that something in his work resonated deeply with me.

Today, we talk about what happens when your career comes to a close, and you're left facing the question: who am I now? David shares how he discovered the concept of ikigai, what it means to him, and how it shaped the way he moved through the end of his own career.

He offers a thoughtful process for reconnecting with purpose, and for paying attention to the parts of your life that make you feel most alive. We talk about identity, daily rituals, the power of reflection, and how a few small steps can open the door to something meaningful.

We also explore:

What ikigai means (and what it doesn’t)

How to quiet the noise enough to hear what’s true for you

Why a beginner’s mindset is key to moving forward

What it looks like to create your own “ikiverse”

How old memories and stories can point you back to what matters most

Resources:

Follow David on LinkedIn

Subscribe to the Ikiquest Newsletter

David’s website

Where to find The Ikigai Way:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Wiley Books

Richard Eisenberg is back. And this time, we’re diving into what his unretirement looks like now.

If you don’t know Richard’s story, he’s an “unretired” journalist who writes a column for MarketWatch and freelances for Next Avenue, Fortune, AARP, and Fodor’s. Richard calls this chapter “unretirement” — living it with purpose and intention.

Before all that, he was an editor at Next Avenue and Money magazine, and held senior roles at Yahoo! and Good Housekeeping. He’s also the author of two personal finance books and a proud Northwestern grad.

In our conversation, Richard shares his latest stories on medical debt, telehealth access, and the renewed value of travel advisors. He also opens up about caring for his mom during her dementia journey and what it taught him about starting financial conversations early.

Listen in to hear what Richard’s been up to since the last time we spoke.

We discussed:

What “unretirement” really looks like in practice

The importance of having early financial conversations with aging parents

Why telehealth access matters—and what could happen if it’s rolled back

A fresh look at travel advisors and how they’re evolving

Richard’s book recommendations and resources for deeper learning

The challenge of caregiving for aging parents with dementia

Resources

The View From Unretirement

Next Avenue

Fortune | Richard Eisenberg

Fodor’s Travel

Friends Talk Money

The Friday Afternoon Club by Griffin Dunne

The Purpose Code by Jordan Grumet

Retirement Intelligence by Robert Laura

What happens when the career you built your life around stops feeling like it fits? Today, I’m talking to Jordan Grummet about what it really looks like to wrestle with purpose—especially during big life transitions like retirement.

Jordan opens up about losing his father at a young age, pursuing medicine to honor his legacy, and eventually realizing that career wasn’t fulfilling him. We covered the struggle between societal expectations and our own authentic path, and how to find meaning after a life-altering shift.

Jordan, an author and host of the Earn & Invest podcast, brings a perspective shaped by both his work in hospice care and his own experience of stepping away from a path that no longer felt right.

It’s a conversation about what happens when we let go of old identities and start figuring out what comes next.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

Why purpose feels like such a monumental challenge in retirement

Jordan’s story of legacy, loss, and what medicine couldn’t give him

The slow burn of professional misalignment and how he woke up to it

How powerful external voices influence our life choices

The Purpose Code path forward into a more meaningful second act

Resources

jordangrumet.com

The Purpose Code