In this episode of The 3rd Phase Podcast, host Lori Carpenter welcomes renowned demographic strategist Bradley Schurman, founder of Human Change and author of The Super Age, for a wide-ranging conversation on the forces reshaping work, wealth, and life in 2026 and beyond. Bradley breaks down why labor shortages are accelerating the need for older workers, how the “longevity economy” creates different opportunities across the 50–64, 65–74, and 75+ markets, and why inclusive products and marketing will win the next decade. They also explore how entrepreneurs can use AI as a true force multiplier, including Bradley’s “three C’s” for adapting to new tech: creativity, curiosity, and communication. Finally, Lori and Bradley connect the trends to real-life decisions in this third phase, from rethinking retirement and business succession to designing homes that support independence and aging in place.

Links from this episode:

1. Bradley Schurman: behumanchange.com | populationnext.com
2. Lori Carpenter: loricarpenterdesigns.com | Instagram

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What’s new in aging-in-place design, and how can your home stay both beautiful and functional for decades to come? Lori Carpenter is joined by Leslie Carothers (principal at Savour Partnership and a digital marketing leader in the home industry) to recap their favorite finds from KBIS, including a safer-to-enter freestanding bathtub with a built-in sitting edge, sculptural towel warmers that feel like wall art, and practical hardware upgrades that are easier to see and grip as we age. They also dig into smart accessibility solutions like push-button pull-down closet racks and height-adjustable kitchen work surfaces and cabinets from Granberg, plus why it pays to plan early if you’re remodeling a “forever home.”

Links from this episode:

1. Leslie Carothers: Instagram
2. Lori Carpenter: loricarpenterdesigns.com | Instagram

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In this episode of The 3rd Phase Podcast, host Lori Carpenter explores the question many people face in their 60s and beyond: to retire or unretire. Lori is joined by Bruce Hathaway, a recently retired (and newly “unretired”) lighting industry veteran and former Director of National Sales at Accord Lighting, who shares what led him to step away from corporate life, reflect on work-life balance, and design a next chapter built around creativity, family, and flexibility. Bruce also introduces The Coffee Lamp, a sustainability-driven project that transforms coffee-industry materials into one-of-a-kind lighting pieces, and offers practical perspective on planning for retirement, staying engaged, and finding the thing that makes your “eyes sparkle.”

Links from this episode:

1. Bruce Hathaway: Instagram
2. Lori Carpenter: loricarpenterdesigns.com | Instagram

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Ever dreamed of living in Europe for a month or two while transforming your health? In this inspiring episode, Lori Carpenter sits down with Tony Ashek, a real estate developer from the Netherlands who is creating, along with his partners, the Healthy Village, a groundbreaking wellness resort built on the six pillars of lifestyle as medicine: movement, nutrition, sleep, recovery, stress management, and social connection. Located in the picturesque eastern region of Holland near Arnhem, this luxury well-being vacation resort community features biophilic design, meditation gardens, healthy cooking workshops, and beautiful walkways surrounded by nature and water.

Tony shares his passion for helping people overcome burnout, depression, and lifestyle-related diseases through education and environmental design rather than medication. With 30 small houses and 36 apartments available for short-term and extended stays, the Healthy Village will offer Americans and Europeans alike the opportunity to experience extended wellness retreats in the heart of Dutch countryside. Learn how this innovative project will make the connection between loneliness, health, and happiness, and discover why this could be your next European adventure when it's completed.

Links from this episode:

1. The Healthy Village: thehealthyvillage.nl l LinkedIn
2. Tony Ashek: LinkedIn
3. Lori Carpenter: loricarpenterdesigns.com | Instagram

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Are you facing the overwhelming task of downsizing, or dealing with a lifetime of inherited belongings? In this first episode of The 3rd Phase, host Lori Carpenter sits down with IPhone photography educator for interior designers, Linda Holt, who shares her deeply personal journey through not one, but two major downsizing projects.

Linda inherited belongings from three generations—her mother-in-law in the early 1990s, her own mother in 2004, and her great aunt—resulting in decades of accumulated possessions she's now methodically working through as she and her husband prepare for a move in their own 3rd phase. She candidly discusses the trauma of emptying her mother's house of 48 years in just six weeks, the PTSD that followed, and the financial realities of estate sales where items you think are valuable often only bring pennies on the dollar.

This episode is packed with practical advice and emotional insights for anyone considering downsizing and facing inheritance of stuff overwhelm. Linda reveals why items you think are valuable (custom furniture, crystal, fine china) are often not worth much in today's market, [although some items are! ], shares her timeline and strategies for tackling the process, and explains the profound mindset shift that changed everything for her: "We are not our stuff."

Whether you're an empty nester preparing to travel or move or simply cleaning out your inherited belongings so your children don't have to face that task, Linda's honest account offers both validation and a roadmap forward. Learn why your children will remember your time together—not your possessions—and how to start the downsizing journey with grace and purpose.

Links from this episode:

1. Linda Holt: lindaholtcreative.com | Instagram | Facebook
2. Lori Carpenter: loricarpenterdesigns.com | Instagram

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